Thought to be more than 100 years old, she was a legendary performer of Taarab, a style of Swahili Arab-influenced music.
In 2005, she was awarded a prize for her contribution to world music at Womex, the annual gathering of the world music industry.
She continued performing and touring until recently.
Correspondents say Bi Kidude’s performances were known for their intense energy; she often beat a large drum and danced on stage as she sang.
She also broke Muslim taboos by openly smoking and drinking alcohol, they say.
According to Womex, she started her career as a Taraab singer in the 1920s.
“She not only helped to maintain the cultural heritage, but also reinvented it, infusing it with local rhythms, Swahili language and matters of everyday life,” Womex said about her in 2005.
The singer’s exact date of birth is not known, but she is believed to have been born in 1910.
