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**Youssou Ndour** Youssou Ndour is a Senegalese singer, songwriter, percussionist, composer, occasional actor, businessman, and politician, born on October 1, 1959, in Dakar, Senegal. He began his musical journey as a child performer at neighborhood gatherings in the Medina section of Dakar. By the age of 12, he was performing on stage, and in his mid-teens, he regularly sang with the Star Band, the most successful group in Senegal at that time. In 1979, he formed his own ensemble, the Etoile de Dakar, which evolved into The Super Etoile by 1981. Under his guidance, The Super Etoile became the most famous band in Africa, crafting a modern African pop style that influenced artists such as Peter Gabriel and Paul Simon. Gabriel introduced Ndour to American and British artists through his So album in 1986 and took Ndour and The Super Etoile on tour with him. In 1988, Ndour co-headlined the Amnesty International "Human Rights Now!" tour alongside notable artists like Bruce Springsteen, Sting, and Tracy Chapman. During this tour, he became friends with Branford Marsalis, who later appeared on Ndour's album, The Guide. Ndour's first international albums, The Lion (1989) and Set (1990), received praise, with Rolling Stone noting his extraordinary voice and potential for universal popularity. In 1991, he signed

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