Singing Africa’s Sufi soul

He has been called one of the world’s greatest singers. Renowned for his remarkable musical range, Youssou N’Dour’s genre-defying work - including celebrated collaborations with Peter Gabriel and Neneh Cherry - has enraptured listeners for over twenty years. N’Dour talks to Abdul-Rehman Malik about his new album entitled Egypt, Senegal and his faith - a religion of tolerance, peace and love.

Page 29
Q-News, Issue 358
December 2004


Egypt marks a new phase in your musical development. Why this album? Why now?

I first started thinking about this album when my son was born in 1998. I was living in London at the time and seven days after his birth I invited my friend Naeem, who is from Pakistan, to come over and perform prayers of thanks and have a feast in celebration of the birth just like we do in Senegal. We telephoned my family in Senegal and put them on speakerphone. They heard and did exactly what we were doing in London.

Each year during Ramadan, I usually stop everything I’m doing. I stop my tours. I stay at home. I meet with friends to discuss our religion, our practices, and we often spend time with people more religious than ourselves. During Ramadan that year, I started thinking more seriously about creating music in tune with the spirit of the month.

This album is definitely connected to my faith, Islam in Senegal. It is, of course, the same Islam as everywhere, but the way we express and promote it through the Sufi brotherhoods is unique. I wanted to make an album to tell the world how we process Islam in my country.

A lot happened after that - September 11th, with all its violence and wrong politics. I withdrew the album because I felt it wasn’t the right time. Last year, I finally decided that music ought to be used to promote the reality of Islam - a faith of tolerance, peace and love.

This album is a great milestone in my career. It gives me more space for my voice and allows me to develop melody more than rhythm. African music is mainly based on rhythm so most people know little of the riches of African melody.



This album is a unique fusion of the vastly different musical traditions of Senegal and Egypt. Why does it work so well?

I remember when I was young my father played the music of Umm Kulthum. I know what an important part of our African tradition that music is. I don’t divide Africa into North and West. I see one picture of Africa and Egypt is my first pan-African album. There is a difference between Egypt and Senegal musically, of course, but when I listen to the radio in Senegal they often play dhikr followed by Arabic music. I began thinking of how the acoustic instruments of Senegal would mix with an Egyptian orchestra and fused the two in my mind. When high Islamic people talk about Egyptian or Arabic music they see it as music for Islam. They feel it. I saw this as a close relationship and just had to bring the two together.



Tell us about your childhood growing up in Senegal, in the Mouride Sufi tradition to which you belong. How have these experiences influenced you?

Senegal is 96% Muslim, but our Islam is closely linked to the Sufi brotherhoods. Our religious leaders have been people like the Mouride Shaykh Ahmadou Bamba. He played a major role in the social life of people, providing them with work and encouraging the middle way of Islam. It had a powerful impact. It brought young people closer to their religion, without having to reject everything.

These shaykhs founded cities like Touba, which is a Mouride centre. These are spiritual cities. You go there to pray and when you get there you feel close to your religion. It is a powerful experience. We dress beautifully when we pray together. There is incredible solidarity and brotherhood between people at these places.

Growing up, I didn’t take part in the dhikr directly, but I used to hang about such gatherings. During dhikrs, people cry and sometimes they go into a trance. The dhikr teaches people about the way of our guide, the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. It brings you closer to the spiritual way.

When you gather for dhikr, it moves you to moderation and understanding. There are many stories told in the gatherings - about the Prophets, peace be upon them, and how Islam came to Senegal and the struggle to preserve Islam in Senegal especially during colonisation when the colonisers didn’t want Islam to be the main religion. It was during this time that Shaykh Ahmadou Bamba was deported, but he returned, with strength and honour.



This is an incredible sense of joy on this album. It feels like a celebration. Is there a particular track that you feel represents its spirit?

All the songs praise our shaykhs. Even though I am Mouride, all the brotherhoods in Senegal move in one direction: towards Islam. The track, Touba - Daru Salaam is my favourite, because it recalls Touba - the first village that Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba founded. It is a beautiful city where you see real generosity. When I sing Touba - Daru Salaam something powerful happens to me.



What kind of impact do you want Egypt to have?

I want people to see this as a sincere effort. I want people to feel my faith. I am not looking for commercial success - although the album is doing very well, Alhamdulillah. Music is power. Even if one person can join us in our religion I am happy.



With many young Muslims struggling with their identity what advice can you offer them?

Young people come to Islam because someone promotes it to them. If they meet someone who genuinely understands the message of Islam, they are lucky. But sometimes, they meet the wrong person who leads them to extremism.
Young Muslims need to realise that Islam is not a religion for just one region. It is not an Arabic religion. It is a worldwide religion - Africa, Indonesia, Asia, China, and the Middle East. In this crazy world, the realisation of Islam’s diversity is essential. It keeps us from becoming narrow minded.



Muslims have often ignored the African Islamic legacy. Given that Islam in Africa has such a rich culture and civilisation, what does it offer to non-Africans?

This is an important question. Islam in Africa promotes the easier way - it is less rigid and less strict. African Islam demonstrates how culture and religion affect each other. We need to globalise Islam. Ultimately, we are all moving in the same direction: to God. No one has a monopoly on Islam - think about others, have respect for others, make sure that you don’t behave like you are more Muslim than others.

Africa is poor economically, but wealthy culturally and spiritually. That is why people still smile. We may not have riches, but we have faith and community. Because of our belief in God we say, “Maybe we will have better things tomorrow.”



What is next for Youssou N’Dour?

I don’t know what’s next. People are really interested in this album and as I promote it around the world, maybe the experience will inspire something new. I have tried to be different at every step of my career, with every album. I am like an architect who designs differently each time. I think every album needs to be different.

Alhamdulillah. Whenever you move forward you need to make it a point to thank God. He gives you something, you give thanks and He gives you back even more. This album is a thanks to God. I have been given so much. I came from a little village, a poor place - but my music is everywhere. I can talk to people from all over the world. I can be someone who can represent and deliver the message of my faith.


Youssou N’Dour’s latest album Egypt is released by Nonesuch Records. He is presently on tour in Europe. Youssou lives in Dakar with his wife and five children. Visit www.youssou.com.