By: Eric Kawa

In 2024, Lala Bayani Sidibe picked up the kora, fulfilling her long-held dream of becoming a female kora player. Her journey began in Mali in September that year. By October, she had already started learning the instrument, stepping into a world traditionally dominated by men. For Lala, this was about honouring her roots through rhythm and melody.

Born to a Sierra Leonean mother and a Malian father, Lala spent her holidays between Guinea and Mali, places that deeply shaped her and sparked her love for the kora.

Lala Sidibe, second runner-up in the Miss Sierra Leone 2025 pageant and Executive Director of The Empowered Girls Advocacy, is actively challenging traditional gender roles through her work and music.

Speaking to this writer, she shared how she grew up listening to artists like Sekouba Bambino, Ballaké Sissoko, and recently, Sona Jobarteh, the pioneering female kora player from The Gambia.

A SACRED INSTRUMENT WITH DEEP ROOTS

The kora is a traditional West African harp made from a large calabash cut in half and covered with cowhide. It is strung with fishing line or nylon and played almost like a cross between a harp and a lute. Historically, it has been the musical voice of griots, carrying the stories, praises and histories of entire communities. Women would sing alongside the kora, but rarely, if ever, were they allowed to play it. That has started to change. Pioneers like Sona Jobarteh from The Gambia have opened the door, and now Lala Sidibe is walking through it, bringing the instrument to new audiences and new generations.

“Whenever I listen or play the kora, it soothes my heart,” said Lala. “Being culturally inclined, I’ve always loved our music: Mandingo, Fullah, Susu, Mende, Temne, Krio and the like; they’re part of who we are.”

Lala playing the Kora for Lucinda E. Bendu & Daniel K. Buck-

 

Photo Credit- Eric KawaRESONATING WITH AUDIENCES

Her performances have started to draw attention from across Sierra Leone and beyond. Fans have described her music as soothing, inspiring and refreshingly unique. One admirer once told her, “You’re as beautiful as the kora, and the kora as you.” That comment, she says, brings glad tidings to her heart.

Lucinda Esther Bendu, a fellow Miss Sierra Leone 2025 contestant representing Bonthe District, is one of Lala’s biggest fans.
“Lala’s music stands out. It beautifully blends traditional and modern sounds. She inspires me. I can now mimic her ‘Salone nar we Yone’ anthem. She is like the Sona Jobarteh of Sierra Leone.”

On his part Daniel Kojo Buck, a Gender Student also praised her work, calling her music phenomenal and encouraging more young people to explore and preserve Sierra Leone’s culture.

Lala has performed for notable figures including First Lady of Sierra Leone, Fatima Bio; former President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf; former Vice President of The Gambia, Fatoumata Jallow-Tambajang; Mayor of Freetown, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr; and Sierra Leone’s Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Nabeela Tunis, as well as various diplomats, artists, and advocates among others.

She aims to go beyond performing by teaching girls and inspiring them to learn traditional instruments.

“I want to pass this art to the next generation. I will give lessons to girls to help them take up their space in music,” she disclosed.

Lala Bayani Sidibe’s vision extends beyond her own journey. She wants the kora to take its rightful place in Sierra Leone’s rich musical landscape and hopes to one day join forces with Sona Jobarteh, a trailblazer she deeply admires. For now, Lala is dedicated to sharing her music and knowledge, inspiring young girls to follow in her footsteps and carry forward a powerful cultural legacy that honours the past while shaping the future.

Eric Kawa

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Eric Kawa is an award-winning Freelance Journalist with multilingual expertise. He is a graduate from the CNN Academy and holds a degree in Mass Communication from Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone.