Mdou Moctar Shares Intense ‘Imouhar’ Single

Tuareg rockers Mdou Moctar released a new single, “Imouhar.” The track is set to land on the band’s forthcoming album Funeral For Justice, arriving May 3 via Matador.

Funeral For Justice sees Mdou Moctar — lead guitarist Mdou Moctar, rhythm guitarist Ahmoudou Madassane, drummer Souleymane Ibrahim and American bassist/producer Mikey Coltun — continuing to speak out for the Tuareg people in the African nations of Mali, Algeria and Niger, the latter the state the band hails from.

“This album is really different for me,” Mdou stated. “Now the problems of terrorist violence are more serious in Africa. When the US and Europe came here, they said they’re going to help us, but what we see is really different. They never help us to find a solution.”

Shortly after Mdou Moctar completed Funeral For Justice in July 2023, Niger’s democratically elected government was overthrown in a military coup, causing France — who colonized Niger in the early 20th Century — to withdraw from the region. While Niger gained independence in 1960, France maintained political, economic and military ties to the country.

“Mdou Moctar has been a strong anti-colonial band ever since I’ve been a part of it,” Coltun added. “France came in, fucked up the country, then said ‘you’re free.’ And they’re not.”

“I don’t support the coup,” Mdou said, “but I never in my life liked France in my country. I don’t hate France or French people, I don’t hate American people either, but I don’t support their manipulative policies, what they do in Africa. In 2023 we want to be free, we need to smile, you understand?”

The new single, “Imouhar” — the Tuareg equivalent to “brother” or “comrade” — is a call to action in saving the Tuareg’s Tamasheq language, in which Mdou sings.

“People here are just using French,” he said. “They’re starting to forget their own language. We feel like in a hundred years no one will speak good Tamasheq, and that’s so scary for us.”

Watch the Laura Greenhall-directed music video for “Imouhar” below:

Mdou Moctar’s 2024 tour schedule includes festival plays at Coachella and Bonnaroo along with headline dates in North America and Europe. Check out their itinerary with ticket info below.