Seydou is a young master musician, born in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. He comes from a family of Griots and is one of the grandsons of the late Chief Griot of Burkina Faso, Baba KIENOU.
From a young age, he was immersed in music, playing African percussion instruments such as the djembe and doumdoum with his family’s ensembles during traditional ceremonies in Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire.
In 2013 he joined the “N’Soley” company as a drummer. This urban dance company is based in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Between 2014 and 2015, he embarked on a creative journey with around ten dancers to create the show “Faro Faro”, choreographed by Massidi Adiatou. In 2016 he accompanied the group to several African festivals, including the Abidjan Performing Arts Market, Danse l’Afrique Danse, and the Ouagadougou International Dance Festival. In 2017 they participated in the 8th Francophone Games in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, where the group won the bronze medal. Between 2019 and 2023, the show “Faro Faro” toured internationally (France, Belgium, Spain), and performed at several festivals, including the Biennale in Villeurbanne, Paris plus Normandy, and Brittany.
In 2023, he collaborated with four dancers from the Abidjan-based group “Les Génies de Babi,” as well as the young Dutch dancer Eva Aya SCHERPENISSE. Together, they created “Power of Passion.” He accompanied the group as a percussionist and drummer. In June 2023, they traveled to Amsterdam, Netherlands, for ten performances presenting the coupé décalé performance.
In September 2023, he took advantage of a family trip to London to meet new artists. Currently he is working in collaboration with Koroleko (Moussa Dembélé) and Arfoud Brothers & Sisters (Hassan Hajjaj) on various local events, as well as performing with a range of musicians as part of Successors Collective on drum kit, and delivers a range of percussion workshops.
Chillee Noir @photoswithnoir & David Edmunds Photography & Glenn Edwards Photography