1 We should probably qualify that quote. American rock magazine Rolling Stone actually suggested that N’Dour is the most famous singer alive in Africa. But that’s no mean feat given the rich and vast quantity of African music, not to mention the fact that the continent makes up some 15 per cent of the world’s population: this man’s boasting some pretty hefty fame.
2 Youssou N’Dour is of Wolof origin. The Wolof (formerly rulers of the Wolof Empire, which came to an end in the late 1800s at the hands of French colonialists) is an ethnic group predominantly found in Senegal, The Gambia and Mauritania. It is thought that more than 90 per cent of Senegalese can speak the Wolof language.
3 N’Dour’s musical background is rooted in Mbalax tradition, of which he is a leading proponent (locally, he’s known as the king of the genre). Mbalax is a genre popular among young Wolof, fusing traditional Senegalese rhythms with Western rock and jazz. As such, a variety of West African percussion instruments are used. He is also influenced by the griot (travelling singers) discipline – sometimes known as praise-singing, sometimes associated with shamanism.
4 At the age of 14, he’d often perform in the car park of a Dakar nightclub, drowning out the music being played inside. He formed his own group in 1979 – Etoile de Dakar – which eventually mutated into Super Etoile de Dakar, members of which will accompany him on stage in Abu Dhabi. Guitarist Jimi Mbaye is a celebrated performer in his own right.
5 His music crossed over to Western audiences when the French-Senegalese Taxi Drivers’ Association invited him to perform in Paris. From there, he travelled to the UK, where he became involved with Womad supremo and former Genesis maestro, Peter Gabriel – a man N’Dour had never heard of.
6 His 1994 duet with Neneh Cherry ‘7 Seconds’, sold three million copies and opened the doors to collaborations with the usual suspects, including Sting, Bruce Springsteen, Tracy Chapman, Paul Simon and Ryuichi Sakamoto.
7 He married Mamie Camara in 1990. They have four children and live in the Senegalese capital, where N’Dour runs what can only be called a musical empire.
8 He is almost as well known for his political involvement as he is for his music. In the mid-’80s he campaigned for Nelson Mandela’s release, and reprised Phil Collins’ role as ocean-hopping music man when he performed at three Live 8 concerts in one day (London, Eden Project and Paris). More recently, he covered John Lennon’s ‘Jealous Guy’ for Amnesty International’s campaign to save Darfur, and released ‘Wake Up (It’s Africa Calling)’ to support IntraHealth’s African endeavours.
9 When not performing music or campaigning, N’Dour can occasionally be seen in movies. Most prominently, he played Oladudah Equiano in 2006 movie Amazing Grace.
10 Youssou N’Dour was last in Abu Dhabi to promote his film, I Bring What I Love. The movie documented the making of his 2005 album Egypt – a collection that celebrated his love of Islam. Despite its message of compassion, it caused debate with Muslims and non-Muslims alike due to its release at a time of controversy and his decision to perform during the holy month of Ramadan.
What is Womad?
A muddy field in the provincial English town of Shepton Mallet may not seem the most likely place for the world to meet. But back in 1982, prog rock musician Peter Gabriel cooked up a festival that he hoped would break a few misconceptions about world music.
The preconceived ideas that exist about world music are strange. People tend to believe that ‘world music’ is either the sort of spacey, new age nonsense that gets piped into every spa, or a family of flute- and tambourine-wielding Siberian reindeer herders.
Well, that last one you might hear at a Womad, but the festival attracts a diverse mix of international acts – some traditional, others more fusion – and stages them alongside Western folk and jazz artists. There are now Womad festivals in over 20 countries, with popular annual events in Australia, Spain and, of course, their home festival at Charlton Park in the UK that regularly draws in colourful crowds of more than 30,000 people.
