Youssou N'Dour
Youssou N'Dour
Youssou N'Douris a Senegalese singer, percussionist, songwriter, composer, occasional actor, businessman and a politician. In 2004, Rolling Stone described him as, "perhaps the most famous singer alive" in Senegal and much of Africa. From April 2012 to October 2012, he was Senegal's Minister of Tourism and Culture, and from October 2012 to September 2013, he was Senegal's Minister of Tourism and Leisure...
NationalitySenegalese
ProfessionWorld Music Singer
Date of Birth1 October 1959
CountrySenegal
I look at my people, and I look at those who control them - the political elite. And the sad thing is that the elites are just not interested in the welfare of the people.
I think people should know more of Africa in terms of its joie de vivre, its feeling for life. In spite of the images that one knows about Africa - the economic poverty, the corruption - there's a joy to living and a happiness in community, living together, in community life, which may be missing here in America.
I love meeting interesting people and doing things with them.
I have to protect my family and have a life with them that is completely private.
I want to use my music to deliver a political message and sometimes to denounce, but I don't want to be a politician.
I can assure you that I have never used my media companies for propaganda, and I will never do so.
My music is like a spinning ball. It can turn in one direction, and then it comes back to origins.
When the slaves left Africa, they left us this music. They left us blues.
World music is about taking things from different places and bringing them together - which is great.
Listen, a lot of religions have fundamentalists.
Islam is a peaceful religion.
Senegal needs to free itself, to rediscover its democracy,
I grew up with reggae music.
I'm a modern Muslim. I pray, and if I have a question, I ask someone who is more educated in the religion than me.