Fatoumata Diawara was born in Côte d’Ivoire to Malian parents before moving to France to pursue an acting career. She later took up the guitar and began composing her own material, writing songs that blend Wassalou traditions of Southern Mali with international influences. In September 2012, she featured in a campaign called “30 Songs / 30 Days” to support Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, a multi-platform media project inspired by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn’s book. In 2013 her world tour culminated in a landmark performance at Glastonbury, West Holt Stage where I took this shot.