current_members years_active image_size article_title past_members background genre image origin name
dama -rrb- bekoto -lrb- honoré august rabekoto -rrb- fafa -lrb- famantanantsoa -lrb- andriamihaingo rajaonarison -rrb- charle -lrb- charle-bert andrianaivo -rrb- rasolofondraosolo zafimahaleo -rrb- dadah -lrb- andrianabela rakotobe 13 may 1972 -- present 250 mahaleo
 raoul -rrb- -lrb- raosolosolofo razafindranoa -rrb- nono -lrb- andrianabelina rakotobe group_or_band '' tsentsigat '' mahaleo super group of musicians from madagascar in 2007.jpg antsirabe , madagascar mahaleo
mahaleo

mahaleo is a folk-pop band from madagascar that is widely viewed as the most popular malagasy group of all time .
the band was founded by dama -lrb- rasolofondraosolo zafimahaleo -rrb- with six of his classmates after first performing together during the `` rotaka '' student protests at their high school on 13 may 1972 .
mahaleo 's lyrics draw upon the indirect language of traditional `` hainteny '' and `` ohabolana '' -lrb- malagasy poetry and proverbs -rrb- to expose contemporary political and social issues and invite listeners to identify their own solutions .
mahaleo performs a genre they pioneered , called `` tsentsigat '' , that draws from the acoustic folk and protest song genres as well as the diverse musical traditions of madagascar .
each of the band members sings , and all but one also play acoustic guitar .
in addition , the band makes use of traditional instruments like the `` kabosy '' guitar and `` sodina '' flute .
while the band is acclaimed for its large catalog of hits , with over 300 songs composed since 1972 , its members are also admired for their commitment to live the message of solidarity for national development that features in most of their music .
each band member has gone on to cultivate a primary career in addition to his participation in mahaleo in areas ranging from medical care and sociology to farming and politics .
the band has collectively launched two development initiatives , in addition to numerous other activities managed by individual members of the group .
over forty years after its formation , the band continues to regularly attract large audiences to its live performances and enjoys popularity across three generations .
their music is considered emblematic of malagasy identity .
the band has toured frequently across madagascar and internationally to countries including france , canada and the united states .
mahaleo was the first malagasy band to be invited to perform at the historic olympia venue in paris .
the band has been the subject of two books and one feature-length documentary film .
the oldest member of the group , raoul , died in 2010 .
in 2014 , the second oldest member nono died .
