In an age when the mass media prefer to focus on Africa’s wars and famines, Senegalese musician Youssou N’Dour is a beacon of positive energy. No African artist has done as much to raise awareness of the continent’s problems and bring about change; the list of humanitarian agencies and social projects bearing his name is exhaustive. And yet for many in the West at least, he’s still only remembered for ‘7 Seconds’, a 1994 chart-topping duet with American singer Neneh Cherry.
At home in Dakar, N’Dour’s beaming, boyish face looms over the congested traffic from billboards dotted around the capital. When he returns from his many international shows, he’s welcomed back as a hero and saviour. His music has come to define the sound of Senegal, fusing traditional West African music and storytelling with Western pop. Lyrics tackle everything from love and religion to emigration, sanitation and cultural pride. He’s hailed as a spokesman for Africa and, according to Time magazine, one of the world’s 100 most influential people.
