He is the founder of FASO DEME BAGAOU, COMMUNITY PROJECT.

based in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso

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Moussa was born in the small village of Ouarkuye, near Dédougou, Burkina Faso. His father was from the Dembele family of Burkina Faso, and his mother from the Keita family of Mali — two proud lineages bound by artistry and tradition. 

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But his birth came under difficult circumstances. His mother, only fourteen years old, had been promised in marriage to another man in Benena, Mali, since she was twelve. When she became pregnant, her family faced an unbearable choice — to honour the old promise or accept the new life growing inside her. Bound by ancestral vows, they chose tradition over love.

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The child was hidden away, and his mother was sent to fulfil the marriage she had been pledged to. Forbidden to speak of her son, she carried her sorrow in silence. Three months later, the baby — little Moussa — was given to her relatives, the Keita family. A couple unable to have children took him in. In their home in Djibasso, near the Mali border, Life in Djibasso was not easy. His adoptive father was harsh, often punishing him severely. But hardship forged in Moussa an early strength — a quiet fire that would guide him all his life. 

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His journey reminds us that even the deepest wounds can become the source of our greatest beauty — and that no distance, loss, or silence can stop the rhythm of a heart born to sing. Moussa never forgot the children who once slept on the streets, and he continues to share food with them and with schoolchildren, using his music and craft to uplift others. He is now the founder of FASO DEME BAGAOU, a project based in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, dedicated to supporting children and communities in need. https://www.koroleko.com/aboutmoussa/fasodemebagaou-school-project

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Now based in London, and has become a professional musician, teacher, and master craftsman of West African instruments—a path he has followed for over 25 years. Now leading his band Koroleko, Moussa has performed as a soloist at Greenbelt Festival (2017), Lion’s Den Opening Show – Boomtown (2018), and for the Shropshire Music Trust. He has also performed with bands such as Native Sun and Minyanta. Between 2019 and 2020, Moussa recorded with Afriquoi and contributed to the soundtrack for Black Is King by Beyoncé, in collaboration with James William Blades.

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Alongside performing, Moussa continues to build exquisite, handcrafted kora (African harp), balafon (African xylophone), ngoni (African lute), djembe, and doum doum (bass drum). He also offers professional repair services for all of these instruments.

If you have an upcoming project, performance, or event and are looking to collaborate with a musician specialising in West African music, or if you are seeking a high-quality handmade instrument or repairs, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Koroleko.com