Ninie Doniah

Malagasy singer and composer (1966/1967–2023)

Ninie Doniah
Birth name	Virginie Bezara
Born	1966/1967 Malagasy Republic
Died	19 November 2023 (aged 56)
Genres	Salegy
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter
Instrument(s)	Voice

Musical artist

Ninie Doniah (1966/1967 – 19 November 2023) was a Malagasy singer and composer of salegy music that originates from the northern coastal area of Madagascar, including her birthplace of Nosy Be. She descended from a musical family: her grandmother was a celebrated singer of the traditional jijy vako-drazana antakarana.^[1]

Doniah was commonly termed the "Queen of Salegy", in counterpoint to the "King of Salegy," superstar Jaojoby. She is considered one of the best female salegy performers in a genre dominated by men, and is the most well-recognized and successful female ambassador of the genre outside of Madagascar.^[2]

Doniah recorded more than six albums since the mid-1990s and continued to tour throughout Madagascar and the Indian Ocean islands.^[1]

Doniah died on 19 November 2023, at the age of 56.^[3]

Discography

Title	Released	Label	Tracks (Length)
Mitapolaka	2011	Studio ProRossy	12 (43'55")

Notes

^ ^a ^b "Rencontres radiophoniques avec Ninie Doniah" (in French). Echos du Capricorne. 2001. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
^ ""Soma Salegy" - Ninie Doniah". Virtual WOMEX. 2013. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
^ Madagascar: la chanteuse Ninie Doniah est morte à l'âge de 56 ans

References

Anderson, Ian (2000). "Ocean Music from Southeast Africa". The Rough Guide to World Music, Vol. 1: Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Rough Guides. pp. 523–532. ISBN 9781843535515.