Fafa Ruffino

Born in Benin, Ahouefa Ruffino was immersed in a diverse musical milieu from an early age. Attracted to music, in particular singing and dancing, she joined the group Feeling Star as a backing singer. The Beninoise frequented Cotonou's jazz venues, honing her techniques alongside renowned musicians such as Jimmy Hope, Patience Dabany and Soum Bill. Spotted by the general public for her role in the series Taxi Brousse in 1999, she was suddenly in the spotlight of the cinema. Renamed Fafa Ruffino, she went on to play several roles, notably in the famous series Bisso na Bisso. Her meeting with Oscar Kidjo, Angélique Kidjo's brother, proved to be musically decisive: he supported her in her desire to produce an album. Fafa Ruffino arrives in France, where she studies musicology and ethnomusicology at the University of Paris 8. Her time in Paris and her deepening knowledge of the science of music led her to meet a number of artists, including Mory Kanté, Papa Wemba, Manu Dibango and Amadou & Mariam, who provided her with aesthetic nourishment. The singer went on to record her first album, Ilé, unveiled to the public in 2011. Sung in Yoruba, Fon, Mina, French or English, the tracks unfold the rich and varied sonic horizons studied by Ruffino. The release of her album led her to perform live before taking a musical break for a few years. She returned in 2022 with the single "Doser" in the company of Ramatoulaye DJ, then alongside Tôgbè Yéton on "Sans forcer", and opened up to more electronic music.