N’famady Kouyaté on winning Glastonbury’s Emerging Talent Competition: “I feel like I’m dreaming”

nme.com:

NME about how it feels to have won a coveted Pyramid Stage slot at Worthy Farm this June after winning Glastonbury‘s Emerging Talent Competition 2023.The Guinea-born, Cardiff-based artist emerged triumphant over eight other finalists and thousands of online entries.

He won over a judging panel including Emily Eavis, DJ Huw Stephens and festival main stage bookers with his innovative fusion of traditional West African music with elements of jazz, indie and funk.“I feel like I’m dreaming,” the winner told NME performing at Pilton’s Working Men’s Club on Saturday (April 29). “This is my first ever award in my musical career and I’m so glad it’s this as well.

It’s a massive pleasure for the festival to offer me this opportunity. I’m feeling amazing.”Kouyaté’s recent single ‘Balafô Douma’ references his own journey into music. “That song means a lot to me, the title is a reference to the instrument I play called the balafone which is sacred to West African culture,” he explained. “I grew up playing it, my mum and dad taught me how to play that instrument so there’s a lot of family heritage in the song.

I’m glad I can carry that song everywhere I go, it’s part of my story and journey.”Kouyaté added that the award, which includes a £5000 talent development prize from PRS Foundation, feels like a massive lift for his career as a whole.“Sometimes you can hit challenges as an emerging artist and feel like giving up, but things like this give you back life,” he said. “I feel ready to work hard and keep going.