Biography
1959 | Born in Dakar, Senegal | |
1971 | Started performing at age 12 | |
1979 | Organized a group band, “Étoile de Dakar” (“Super Étoile de Dakar” in 1981) | |
1986 | Released Nelson Mandela First performance in New York |
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1989 | First international album, The Lion, released from Virgin Records | |
1991 | Joined UNICEF as a Goodwill Ambassador | |
1992 | Released Eyes Open, nominated to Grammy Award for the first time | |
1998 | Wrote and performed the official anthem of the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, La cour des Grands | |
2000 | Nominated as a Goodwill Ambassador of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations | |
2003 | Produced the film music of Kirikou et la Sorcière, released by Studio Ghibli | |
2004 | Egypt won the Grammy Award as a best contemporary world music album | |
2006 | First performance of “Super Étoile de Dakar” in Tokyo at Tokyo Summer Festival Played the role of the African-British abolitionist in the movie Amazing Grace |
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2007 | Documentary film Youssou N'Dour: Return to Gorée released | |
2008 | Joined the honor committee of the Fondation Chirac | |
2011 | Suspended performance activities to run in the 2012 Senegalese presidential election Received an honorary doctoral degree in Music from Yale University |
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2012 | Senegal's Minister of Culture and Tourism (to 2013) | |
2013 | Returned to performance activities Polar Music Prize |
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2016 | Released 34th album Africa Rekk |