Youssou N’dour Bio
Throughout his decades-long career, Youssou N’Dour’s roots in Senegalese traditional music
and griot storytelling have remained the hallmark of his artistic personality. A daring innovator
and staunch protector of the unique “Dakar overgroove,” N’Dour and his high-energy Super
Étoile manage to fashion a sound that is both characteristically Senegalese and outward-
looking, a contagiously exciting synthesis of musical languages. Rolling Stone calls N’Dour’s
stunning tenor “a voice so extraordinary that the history of Africa seems locked inside it,” and
Super Étoile has been lauded in The Village Voice as “the greatest band in the world.”
Album Description from Mido Sow / Morocco
From https://ze-africanews.com/
The icon of Senegalese music Youssou N’dour hit again hard for this end of the year, he has
just put on the market on November 12, 2021, a new Album whose title is Mbalax. From words
to images, from images to words, the planetary star won his bet, he succeeded once again to
dazzle his audience. After two years of absence from the national and international scene, he
has just made his mark through the songs for this album of twelve tracks.
The vocal leader of the Super Étoile de Dakar, both businessman, and politician, has
approached from several angles different themes as well societal, economic, environmental as
political of this new album. This new production is for him a cry of the heart that plunges us into
a cultural diversity to a swan song for our Africa, especially our very dear Senegal where he tells
the present and hopes for a better African future.
According to Youssou, the title of the album mbalax comes from the sabar (drum language of
Senegal) which is of Senegalese root, therefore from the pure “made in Senegal”. Its
internationalization made it undergo a meeting between the traditional and the modern through
an opening to the world thanks to the mixture of musical instruments of other countries. In this
article, we will look at the twelve tracks that make up this new album.
The song “Corona” is the pandemic that ends up shaking the world. It emphasizes barrier
actions and taking vaccines to prevent or mitigate the risk of contamination and spread.
“Thione Seck, Ballago Ndoumb Yatma”, is emotionally unqualified. A vibrant tribute was paid to
another baobab of Senegalese music who died on March 14, 2021, as a result of a short illness,
(peace to his soul!). Very normal, and very logical, the lyricist of Senegalese music went away
forever.
“Zero waste”, our environment, the living environment, civics, citizenship education, humanism
make it possible to take better charge of our environment and space. Make the community
beautiful and clean.
“Da-fa-laa”, trust is the basis of sincere and lasting love. Mutual respect, communication is a
guarantee of real love, in a global way, in any relationship, whether friendly or in love, trust
should be the basis for the consolidation of the fabric of love.
“Tatagal”, This song is for fans and music lovers of Youssou Ndour’s music. He pays them a
vibrant tribute through a message of thanks throughout his musical career of more than fifty
years. The fanfare at the beginning and end of all the successful contests of the artist, without
them, the artist is not the king of Mbalax.
“Fay Bor”, paying his debts, as in literal transcription. It’s not just financial, but it’s social and
cultural.
“Good neighbours”, to ask forgiveness, to help one another, these values of solidarity, of living-
together, of social cohesion, for a harmonious society.
“Ndox”, water! The source of life. Indispensable to the life of human beings. Even if access to
water poses a real debate in the countries of the Third World, this source of rare life is becoming
increasingly rare, especially since we are in a world where capitalism has finished taking over
the social aspirations of the most vulnerable strata.
“Wax-ju-bari”, the controversy of too many. The current societies, where the enslavement of
social networks have finished dehumanizing man. In a context of tension, especially in third
countries, linked to the inactivity of youth, left to its fate, a helpless and desperate youth, in the
quest for a better living environment. Very flexible reactions force the governments of certain
countries to review their copy with regard to youth and the sovereign people.
“Gaggantiko”, This song is about rehabilitation, not correction. A form of education with much
more warmth, in order to transmit virtues and values that transcend the life of the individual.
Because it could have an impact on the psychology of the person. Education, as noted by the
French sociologist, Durkheim as he believed schools would play a central role in forming
modern societies. Though the need for different forms of education may exist in a society. For
example, the Diola in its way of educating, serene and that of the Soninke.
The French version of “Mama Africa” is the enhancement of our identity. Africa, is a land of
integrity, natural resources, minerals, oil, and gas. Paradoxically this continent does not move
one iota. A notorious lack of will to aspire to change from all angles, and an imprescriptible and
inalienable need.
“The Solution”, is a life lesson to be brief in this intonation. To forgive oneself and to one’s
neighbor, whatever the degree of disillusionment. In this case, to have height, to be indulgent, to
take a step back would be the sum of the attitude to adopt for a world much more humanized.
“Moll”, fishermen in French, this time to sing in an atmosphere of celebration, of joy, while
leaving a message of encouragement, of motivation with the sole purpose of boosting them in
what they do, because being of indescribable usefulness.
The Mbalax album, in a fluid and stylish language, plunges us into our deepest quest for self,
confronts us with our most angelic tears and our most diabolical laughter. I believe that we are
music lovers first of all because listening to music is a pleasure and it is measuring the sweat of
its author who, through comforting, anguishing, serene words, reveal to us the mirror of our
uncertainties and worries.
Quotes
“N’DOUR has created a musical context that’s as large with possibilities as his sinuous, spine
tingling singing.”
Rolling Stone
“The kind of world pop in which the blend of Western pop and African tradition sounds so
organic that to talk about the different elements is to miss the whole.”
Washington Post
“African rock’s great global star, he has found the most graceful and purposeful balance
between the local and the international.”
The New York Times
“Youssou N’DOUR has been called ‘the African voice of the century” and “one of the world’s
greatest singers.” That may suggest a whiff of hyperbole, but not in the case of N’DOUR, who
has been thrilling audiences with his contemporized versions of Senegalese mbalax music for
nearly three decades.”
Los Angeles Times
“The Senegalese global music icon’s scintillating, soaring, and serpentine vocals have
epitomized Afropop to the ears of the world.”
The Boston Globe
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