Youssou N'Dour was born in Dakar, Senegal in 1959. He started performing on the city's streets as a teenager, and in 1979 formed his own band, Étoile de Dakar. That group would evolve into the Super Étoile de Dakar, which became his main vehicle for touring and recording.
His music blends Senegalese mbalax with other styles, and in 1994 he had a global hit with the single 'Seven Seconds Away,' a collaboration with Neneh Cherry.
Beyond music, N'Dour has been involved in social causes. In 2005 he received the Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture Award for his humanitarian work.
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