WOMAD Preview: Youssou N'Dour - Legend of African Music

Youssou N'Dour is without a doubt the biggest name at WOMAD 2023. His collaborations with major taste makers like Peter Gabriel, Paul Simon, Neneh Cherry and others mean many Kiwis alive in the 80s and 90s will even know some of his songs (likely without knowing they do). He is the sort of artist that can have a whole stadium singing along to his better known songs either in Senegal or France and his impact on African music globally has been as big as, or bigger than, fellow pioneer Fela Kuti.

N'Dour's music and voice speak for themselves. As a Highlife pioneer and singer, songwriter, and composer the 65 year old has achieved truly legendary status in African music and world music at large. His music is a fusion of traditional Senegalese rhythms, 'mbalax', and contemporary Western music styles like jazz, pop, and hip hop. Born on October 1, 1959, in Dakar, Senegal, N'Dour started singing in Wolof, his native language, and later incorporated French and English into his music. He formed his first band, Étoile de Dakar (Stars of Dakar), in the 1970s and subsequently went on to release numerous albums. The band is still with him and will be joining him for his WOMAD performance

The roots of mbalax music can be traced back to the Serer people, who are an ethno-religious group with a long history in Senegal and the Gambia. The Serer religious practices involve music and dance, and they have long used the sabar drum, which is an important instrument in mbalax music. The sabar drum is a long, cylindrical drum that is played with sticks, and it is used to accompany dancing and singing. Mbalax music emerged in the 1970s and 1980s as a fusion of traditional Serer music, sabar drumming, and other African and Western musical influences, including jazz, funk, and soul. The genre was first popularized by N'Dour, who blended traditional rhythms with modern instrumentation and recording techniques. This fusion in turn influenced what we now call 'Highlife' or more broadly afro-beat. The sabar drum is still used in Serer religious ceremonies, and its rhythms and melodies have been passed down through generations of musicians and dancers.

N'Dour has been a prolific recording artist releasing many albums over his career, but his best known and most critically acclaimed album is likely "Eyes Open" ("Rokku Mi Rokka"), which was released in 1992. The album was a collaboration with the also legendary Senegalese percussionist and composer, Babacar Faye, and features a mix of traditional West African rhythms, modern pop, and jazz influences. The album received widespread critical acclaim and is often cited as one of the greatest world music albums of all time. The song New Africa was another major hit on the album:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sk_g4weUD0

But probably N’Dour’s biggest hit of all also features on Eyes Open - the hit single "7 Seconds," (Yes that 7 Seconds) a duet with Neneh Cherry that reached number one in several countries and won the 1995 Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals the Song of the Year award at the Victoires de la Musique in France.

"7 Seconds" is a song about the fleeting nature of life and the importance of living in the moment. The lyrics speak to the idea that life is short, and that we must appreciate every moment that we have. The song also addresses issues of racial tension and conflict, urging people to put aside their differences and work together towards a more peaceful world.

"And when a child is born into this world

It has no concept of the tone the skin is living in

It's not a second seven seconds away

Just as long as I stay, I'll be waiting

It's not a second seven seconds away

Just as long as I stay, I'll be waiting"

Neneh Cherry is a Swedish/Sierra Leonean singer-songwriter and rapper who first gained fame in the late 1980s with her hit song "Buffalo Stance," which blended pop, hip-hop, and dancehall music. Her unique style and innovative approach to music helped her to become one of the most prominent female artists of the era. Cherry continued to release successful albums and singles throughout the 1990s and 2000s, collaborating with other big UK artists such as Massive Attack. Here is N’Dour with Neneh starring as the guy standing against a dark background and city backdrops dressed in black in the now-famous music video at the tender young age of 33: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqCpjFMvz-k

Other major international collaborations for N’Dour included WOMAD Founder Peter Gabriel, and Paul Simon (Garfunkel’s former-mate), both of whom are known for their interest in world music. Both of these collaborations helped to raise the profile of N’Dour outside Africa and France, as well as promoting African music in the West and demonstrate the power of cross-cultural fusion and artistic collaboration.

