Massa Dembele (Burkina Faso)

Durchlüften Opening Act

Massa Dembele mit Band

On four summer weekends, DURCHLÜFTEN transforms the Humboldt Forum’s  Schlüterhof  into a free open-air meeting place where musical traditions from across the globe unfold as living cultural archives.  

5 years open. Already 5 years DURCHLÜFTEN. For the sixth time now, DURCHLÜFTEN transforms the Schlüterhof courtyard of Berlin’s Humboldt Forum into a vibrant open-air stage for global music, cultural dialogue, and shared experience. From 9 July to 1 August 2026, across four summer weekends, the festival presents 24 live acts and 12 DJs from around the world. Each evening features two concerts followed by a DJ set, creating twelve nights of musical discovery, movement, and encounter in the heart of Berlin — once again with free entry for all.  

Massa Dembele is a songwriter, griot, percussionist, and master of the kamele n’goni, the West African “harp of youth.” Born in Nouna in western Burkina Faso into a family of griots — traditional storytellers and musicians — he began making music early, first playing improvised percussion with family members before learning instruments such as the djembe, balafon, and eventually the kamele n’goni. Singing in Bambara and Dioula, Manding languages from Western Africa, his music carries forward the storytelling tradition of the griots while reflecting contemporary journeys across borders. Now based between Hamburg and Konstanz, Massa brings West African musical traditions into dialogue with global sounds. His third album Falatô, recorded in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, and released in April 2026 via Not OK Records, blends Afrobeat, desert blues, jazz, and West African soul. This album tells the story of migration and the search for belonging, while Massa Dembele transforms personal experience into powerful musical storytelling.

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- Price: free admission

- no ticket required

- In case of increased visitor numbers, there may be waiting times or stop at the admission.

- Location: Ground Floor, Schlüter Courtyard

- Belongs to: Durchlüften 2026

Next date:

• Date Thursday, 16/July/2026 19:00
• Venue Humboldt Forum: Schlüterhof (Berliner Schloss)
• Address Schloßplatz 5, 10178 Berlin-Mitte