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Blur, Gorillaz and solo star Damon Albarn performed a show at a festival in Mali despite terrorism threats and the country being in a state of emergency.
Albarn, who was recently announced to receve an OBE as part of the Queen's New Year's Honours List, performed at the Festival Acoustik - despite threats from Jihadist groups after terrorist attacks on the Radisson Blu hotel in the capital city, Bamako where 20 hostages were killed.
The country remains on a state of emergency.
However, that didn't stop Damon Albarn, Tony Allen, Songhoy Blues and more performing this past weekend in a bid to raise awareness of the country's vibrant musical and cultural scene and influence - in the face of terror.
“I was invited on this occasion, so that’s even more special, really, to sort of be invited back,” he said in an interview with AFP. “I’m fascinated by it. It’s very tangible to me because of the music and the value of the music."
Songhoy Blues’ singer Allou Toure, who was forced out of northern Mali after jihadists invaded in 2012, told The Telegraph: “For us it was a way of resisting. Playing in Bamako, where we find ourselves, it gives us comfort. Our dream is to return home one day, to bring life back to the suffering people.”
Gorillaz are set to drop a new album in 2016, and are reported to have been working with David Bowie.
"That’s next year. I’m working on it at the moment, and it’s going very well," said Gorillaz artist Jamie Hewlett of their return. "I’m very excited. I don’t want to say too much about it, but I’m at that phase of experimentation."
Albarn has also confirmed that he's written a new album for The Good, The Bad & The Queen.
