On 12th September 2025 N’Faly Kouyaté – will release his highly anticipated new album ‘FINISHING’

Credit: Filip Zverina

On 12th September 2025 – N’Faly Kouyaté – will release his highly anticipated new album ‘FINISHING’.

Following a successful UK tour in early 2024 for his ‘Ré-Génération’ EP, the release of ‘FINISHING’ marks a major milestone in N’Faly Kouyaté’s journey and one that will be accompanied by a second run of nationwide shows in the UK.

Taking place between 12th November to 23rd November this year, N’Faly and his band will be performing in 10 venues across the UK, with dates in York, Exeter, Stroud, Portsmouth, Leicester, London and beyond. Full dates and details below. Tickets are on sale now.

Upcoming album ‘FINISHING’ is a profoundly personal and universal work from the Avant-Garde Griot. Promising a powerful and true artistic manifesto, crafted in the intimacy of Siguiri, Guinea, that invites audiences to lose themselves in its sound. As N’Faly Kouyaté explains of the record:

“’FINISHING’ is my musical answer to a world searching for meaning… It is the echo of my ancestors carried by today’s rhythms, a call to reflection and action. I wanted every note to be a question, every chorus a step towards a fairer, more conscious future.”

Conceived during nine months of lockdown by the Bafing River, the album is the fruit of deep introspection. With N’Faly Kouyaté posing a fundamental question: “What if all the ills of society – war, theft, lies, violence – suddenly ceased?” This album is his musical answer, a five-language dialogue (Mandingue, Soussou, Pular, French, English) that prompts listeners into reflecting on the challenges of our time, without ever neglecting the call of rhythm.

With each track on ‘FINISHING’ offering a fragment of this humanistic quest, tracks like “Free Water” (feat. Tiken Jah Fakoly) stand as a vibrant plea for water protection, whereas “Khili Kanè” forcefully denounces slander. “Mandela” pays poignant tribute to its eponymous icon of reconciliation, while “Kolabana” (feat. Didier Awadi) critiques on the lack of engagement in the face of global emergencies. Elsewhere tracks like “Mökhöya”, “Halala” and “Kawa” explore the loss of mutual aid, dignity, and the value of humility respectively.

Returning in 2025 with the spectacular new album ‘FINISHING’; N’Faly’s latest work promises to leave an indelible mark, offering music that not only resonates deeply, but also touches hearts, inspires consciousness, and strengthens the vital link between cultures.

‘FINISHING’ will be available on 12th September 2025 on all digital streaming platforms and as a physical release during his UK tour. Catch him on tour in the UK this November.

N’FALY KOUYATÉ UK TOUR

Wed – 12/11/2025 – National Centre for Early Music, York – TICKETS

Fri – 14/11/2025 – St Endellion Church, Port Issac – TICKETS

Sat – 15/11/2025 – Mount Pleasant EcoPark, Porthtowan – TICKETS

Sun – 16/11/2025 – The Sub Rooms, Stroud – TICKETS

Mon – 17/11/2025 – Exeter, Phoenix – TICKETS

Tue – 18/11/2025 – Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth – TICKETS

Wed – 19/11/2025 – The International, Leicester – TICKETS

Fri – 21/11/2025 – St Margaret’s Church, Rainham – TICKETS

Sat – 22/11/2025 – Ropetackle Arts Centre, Shoreham – TICKETS

Sun – 23/11/2025 – PizzaExpress Live Holborn, London – TICKETS

All tickets on sale here:

https://bnds.us/9qp0sg

*****

ABOUT N’FALY KOUYATÉ

N’Faly Kouyaté is much more than an artist; he is a vital figure in cultural transmission, a virtuoso multi-instrumentalist of the kora and balafon, and a visionary composer.

Hailing from the prestigious Konkoba Kabinet Kouyaté lineage, he carries within him the millennia-old memory of the griots, which he boldly reinvents for contemporary ears. His journey, taking him from his native Guinea to the Royal Conservatory of Belgium, culminated in his pivotal role with the Grammy-nominated & Gold Record winning Afro Bard Électronique (formerly Afro Celt Sound System). This trajectory led to the birth of Afrotronix, his inimitable sonic signature: a daring fusion of AfroBeat, AfroTrap, AfroPop, RnB, Jazz, and World Music.

N’Faly Kouyaté’s impact extends far beyond the musical sphere. His career is marked by successes, including collaborations with renowned artists such as Peter Gabriel, Sinead O’Connor, Tayc, and Robert Plant, and a lauded acting role in William Kentridge’s musical “The Head and The Load,” performed on major international stages (Miami, Amsterdam, London, New York…). His South African cultural accolades also attest to his influence and commitment across borders.

N’Faly Kouyaté’s ability to lead audiences to profound reflection on the abuses of power and wealth, while advocating universal values, makes him an essential voice for our era.