Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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N'DOUR, Youssou

(b 1959, Dakar, Senegal) African singer-composer, leading exponent of mbalax style. From a musical family, he was singing in public at age twelve, soon acquiring nickname Le Petit Prince de Dakar; he performed a regular spot at Dakar's Miaimi night club by '76 with the Star Band de Dakar, formed '60 and the most established band in the country. He recorded for the first time with them '78, but left '79 with some others to form his own outfit, Etoile de Dakar, and soon had his first hit, 'Xalis Money'. After LPs Toulou Badou Ndiaye, Absa Gueye and Thiapathioly, they went to record in Paris '81, reorganizing as Super Étoile; new albums included Diongoma, Mouride, live A Abidjan, Ndiadiane Ndiaye and an international African hit, Immigrés (remixed and reissued on Earthworks/Caroline). By this time 14 strong, including sax, guitars, percussion, vocalists singing in Wolof with emphasis on traditional Wolof rhythms, the band performed regularly at N'Dour's Dakar club Thiosanne, and became a noted draw in Western Europe with solid dance music and a good stage show.

He contributed to Paul Simon's Graceland '86 and toured with Peter Gabriel, taking African music on to the world stage; Inédits '84-5 on Celluloid '87 was a souvenir of the collision of African funk, rock and jazz; Nelson Mandela on Polydor '87 was one of the first African albums on CD. Next was The Lion '89, produced by George Acogny and David Sancious, adding session drummer Manu Katch‚ to his regular percussion trio of Mamadou Dieng, Babacar Faye and Assane Thiam, and including a duet with Peter Gabriel on 'Shakin' The Tree'. Set '90 was followed by Best Of '94 on Virgin (contrasting strongly with the Etoile de Dakar material reissued on Stern's); Eyes Open '92 on Columbia and The Guide '93 on Wommat/Chaos (including single '7 Seconds' with Neneh Cherry, which sold over 1.5m and won MTV Europe's Best Song award, she singing in English, he in French and Wolof). Gainde: Voices From The Heart Of Africa '96 with Yandé Codoe Sène was on World Network. Typical of N'Dour's generosity was donating his studio, half his band and his production skills to his main pretender, Cheilk Lô, whose Ne la thlass ('Gone In A Flash') '96 on World Circuit was Senegal's album of the year, bringing a mellow soul sound to mbalax, with acoustic flamenco-style guitar as well as social comment, and a gorgeous duet with N'Dour on the last track. N'Dour's own Jojoli label in Dakar often previews material to be internationally available later; Lii! ('This!') '97 was a cassette returning to the more traditional style of the early '80s, griot vocal styles, long luxurious melodies and intense Wolof rhythms in a light, airy semi-acoustic treatment.

By 2012  he had been appointed culture and tourism minister of Senegal.