Petit Adama Diarra was born in 1974, in Bouake, Ivory Coast, to a musical family. His father taught him balafon, dunun and tama.
At 7 years old he discovered the djembe and quickly became a young prodigy.
At 10, he became the djembe soloist for the famous djembefola of Bouaké, Baya “Bayaya” Konaté.
At 12 he was spotted by the late Soungalo Coulibaly who took him under his wing and spent all his teenage years. Due to his young virtuosity, he was nicknamed “Petit Adama”.
In 1993 he moved to Bamako, Mali and his multi-instrumental talents (djembe, dunun, tama, guitar, balafon, n’goni, kora) earned him respect from some of the biggest names in the malian music scene such as Babani Kone, Amy Koita, Kandia Kouyate, Kasse Mady Diabate, Basekou Kouyate, Djelimady Tounkara. while working with guitarist Moribo Diabate, he further developed his guitar playing.
In June 1999, he joined his brother Kalifa in Toulouse, France, for a 3-month tour with the group “San Kouli kan”. He returned to Paris that year with Babani Kone for the Africolor Festival.
In 2000 he became a teacher for Kunta Kinte Association’s school of traditional music and dance of Jurrureh (Gambia). During his visits to the Gambia he became familiar with the kora, on which he has his own unique style.
In July 2001, he joined Basekou Kouyate and Kasse Mady Diabate on an international tour. He toured again with Basekou Kouyate in June 2002. After his return he created his group, Diarra Kan.
In April 2003, the Kounta Kinté Association decided to support the band and started the production of his first album “Tounga”. In September 2003, a partnership with the Centre of Traditional Music in Ile-de-France concluded this tour in May 2004.
Today, Petit Adama resides in Bamako with him family and tours internationally on a regular basis to teach and perform.