He secretly took up playing guitar and became a student of music at the Institut National des Arts in Bamako. His self-titled debut album was released in 2007 with his father’s blessing and the “Hendrix of the Sahara’s” third studio album — a blend of rock, reggae and soul — featuring greats like Dave Matthews hit the number one spot on the new Official World Music Album Chart. Opening for him is “the bird of the Eastern Cape”, Bongeziwe Mabandla.