A rare chance to hear ‘the undisputed king of Senegalese music’ (The Guardian) mix ancient traditions with eclectic world influences.
In the Serer tradition of West Africa, boys create sacred songs to mark their transition to adulthood. This rite of passage has inspired the Senegalese genre known as mbalax, which fuses rock, jazz, soul, Latin and more.
Youssou N’Dour – AKA ‘the undisputed king of Senegalese music’ (The Guardian) – has played a pivotal role in shaping mbalax. He has amassed a tremendous reputation for his innovative music-making, with Rolling Stone recently ranking him at number 69 on its list of 200 Greatest Singers of All Time. He has collaborated with a huge cross-section of eminent contemporary musicians, including Bruce Springsteen, Lou Reed and Ryuichi Sakamoto.
N’Dour’s poignant lyrics – which often combine the languages of Wolof, French and English – capture the mood of the Senegalese nation. In unison with his musical career, he plays an active role in politics and has consistently championed progressive social causes.
This is his second International Festival performance, offering a rare opportunity to hear his striking musical style here in Scotland.