Abstract
The goal of this master thesis, which is based on a field trip to Bamako, the capital of Mali, is to examine the ways in which international cultural influences can be perceived in the representation of Malian music. The Malian musical scene is one of the most vital ones in Africa: Musicians such as Salif Keïta, Rokia Traoré and Ali Farka Touré, are among the most popular artists on the international world music scene, blending their traditional musical heritage with the sounds of western pop music. It is first and foremost the international success of these artists that has drawn my interest towards Mali and Malian music. But rather than examining the popularity and the music of these artists, I have chosen to study the representation of Malian music in Mali, more specifically on the local musical television shows. To what degree do these TV shows reveal signs of an international cultural influence? How are these signs integrated into the existing Malian social and cultural conventions? By analyzing the music videos included in two of Mali s most popular TV shows, Top Etoiles and Jouvence, I hope to give some answers to these questions, and thereby shed some light on the process known as cultural globalization.