Senegalese ‘Seven Seconds’ star Youssou N’Dour back on the road at 65 with new album
Youssou N’Dour talks about his new album Eclairer Le Monde – Light The World, using African instruments, and his 45 years as a singer
A rat-a-tat percussion and keyboard riff, and Youssou N’Dour’s voice tore through the dark Dakar sky, as the world music legend geared up to do what he does best: rock through the night.
With a new album out and a world tour starting this week, the Senegalese icon and Grammy Award winner – who confesses he “couldn’t live without music” – shows no signs of slowing down despite his 45 years in show business.
“Let’s rock,” he barked to his 12-piece band Super Etoile an hour before midnight, before the strains of one of their last pre-tour rehearsals rang out well into the small hours.
Five years after his last album, N’Dour’s latest record, Eclairer Le Monde – Light The World, voices his commitment to human rights and gives a place of honour to traditional African instruments.
“It’s been nothing but a blast!” says the 65-year-old of his decades in music.
In that time he has cut dozens of gold discs and laid down tracks with the likes of Peter Gabriel, Paul Simon, Sting, Manu Dibango and Neneh Cherry.