Etran de L'Aïr ('stars of the Aïr') is a family band from the Abalane neighbourhood of Agadez, Niger, made up of brothers and cousins who started out playing local weddings in 1995. Their sound weaves together Tuareg melodies, Congolese soukous, Malian blues and Western rock, driven by three electric guitarists who swap instruments throughout their sets. The 2018 debut No. 1, released on Sahel Sounds, brought them international recognition after The New Yorker named it album of the year; two further albums followed - Agadez (2022) and 100% Sahara Guitar (2024).
After the rejection of their American visas, the band booked a series of Canadian shows as an alternative, including performances in Edmonton, Saskatoon, Winnipeg and Toronto.
The band had to cancel all their American performances after Niger was added to the US travel restrictions list; tour manager Sahel Sounds announced this on 23 March 2026.
Among the cancelled American shows were performances at the Green River Festival in Massachusetts, the Blue Ox Music Festival in Wisconsin and Starland Yard in Savannah, Georgia.
The band performed in São Paulo, Brazil, as part of a tour through South America.
The third studio album 100% Sahara Guitar was released on 13 September 2024 via Sahel Sounds.
