Étoile de Dakar and M'balax

N'Dour moved on from Star band and founded Étoile de Dakar with El Hadji Faye in 1978. Afro-cuban music was very popular at that time in Senegal and N'Dour felt the need to go back to of a more local but modern urban music. Inspired by the French influence of variété, jazz, soul and rhythm n' blues and mixing it with traditional sabar rhythms and lyrics in wolof, the m'balax movement was born. M'balax music was played with both traditional instruments (such as sabar drums, tama des Laobés, djembe) and modern electric ones (guitar, bass, keyboards…). Dancers began using moves associated with sabar, and tipping the singers as if they were traditional griots. The mix was successful and the senegalese audience easily felt the connections with their older national culture.

International recognition

The idol of Senegal rapidly became the ambassador for African music and went to promote it across the Atlantic for a three week North American tour in 1986. This was a further success and the American press agreed upon the talent and amazing performances of the showman Youssou N'Dour. Artists Paul Simon and Peter Gabriel rapidly discovered the band and its front man. Youssou N’Dour collaborated with Simon on Graceland and Gabriel on So. Super Étoile de Dakar toured as opening act for Peter Gabriel during his world tour for So. It was during his global tour of 1988 with stars such as Sting, Peter Gabriel and Tracy Chapman that Youssou N’dour finally hit centre stage. The concerts were given on behalf of Amnesty International and this adventure completely changed his image and from a national icon he became a world-wide star.

Allah-Egypte

In November 2003, Youssou released an album that was radically different from his previous works. It was first released on cassette in Senegal with the title Sant Allah. The album was a mix of acoustic and mystic ballads, versions of Islamic songs. Sant Allah was recorded with the Egyptian Fathy Salama Orchestra and inspired by N'Dour's long lasting idol Egyptian singer Umm Kulthum.

After having worked for several years with connecting traditional Senegalese music to to a more modern sound, Youssou N'Dour felt the need to now prove the attachment to his spiritual roots, as a practising Sufi Muslim.

On 22 May 2004, Youssou N'Dour organised a big concert event at Bercy stadium in Paris, at the same time as Sant Allah was released on CD on the international music scene, now renamed Allah-Egypte. The album proved to be a huge hit, selling over 400,000 copies worldwide and won a Grammy Award in 2005 for Best Contemporary World Music Album of the Year.

Unity to the African continent

Youssou N'Dour's aim with his music has been to bring unity to the African continent. As a man of the media and a fighter for citizens' rights Youssou N’Dour is well aware of the political importance of origins, different cultures and music. Youssou N'Dour sees himself today as a modern griot, telling the story of west african culture to the world.

He has been active in different causes, – from wiping out the African debt to the battle against malaria. In 1985 he organized a concert for the release of Nelson Mandela. In March 2005, Youssou was active on the fund-raising front, co-organising Africa Live, a collective concert against malaria for the organisation Roll back Malaria.

Africa Live was staged in Dakar and featured performances by an impressive number of African stars including Tiken Jah Fakoly, Corneille, Manu Dibango and the Orchestra Baobab. N’Dour is also involved in Project Joko, an initiative to open Internet cafes throughout Africa, the Stock Exchange of Visions Project, and Darfur relief.