The collaboration with Peter Gabriel began in the 1980s, when Gabriel became interested in African music and invited N'Dour to contribute to his album "So" (1986). N'Dour provided vocals for the song "In Your Eyes," which became a hit and helped to introduce African music to a wider audience. The two musicians continued to work together over the years, with N'Dour contributing to several of Gabriel's albums and Gabriel producing N'Dour's album "The Lion" (1989).You can hear the Gabriel production influence on the Lion:
https://youtu.be/KxnkYygQrZU

Gabriel has always spoken highly of Youssou N'Dour and his contributions to his music. In interviews, he has often praised N'Dour's talent as a vocalist and musician, describing him as a "magical" collaborator. Gabriel has also credited N'Dour with introducing him to African music and inspiring him to incorporate African rhythms and sounds into his own music. In fact, the Gabriel has acknowledged that N'Dour's influence was a major factor in the success of "In Your Eyes".

N'Dour's collaboration with Paul Simon began in the late 1980s, when Simon was working on his album "Graceland" (1986), which featured several South African musicians. N'Dour provided vocals for the song "You Can Call Me Al," which became a hit and helped to popularize African music in the United States. Yeah you know the one:

“If you'll be my bodyguard

I can be your long lost pal

I can call you Betty

And Betty, when you call me, you can call me Al”

N’dour provided the backing vocals and sings the lines "I can call you Betty" and "and Betty when you call me, you can call me Al" in the chorus. N'Dour also contributed to the song's instrumental break, adding his signature West African-style vocals over the horns and percussion. His vocal and rhythmic contributions helped make "Call Me Al" a hit and a classic song in the 1980s.

N'Dour and Simon continued to work together over the years, with N'Dour contributing to several of Simon's albums and the two musicians touring together. Simon has expressed great admiration for Youssou N'Dour's music and voice. In an interview with Rolling Stone, he said, "Youssou has one of the most beautiful voices in the world. His music is like a combination of American R&B and African rhythms, and he's just a brilliant songwriter."

Simon collaborated with N'Dour on the song "The Obvious Child" for his 1990 album "The Rhythm of the Saints," and has also performed live with N'Dour on several occasions.

Here they are jamming live in Senegal with Shaking the Tree. The song was co-written by Peter Gabriel and Youssou N'Dour, and it was originally released on Gabriel's 1990 compilation album, also titled "Shaking the Tree."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQifL-eGiaU

In terms of other African artists N'dour has collaborated with some of the best. The list includes these highlights:

Baaba Maal from Senegal - The two artists have collaborated on numerous occasions, including the album "Djam Leelii" in 1989.

Angelique Kidjo from Benin - N'Dour and Kidjo have worked together on the song "Immigres" and have performed together at various concerts.

Salif Keita from Mali - N'Dour and Keita have collaborated on the song "Africa Dream Again" and have performed together at various concerts.

Miriam Makeba from South Africa - N'Dour and Makeba have performed together at various concerts and festivals.

Femi Kuti (son of the legendary Afro-beat pioneer from Nigeria Fela Kuti) - N'Dour and Kuti have performed together at various concerts.

There aren't many artists, you can talk of in the same breath as Fela Kuti, but N'Dour is one of them. Kuti and N'Dour have had significant influence on music globally, and though there is no record of them playing together, it is likely that they at least knew of each other's music. Both were influential in their respective genres and countries, and were active during roughly the same time period. Additionally, both were known for their political activism through their music, which may have garnered attention and awareness from each other. N'Dour arguably did more to shape and popularize African music on the international stage with his Western collaborations. Kuti's music on the other hand has probably influenced many more musicians around the world.

N’Dour has been honored with numerous awards for his contributions to music, including a Grammy Award for Best World Music Album in 2005. Outside of music, he has been an active social and political activist, using his platform to address issues such as poverty, democracy, and human rights. He served as a good-will ambassador for the United Nations, and focused on African issues like the crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan, the dangers of emigrating illegally to Europe, broadening Internet access throughout Africa and improving health care. In 2012, he briefly served as Senegal's Minister of Tourism and Culture and even unsuccessfully ran for president in 2012.

Want more: here’s a cool doco from the 8os about N’Dour called Eyes Open that really gives an idea, how vibrant and joyful Dakar can be, and how much of a part of the Culture and everyday life highlife music and dance is. It doesn’t hold back on the political comment and criticism of European colonial powers impacts on the country either. But, this is the rich melting pot of musical traditions from which this legend of afro-beat emerged, and we really are in for a great show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N30iBAVUP9g

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