Saharan Collective Tinariwen to Host Asia Tour December 2023

Tinariwen, the Sahran desert blues collective, presents their upcoming ‘Tinariwen: Returns to Malaysia’ Asia tour, spanning a regional itinerary that includes India, Japan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Thailand. The concert will feature tracks from their most popular compositions as well as their latest album, ‘Amatssou’, praised for its poignant lyrics and rhythmic melodies.

Originating from the Saharan region of northern Mali, the Tuareg band’s soundscape combines traditional Tuareg rhythms to guitar-driven and Western rock melodies. Drawing inspiration from notable Malian artists such as Ali Farka Touré and Rabah Driassa, Tinariwen’s influences also extend to American and British sounds, owing their rock-and-roll identity to Dire Straits, Bob Dylan and Led Zeppelin, amongst others.

Considered pioneers of ‘Assouf’’, a genre that modernises African musical heritages, Tinariwen has released nine albums since their inception and has been nominated for the Grammys three times. However, as a result of the nomadic Tuareg lifestyle and on-the ground transportation difficulties, the collective often rotates their lineup during their tours, presenting a revolving array of performing artists.