Flag bearer of the Paris Paralympic Games, the Frenchwoman is far from being unknown to her father.
Nantenin Keita, her name may not mean much to you yet, but from August 28, the date of the opening ceremony, the face of this athlete will no longer be unknown to you and her performances on the track of the Stade de France will be even less so with real chances of a medal.
Multiple European champion in the 400m, Nantenin Keita is also the daughter of a very famous musician and simply a legend of African and Malian music, Salif Keita, nicknamed “the golden voice of Africa”. Like his daughter, he is a victim of albinism. A handicap that has made him an ostracized person in his own community, because in many African cultures, albinism is often misunderstood and surrounded by superstitions.
Salif Keita’s career began in the 1960s when he joined the Rail Band, a musical ensemble based at the Hôtel de la Gare in Bamako. After winning over a local audience, he joined Les Ambassadeurs in 1973, which later became Les Ambassadeurs Internationaux, a group with which he enjoyed growing international success. Their music fused elements of traditional Malian music with Afro-Cuban and funk influences.
It was in 1984 that a real turning point occurred. Salif Keita moved to Paris to develop his solo career. His album “Soro”, released in 1987, with modern sounds combined with traditional Mandingo rhythms, was a huge hit and is considered one of the first examples of “world music”. His career was linear, his audience followed him. His album “La Différence” (2009) addresses the themes of tolerance and the fight against discrimination linked to albinism, and received a Grammy Award for his commitment. A very prestigious award.
Beyond music, he used his fame to create the Salif Keita Global Foundation, which works to raise awareness and protect people with albinism from persecution and prejudice. In 2004, he was also appointed United Nations Ambassador for Sports and Music.