Mentored by legendary world musician Salif Keita, Malian vocalist Inna Modja later abandoned the music of her African roots in favor of a commercial soul-pop sound inspired by her globe-trotting background. Born Inna Bocoum in Bamako, Mali in 1984, she was given her stage name (meaning "naughty girl") by her mother, who enrolled her in a choir at the age of five. Inspired by both her parents' Otis Redding, Ella Fitzgerald, and Ray Charles record collection, and her six siblings' love of hip-hop, disco, and heavy metal, she decided to pursue a career in music, performing as a b...