Kiri Kanta was born Aïna Sanni Dim Aïssatou on March 9, 1956 in Parakou, Benin. At an early age, she developed a passion for singing and traditional Beninese music. She attended secondary school in Bawéra and N'Dali before working for a textile group, Ibetex. While there, she joined the Ambassadeurs orchestra, performing with the group until 1981. She joined the Orchestre National du Niger in 1989. Two years later, she released her first studio album, Ignin Mindassan . In 1992, she appeared on stage at the Ouidah Festival, then performed in Germany as part of a nationwide tour. Here she released her second album, Contrat Abeni . In the years that followed, she performed on stage, notably with other renowned artists such as Papa Wemba and Toumani Diabaté. She was made a Chevalier de l'Ordre du Mérite by President Nicéphore Soglo in 1995. It was not until 2000 that she recorded a new album with a traditional sound, entitled Simbori.
