Youssou N'Dour
Youssou N'Dour | |
|---|---|
N'Dour in Warsaw in 2009 | |
| Minister of Tourism of Senegal | |
| In office 5 April 2012 – September 2013 | |
| Prime Minister | Abdoul Mbaye |
| Preceded by | Thierno Lo |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 October 1959 Dakar, Mali Federation |
| Musical career | |
| Also known as | Youssou Madjiguène Ndour |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1970s–present |
| Labels |
|
| Formerly of | |
Youssou N'Dour (French: [jusu (ɛ)nduʁ], Wolof: Yuusu Nduur [juːsu ⁿd̺uːɾ]; also known as Youssou Madjiguène Ndour; born 1 October 1959) is a Senegalese singer, songwriter, musician, composer, occasional actor, businessman, and politician. In 2004, Rolling Stone described him as, "perhaps the most famous singer alive" in Senegal and much of Africa and in 2023, the same publication ranked him at number 69 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time. From April 2012 to September 2013, he was Senegal's Minister of Tourism.
N'Dour helped develop a style of popular Senegalese music known by all Senegambians (including the Wolof) as mbalax, a genre that has sacred origins in the Serer music njuup tradition and ndut initiation ceremonies. He is the subject of the award-winning films Return to Gorée (2007) directed by Pierre-Yves Borgeaud and Youssou N'Dour: I Bring What I Love (2008) directed by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, which were released around the world.
In 2006, N'Dour was cast as Olaudah Equiano in the film Amazing Grace.