

Sona Jobarteh
Preserving her musical past, Sona Jobarteh innovates to support a more humanitarian future. The spirit of Sona Jobarteh’s musical work stands on the mighty shoulders of the West African Griot Tradition; she is a living archive of the Gambian people. With one ear on the family’s historic reputation, one on the all-important future legacy, and her heart in both places, she is preparing a place for the next generation. Her singing and Kora playing spring directly from this tradition.
Jobarteh has performed to crowds from the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles to Symphony Space in New York. She’s sold out the Barbican in London, Cologne’s Philharmonie, and the Seine Musicale in Paris. These performances are underpinned by her skills as a composer, arising from early days at London’s RCM and Purcell School of Music.
Jobarteh’s dedication to spreading powerful humanitarian messages through her songs and her stage performances makes her much more than a musician; she is active in social change and leads by her own example. Jobarteh single-handedly set up The Gambia Academy, a pioneering institution dedicated to achieving educational reform across the continent of Africa. This Academy is the first of its kind to deliver a mainstream academic curriculum at a high level, while also bringing the culture, traditions, and history that belong to its students to the forefront of their everyday education. These efforts have gained her invitations to deliver speeches at high profile events around the world – including summits for the UN, the World Trade Organization and UNICEF.
Sona Jobarteh Website
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