The most famous British multi-instrumentalist Sona Jobarteh’s net worth is approximately $6 million.
She was raised in the distinguished West African griot tradition and is naturally a musician. For those familiar with Griot tradition, men typically play instruments, and females sing.
But unlike like her father and grandfather before her, Sona decided to defy the rules and practice Kora. Sona is now tasked with ensuring that the archive of living knowledge she inherited is passed down. She, however, has bigger goals in mind.
She wants to educate future generations of Gambian children by fixing the country’s failing educational system and changing the curriculum through Gambian Academy. The academy was established in 2015, and ever since, Sona is working nonstop to improve and advance the project.
Sona Jobarteh’s latest album, “Badinya Kumo,” was released on Friday, September 23, 2022, after 10 years of the previous album.
Sona Jobarteh’s Net Worth In 2022
As of 20222, Sona Jobarteh is a British multi-instrumentalist who has a net worth of $6 million.
She is a unique and revolting musical icon of her era who defied male solidarity over the instrument Kora. Kora is a West African string instrument that dates back to a 13th-century empire and has been passed down strictly from generation to generation, but only to males of the Griot family.
Furthermore, in the West African griot tradition, males were assigned to play instruments, while females were assigned to sing.
On the other hand, she was determined to change that when she asked her father to get her to play. And now she is the first successful international Kora player.
Jobarteh and her family are the griots descended from a long line of singers and historians. Her music perfectly blends Griots tradition and modernity, which can connect with listeners worldwide.
At 39, she established herself as one of the world’s leading kora players, touring with her band throughout Europe, West Africa, and the United States. She recently released her album, Badinyaa Kumoo, which was rated 5-star by Songlines Magazine.
She was born in the Griot family to her British mother, Galina Chester, and her Gambian father, Sanjally Jobarteh.
Since her parents divorced, she grew up in two worlds: the United Kingdom and her grandfather’s household compound in the Gambia.
Her grandmother encouraged her to adopt Griot’s heritage of girl singing because she has a nice voice. But she was more interested in Kora and learned the basics with her father.
However, in the UK, she studied different musical traditions, achieving a scholarship at age 14 to a reputable music boarding school. She saw Kora at her school, which was mounted on the wall, and when she was 17 years old, she asked her father to instruct her formally.
She eventually started performing with her father and later with her band. Her talent was widely recognized when she performed a song and accompanying music video for the country’s 50th anniversary of independence in Gambia.
The song emerged as the nation’s unofficial national anthem, with over 30 million views on YouTube. Sona’s first album was a fusion of traditional and modern songs.
Her most recent album, which we saw her practicing with her band, only contains original songs. She is the sole author of every component, including songs about women, education, and her identity.
Sona Jobarteh’s Career Earnings And Endorsement
Sona Jobarteh has only released a few albums, but they have all been massive hits. She has earned a fortune as a live performer and instrumentalist worldwide.
She is well known for her talent as an instrumentalist, her distinctive voice, contagious melodies, and her grace onstage. She has quickly become a top performer on a global scale.
Jobarteh’s live performances are in high demand right now. She performed in 62 live concerts in 2019, including the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, WOMAD in Australia and New Zealand, and Symphony Space in New York City.
In addition, she performed two live events in 2021, with more events coming in 2022. With a signature style that exudes approachable sophistication and a fascinating stage show, her audience is constantly growing.
Jobarteh also made her film debut as a Motherland composer in 2009.
Some renowned movies where Sona has performed vocals are Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom and The First Grader. The latter won the “Discovery of the Year” award at the 2012 Hollywood World Soundtrack Awards.
She is also the Founder and Director of The Gambia Academy. It is a small school where students learn dance, drumming, kora, and balafon.
Furthermore, she is passing the tradition on to her talented balafon player son Sidiki, age 15.
Sona Jobarteh’s Primary Source Of Income
Sona’s concert, which several popular brands may sponsor, is where she makes most of her money. Sona’s tickets are available for as low as $142, with prices averaging $142.
You can learn more about her upcoming events on her Instagram.