Youssou N‘Dour
Born on October 1, 1959, in Dakar, Senegal, Youssou N’Dour is a songwriter, singer, producer, composer, businessman and politician.
Hailing from a family of griots, N’Dour chartered his own path and became a musician instead.
Known as a creator of unique sounds, he developed mbalax – a merge of popular Western music and dance such as jazz, soul, Latin, and rock blended with sabar, the traditional drumming and dance music of Senegal.
N’Dour is a backer for Campaign for the Establishment of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly, an organization which advocates for democratic reformation of the United Nations.
In 2008 he joined the Foundation Chirac – an organization geared towards peace by striving for five initiatives.
In 2012, he unsuccessfully ran for the president of Senegal. He instead became the Minister of Tourism and Leisure then the Special Adviser to the President, with the rank of minister.
