Virginie Dembélé and Ben Zabo (pictured), winners of Casa África‘s ‘Mali Vis a Vis’ competition, will perform this summer at a dozen venues across Spain. From July 15 to August 4. Venues: Various Spanish festivals and concert halls.
Vis a Vis is a professional networking event between Spanish cultural promoters and African musicians, which Casa África has been organizing for over ten years in Africa. It has a dual purpose: firstly, to ensure a greater presence of African music on Spanish stages through the winning groups’ tours of participating festivals; and secondly, to foster a cultural industry in Africa.
The project’s main objective is to create a space for dialogue, fostering an environment conducive to negotiations and promoting meetings between businesspeople, institutions, and organizations within the Spanish music industry interested in African music. African artists are given the opportunity to share their ideas, creations, and aspirations with their Spanish audiences. Vis a Vis has already successfully completed eleven editions (Senegal 2010, Cape Verde 2011, Ethiopia 2012, South Africa 2013, Tanzania 2014, Dakar 2015, Ivory Coast 2016, Angola 2017, Equatorial Guinea 2018, Ghana 2019, and Nigeria 2023) and landed this year in Bamako, Mali, solidifying its position as a powerful tool for promoting African music in Spain.
In this 2026 edition of the event, no fewer than one hundred bands from Mali registered, representing not only a quantitative success but also a qualitative one, showcasing the exceptionally high level of the Malian music scene. This made selecting the twelve bands that performed for Spanish programmers in Bamako from April 23rd to 25th, and later narrowing it down to just two, extremely difficult.
The musical projects of Virginie Dembélé and Ben Zabo were chosen as the winners of this 12th edition of the Vis a Vis professional event in Mali, guaranteeing them a tour of ten Spanish venues, including some of the most important summer music festivals in Spain. After two days of concerts in Bamako, a dozen cultural programmers associated with various Spanish festivals present in the Malian capital selected these two acts, impressed by their highly professional stage presence, the overwhelming energy of their live performances, and the technical skill of their musicians.
Ben Zabo: The Warrior of Bwa Afrobeat
Ben Zabo’s (stage name of Arouna Moussa Coulibaly) performance was highlighted by the programmers as one of the most professional and “hybrid” acts of this year’s festival. His style is a powerful groove that he himself defines as Malian Afrobeat, where he reinterprets the traditions of Bwa culture by fusing ancestral instruments like the balafon and drums with electric guitars, bass, and horns.
On stage, the artist dubbed the “Warrior of Bwatun” delivers an intense and magnetic show, characterized by an energy that immediately connects with the audience. In addition to his rhythmic skill and a visually stunning and meticulously crafted stage presence, the programmers praised his strong political commitment and his lyrics dedicated to social justice, democracy, and peace. Her music represents a perfect bridge between the traditional sounds of Mali, the intense Afrobeat of neighboring Nigeria, and Western styles like rock and funk. Her project has already garnered international attention through collaborations with the renowned German label Glitterhouse.
Virginie Dembélé: Leadership and Roots of “Roots Blues”
For her part, Virginie Dembélé captivated Spanish professionals with a stage presence described as “very tight” and authentic. Her music is rooted in the buwa Tindoro rhythm, an African roots blues aesthetic that pays homage to cultural diversity and the role of women. Virginie stands out as an innovative artist who plays a unique instrument she built herself, a hybrid of the guitar and the traditional n’goni.
The programmers highlighted not only her nuanced voice, trained under the tutelage of Rokia Traoré, but also her leadership skills. In her professional meetings, Dembélé strongly defended her position as a woman leading a band, a message of empowerment that she conveys in her songs and which was decisive in her selection. Her music represents a fresh and modern vision of Malian tradition, addressing themes such as coexistence and environmental protection.
Ben Zabo Concerts
July 15
- 7:30 PM
- Francisco de Vitoria, Pozuelo de Alarcón (Madrid)
- Closed concert for attendees of the “Forum du Sahel” only
July 16
- 10:30 PM
- Monzón, Huesca, Plaza Mayor
July 17
- 2:00 PM
- Alcalá la Real, Jaén, Plaza del Ayuntamiento
- Etnosur Festival
July 18
- 10:00 PM
- Cuevas del Rodeo, Rojales, Alicante
July 22
- 8:30 PM
- Chirivel, Almería Concert resulting from a residency with José Domingo
July 24
- 7:50 p.m.
- San Simón Island, Vigo
- SinSal Festival
Concerts by Virginie Dembélé
July 23
- 9pm
- Poble Espanyol, Barcelona
- BARTS Festival
July 25
- 8pm
- Town Hall Square of Cartagena, Murcia
- La Mar de Músicas Festival
July 26
- 7pm
- San Simón Island, Vigo
- SinSal Festival
July 30
- 11pm
- Pozo de Alcón, Jaén
- ImaginaFunk Festival
July 31
- 10pm
- Rodeo Caves. Rojales, Alicante
August 4
- 8pm
- Doramas Park, Gran Canaria
