Dobet Gnahoré was born on June 17, 1982 in a small village on the Ivory Coast, West Africa. Her father, Boni Gnahoré, is a master percussionist who founded a sort of artists’ community in which Gnahoré grew up. She dropped out of school at age 12, determined to become a musician, and by her mid-teens, she had become a touring musician and dancer. By her early 20s, she hit the international music scene. Dobet is a joy to watch perform as she embodies the spirit of her craft with total passion and love which can be tangibly seen shining through each note and step. Dobet Gnahoré draws heavily on the traditional music of the Ivory Coast, but also explores many other African genres to create a diverse, Pan-African pop-influenced sound all her own. She sings in more than eight different languages, and her lyrics speak to the issues of women in Africa, as well as multiple social issues. Dobet Gnahoré is also an accomplished dancer, and traditional and contemporary African dance feature heavily in her live shows. In 2006, Gnahoré was awarded the BBC Radio 3 World Music award for “Best Newcomer” and shared an award for “Best Urban/Alternative Performance” with Indie Arie in 2010 at the 52nd Grammy Awards.