and was made a Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters of France in 1998. Sangaré is featured prominently in Throw Down Your Heart, a 2008 documentary about world-renowned American banjo player Béla Fleck, and his exploration of the relatively unknown relationship between his instrument and the musical traditions in Africa. Sangaré contributed vocals to "Imagine" for the 2010 Herbie Hancock album The Imagine Project, which also featured Seal, P!nk, India.Arie, Jeff Beck, Konono Nº1 and others. In 2022, she was cast in her first acting role, playing the title character's grandmother in Maïmouna Doucouré's film Hawa. Personal life, politics and business Sangaré is an advocate for women's rights, opposing child marriage and polygamy. Sangaré is also involved in the world of business, including hotels, agriculture, and automobiles. She has launched a car, the "Oum Sang", manufactured by a Chinese firm and marketed in conjunction with her own company Gonow Oum Sang. She is the owner of the 30-room Hotel Wassoulou in Mali's capital, Bamako, a haven for musicians and her own regular performing space. "I helped build the hotel myself. I did it to show women that you can make your life better by working. And many more are working these days, forming co-operatives to make soap or clothes." Sangaré has also been a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, but says she does not want to be a politician: "While you're an artist, you're free to say what you think; when you're a politician, you follow instructions from higher up." She is a cousin of actor Omar Sangare. Discography Solo albums Moussolou (1990) Ko Sira (1993) [released as Bi Furu in Mali] "Worotan" (1996), Nonesuch/Warner Music [released as Denw in Mali] Laban (2001) Oumou (2003) Seya (2009) Mogoya (2017) Acoustic (2020) Timbuktu (2022) Contributing artist The Rough Guide to World Music (1994), World Music Network The Rough Guide to West African Music (1995), World Music Network Unwired: Africa (2000), World Music Network Mood 4 Eva (2019), The Lion King: The Gift Prizes and awards IMC-UNESCO International Music Prize (2001, performers category, jointly awarded to Gidon Kremer) for her contribution to "the enrichment and the development of music as well as for the cause of peace, for the understanding among peoples and international cooperation". On October 16, 2003, Sangaré was named Goodwill Ambassador of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).