Speaking exclusively to the Mail & Guardian through his manager and translator, Salif Keita is overjoyed to be returning to South Africa — a country he describes with deep, almost personal reverence.
“I have a bond with South Africa. Deep in my heart, I am South African,” he says. “I was part of the movement for Mandela’s liberation and I was close friends with the legendary Hugh Masekela and Miriam Makeba. South Africa is in my veins … an incredibly special country.”
For Keita, often referred to as Africa’s Golden Voice, the arrival of the Montreux Jazz Festival on the continent is nothing short of historic — “a dream come true for African music lovers”. He sees jazz not just as a genre but as a living, breathing conversation between cultures.
“Jazz has always been about dialogue,” he explains. “Montreux coming to Africa celebrates our rich musical heritage. I want to show that African music is not only vibrant but universal.”
In his view, the festival’s presence signals long-overdue recognition of Africa’s role in shaping global culture. The recognition feels especially fitting in South Africa.
“Next year the Montreux Jazz Festival turns 60,” he notes. “Since its first edition it has presented the historical giants of jazz. If any African country should host an edition, South Africa is absolutely the first choice.”
He points to a lineage that is both formidable and far-reaching — from pioneers like Abdullah Ibrahim and Jimmy Dludlu to globally celebrated groups such as Ladysmith Black Mambazo and contemporary stars like Tyla and Black Coffee. It is, he suggests, a musical ecosystem that is “refined, multifaceted and deeply rooted”, with an influence that has travelled far beyond the continent.
Keita’s own music exists within the spirit of exchange and evolution. He describes jazz as “vibrant improvisation — a language of its own that unites cultures across the world” and sees African music gaining long-overdue visibility as global audiences begin to understand its origins.
His career has been defined by that same openness: drawing from jazz, rock, soul and Latin traditions, he helped shape what would become known as Afro pop. Yet, even within the fusion, his commitment has remained clear. “Throughout my career I have defended authenticity and my African legacy through rhythm, traditional instruments and ancestral melodies, mixed with contemporary expression.”
At its core, his philosophy of music is expansive and liberatory. He hopes his work encourages others — listeners and musicians alike — to embrace possibility. “I hope my music inspires people to explore the unlimited universe of sound — to imagine, to dream, to discover, to take risks, to share. That is what music is about. Freedom.”
It’s a sentiment that feels both personal and broadly political, especially coming from an artist whose life and work have long intersected with questions of identity, history and belonging.
Keita is clear about what matters most for African music’s future. He urges artists to look inward even as they reach outward. “I hope African artists will go deep into their roots and carry forward their ancestral legacy. We can be the historians — like the Griots — ensuring that knowledge is never forgotten.”
In this sense, music becomes more than expression; it becomes preservation, a living archive passed from generation to generation. “In Malian and West African culture, mastery is taught from parents to children. The knowledge goes back generations. This is why it becomes part of humanity — part of the universal legacy. Through music, we connect, no matter our cultural background. Music is universal.”
It is perhaps this belief — in music as both inheritance and bridge — that underpins his hopes for Montreux’s presence in South Africa. “The Montreux Jazz Festival must return to South Africa for many years to come,” he says. “This is only the beginning. A festival can change lives. Music can change lives.”
The Malian legend celebrates Montreux’s arrival in Africa, urging artists to honour their roots while embracing music as a universal language
