Described as an "arresting tenor, with prophetic authority" (The New York Times) and "perhaps the most famous singer alive [in Africa]," (Rolling Stone) Youssou N'Dour helped develop mbalax, a propulsive, soulful genre of Senegalese music. At the age of 12, he began performing with the Star Band, one of Dakar's prominent bands of the early '70s, before going on to form his own Latin-influenced dance band, Étoile de Dakar, which properly launched his career as Senegal's first pop star.
Yacouba Sissoko is in demand as one of the best kora players in the world, playing with jazz, Latin and R&B bands as well as traditional African songs. In addition to performing as a soloist and with his band SIYA, he has toured with a variety of well-known artists such as Regina Carter, Baaba Maal, and Roberto Fonseca
