Malian griot singer Bako Dagnon is celebrated for her unparalleled knowledge of ancestral popular culture – her memory is a living national archive. At 50 years old, she has just released her debut album for the international market with a sound reflecting centuries old history with gentle updated touches. This is secular music but the soaring vocal harmonies filling the Pavilion felt celestial, and it was a welcome pleasure to discover yet another glorious Malian artist at WOMEX.