Maabo

Maabo are a Senegalese husband-and-wife duo whose bright Afro-pop sound is centered around the couple's intertwined vocals and the romantic nature of their lyrics. After finding viral success with songs like "Queen Xol" and "Yako Waral," they released their debut album, Jolofbeats, in 2019. Mia and Abdoul Guisse met in Dakar in 2012 and began working together musically. Both had already been pursuing music careers -- Mia as a singer and songwriter and Abdoul as an in-demand engineer/producer -- but found an immediate chemistry when working together. Over time, a romantic relationship bloomed, and after they married in 2015, they formed Maabo as a pop duo with both of them singing and writing. The success of their initial singles earned them an audience in Senegal, where fans were drawn not only to their music but enamored of them as a couple. Their 2017 single "Yako Waral" won them a Raaya Award and after a few more singles, they released Jolofbeats, their full-length debut, in 2019. Another single, "Wa Li Nekhoul," appeared in 2020. ~ Timothy Monger