Senegalese Youssou N'Dour Awarded in Germany

This collaboration with Neneh Cherry catapulted Youssou N'Dour to the top of the European charts and international stardom. But the musician from Senegal had already been a household name in Africa for many years.

A renowned singer, songwriter, and composer, Youssou N'Dour has taken the traditional Senegalese M'balax music, filled with drumming and its use of the Kora, an African harp and blended it with Cuban samba, hip hop, jazz, and soul.

The forty-five-year-old UNICEF ambassador lives in Senegal where his roots lie.

Youssou N'Dour has followed a musical tradition on his mother's side of 'Griots', people who told stories and shared their local oral history through song.

"I am a modern-day Griot," says N'Dour. "Perhaps in twenty years time I will be a traditional Griot like my mother. But at the moment I am concentrating on the present."

"We are the drums"

Just like the traditional Griots, Youssou N'Dour's lyrics contain messages and critical lyrics for his audience. He has always been socially active, organising benefit concerts to campaign for the release of Nelson Mandela or for children who are victims of AIDS.

In his latest project with the UN Development Programme, N'Dour has lent his soaring tenor voice to a new HIV/AIDS song for Africa titled "We are the drums".

Youssou, who composed the lyrics, calls on people to stop being victims of poverty victims of hunger and to take individual responsibility to halt the spread of AIDS.

The role of music in Africa

And as he explains, music plays a different role in Africa than it does in European societies.

"In Africa, music always contains a message which can help people to better comprehend things and overcome them," N'Dour explains. "Yes, music possesses enormous power.

In Europe things are different. Here people want to be carried off into a poetic world; they want to hear about love stories and the like."

"I don't want to criticise this," he continues, "but we Africans have a different concept of reality which is more concrete, more realistic perhaps. The music style which we created, the M'balax – a very local and folk-oriented music style – helps the Senegalese to understand this message."

The importance of Islamic faith

And Youssou's Islamic faith also plays an important role in his music. His latest album "Egypt" expands on the theme in the lyrics and melodies which weaves traditional sounds around Arabic strings and drums.

The album was recorded several years ago but after the Setpember 11 terror attacks, the singer chose to delay its release. But as he points out the Senegalese strain of Islam is more tolerant and liberal than in other countries.

"You know, I'm a practicing Muslim, and for me religion and solidarity have always been very important, like for the majority of people in Senegal as well. For us Islam plays an important role, solely from a historically aspect. It has been the language that held us together and helped us to overcome the yoke of the colonial rulers, the French and win freedom."

Tolerant Senegalese Islam

"Indeed here in Senegal Islam is a very tolerant religion and practical religion," N'Dour explains. "I enjoy smoking and partying, I talk to women and go to the disco. All of this is allowed."

The Senegalese musician has invested heavily in his home country, owning a radio station, a newspaper, a nightclub and a studio, and he also runs community-owned Internet centres where visitors can write emails to expatriate Senegalese living abroad."

"You know, I think of myself as a fisherman who leaves the shores of Senegal and comes back with those fish that he knows the Senegalese want to eat."

Rebecca Partouche

Translation from German: Jennifer Macey

© DEUTSCHE WELLE/DW-WORLD.DE 2004

UNESCO International Music Prize press release (PDF file)
Youssou N'Dour's label Nonesuch Records