Tightening the strings while listening to the world

The artistic and migratory trajectory of Adama Koeta (Burkina Faso, France, Switzerland)This article traces the artistic trajectory of the Burkinabe musician Adama Koeta in order to understand the experiences, junctures and achievements that have shaped his creative development. Through the analysis of his stylistic evolution in the playing of West African harps (kamalengoni, kora), his multiple professional engagements and the networks that he mobilizes in Burkina Faso, France and Switzerland, we’ll seek to understand some of the mechanisms through which artistic activity is driven in a translocal dynamic. The biographical approach will make possible to note the singular aspect of Adama’s migratory journey while revealing the contours of the art worlds in which a good part of West African musicians evolve.