Online Reporter
Tafadzwa Zimoyo
Zimpapers Entertainment Editor
FOR Malian music giant Salif Keita, returning to Zimbabwe after 11 years was always going to be more than another stop on an international tour.
There was unfinished business and there were memories, too.
Then there was the ghost of a friendship and musical connection with the late Oliver Mtukudzi.
Keita (77) was back in Harare last week for the Ecobank Legends Night, where he shared the stage with other African music heavyweights, bringing with him a career that has stretched across decades, continents and musical generations.
Before the conversation moved to his current projects — artificial intelligence, environmental conservation and plans for his 80th birthday — the name of Tuku inevitably cropped up.
Keita last performed in Zimbabwe in 2015 at the Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA), an appearance that remains etched in his memory.
It was the last time he was in the country before the death of Mtukudzi in 2019.
And more than a decade later, the Malian icon admits he still misses the Zimbabwean music legend.
“I miss Dr Tuku so much,” Keita said in an exclusive interview with The Sunday Mail Entertainment.
“He was a great musician and a great human being. I remember him very well. Every time I come to Zimbabwe, there are memories of him.”
Keita shared the stage with Mtukudzi several times, but his relationship with Zimbabwean music stretches beyond Tuku.
The Grammy-nominated singer and composer remembers Mokoomba, the Victoria Falls-based band whose energetic fusion of traditional Zimbabwean sounds with contemporary African music has earned them international recognition.
“I know Mokoomba very well now. I remember meeting them and seeing what they were doing. They are very talented,” he said.
This time around, Keita was introduced to another generation of Zimbabwean musicians — Intotal Band, the hosts of Ecobank Legends Night.
And the veteran was clearly impressed.
“I am very happy that I have engaged with Intotal Band,” he said.
“I have been following the band on social media, and I wish them the best because the future is very bright for them. I love the boys.”
For an artiste whose career has been built on constantly evolving while remaining rooted in African musical traditions, Keita’s interest in the younger generation is hardly surprising.
He says he has been listening to some Zimbabwean artistes and sampling their work, although he was cautious about revealing too much about possible collaborations.
“There are some local artistes I am listening to and sampling,” he said.
“At the moment, I cannot say there will definitely be a collaboration, but who knows? There can be something in the future.”
The mystery is deliberate.
Keita is already working on a major project linked to his 80th birthday, and Zimbabwean or other African artistes could potentially form part of it.
“I am working on something big for my 80th birthday,” he revealed.
“It will include African artistes, but for now it is a secret.
“I don’t want to speak too much before everything is finished and finalised.”
His manager Carolina Vallejo of One World Records confirmed that something substantial is being developed, although she was equally careful not to give away the details.
“He is very secretive,” Vallejo said.
“He doesn’t want it to be out now before everything is finished or finalised, but believe me, he is working on a massive project.”
For Vallejo, Zimbabwe has been a memorable part of the journey.
“We are very happy to be in Zimbabwe and Salif loves Zimbabwe,” she said.
“The people are full of love and hospitality. We have been discussing a lot over the past week, from AI to collaborations and Salif is amazed by the new crop of artistes.
“But, as he always says, human nature is important.”
That concern about humanity is central to Keita’s thinking as he considers the rapidly changing world.
The musician has been following developments in artificial intelligence and robotics and believes the technology should be embraced, but with caution.
“AI is good and we should embrace it because that is where the world is going,” he said.
“But AI cannot replace creativity and human nature. Artistes must be very careful about these machines.”
Keita says the growing use of robots and automated systems in different countries should serve as a warning.
“We are seeing robots going out of the way in some countries and even some agencies are regretting certain things,” he said.
“The world is digitalised now. Hospitals are digitalised, businesses are digitalised, everything is changing. But we must include the human factor in everything.”
For Keita, the debate goes deeper than technology.
“If we are not careful, robots will replace us,” he warned.
“The population is increasing, but we must still know our roots. We must know who we are and where we come from.”
His message to artistes is simple: learn.
Keita believes education must become an important part of the development of musicians, particularly as the industry becomes increasingly sophisticated.
“Education is very important for artistes,” he said.
“An artiste must not only know how to sing or perform. You must understand the industry, understand your work and understand the world around you.”
The conversation then turned to one of Keita’s other passions — the environment.
As he approaches his 80th birthday, the legendary singer does not want expensive gifts.
Instead, he wants trees.
“I am a conservation person,” he said.
“For my 80th birthday, I would love my fans to plant a tree. This will be my biggest birthday present if we all embrace that.”
Keita says environmental degradation is no longer a distant problem.
“Africa is being affected by deforestation, especially in the western part of Africa,” he said.
“This year, Mali did not receive the rain that we expected, and it is affecting our country, our nature and our environment.”
For Keita, planting trees would be a meaningful way for fans to celebrate his milestone while contributing to the future of the continent.
And while his environmental concerns may sound serious, Keita insists his musical journey is far from over.
“I am still working,” he said with a smile.
“Fans should expect more.”
There is an album in the pipeline, with 2027 targeted for its release, while plans are also being made for more international touring stretching into 2028.
“I am working on an album which I am planning to release in 2027,” he said.
“And I am planning more tours. We are looking at continuing to tour up to 2028.”
It is an ambitious schedule for an artiste approaching 80, but Keita remains driven by the same force that has sustained his career for decades — music.
His return to Zimbabwe became something of a homecoming, but also a meeting point between generations.
There was the memory of Tuku, the influence of Mokoomba, the youthful energy of Intotal Band and the possibility of new collaborations with artistes he has discovered from Zimbabwe and beyond.
And somewhere in the middle sits an 80-year-old birthday secret that Keita is refusing to reveal. For now, he would rather let the music speak.
