"I grew up with Oumou Sangaré's music. Oumou is the youngest icon that we have that the world knows. She's the one that really took this tradition to the world. I'm very proud of her because I'm following what she started. It's important to share what we have - our culture, and the image of a female on stage. She's beautiful, so elegant, and also has such a great voice. She sings deeply and in a traditional style, and to reach the world with this style of music, it wasn't easy. The fact that she's singing in Bambara, and also using this traditional instrument - which is the Kamele Ngoni - maybe she wouldn't be understood. But she did it. So today we follow the same path. Because after her you don't have any doubt, you know that it's possible."

"Prince is just one of my absolute, all-time favourite artists. He was a genius. I remember the first time I heard ‘Kiss’ and it's so special, because it's so minimal. It's so intimate and it just grabs you. He's singing so quietly and he's got so much space in between all of his little phrases. It's just so good! “It's a style all of his own and he made that sound his. It's one of those songs where it's become so iconic, and that style has been so distinct; so many people have been inspired by it and you can hear it in their music! I think it's just a great touchstone. For me as an artist, and as a singer, and as a music lover, just hearing that song for the first time, it's such a fundamental song."