On Jan. 28, students from the Lawrence University French & Francophone Studies Department got together for a Senegalese film event, where they watched “Youssou N’Dour: I Bring What I Love” (2008). This film was selected, in particular, to promote the French & Francophone Seminar in Dakar, Senegal that is hosted every other year; it is a study abroad opportunity like no other, allowing students to immerse themselves into a language, culture and perspective extraordinarily different from their own. The French department hosts various events where students can learn about the program, so if you are interested, look out for those!
Youssou N’Dour is a Senegalese singer, songwriter and composer. In his early music career, he was in a band called Étoile de Dakar. The band followed a new genre and craze in the Senegalese popular music scene, which mixed traditional Senegalese with Latin music (called ‘mbalax’). This band quickly became renowned in Senegal before splitting up due to internal conflicts. N’Dour continued solo, opening his own recording studio shortly after. He remained relevant, crossing musical boundaries by mixing Senegalese mbalax with Latin influences, jazz, hip hop and soul. His diverse range of genres and styles earned him an international following, with many collaborations from artists in the West, including Bruce Springsteen.
N’Dour’s biggest international hit single was “7 Seconds,” which is a duet featuring Swedish singer-songwriter Neneh Cherry. The song is trilingual, with Cherry singing in English and N’Dour singing in French, English and the West African language Wolof. The song is rather interesting. The background music or tune has a distinct ‘90s sound, though it reminds one of Eminem’s “Stan,” with the light background instrumentals and supplementary female voice. Additionally, the trilingual aspect mixes language auras; the vowel-heavy, legato French contrasts with Wolof, which is more staccato due to the increase in consonants grouped together in its words.
“Egypt,” produced by N’Dour and Fathy Salama, an Egyptian musician, is a groundbreaking album and the most monumental success in Youssou N’Dour’s music career. The album uses Arabic influences to illustrate Muslim religious themes and promote positive awareness for Islam, a religion that often faces prejudice. Its release was originally planned to be in 2001 but was delayed until 2004 to ensure that it had no connection with the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Even so, the album title itself is a tribute to the Egyptian singer Umm Kulthum, as she was a favorite of N’Dour’s father and influenced N’Dour in his youth. The lyrics on the album are in praise of N’Dour’s native Senegalese Islam, Mouride Sufism. Overall, the album is a sort of Islamic gospel, comparable to Christian pop music, though simplifying it to such might be laughable.
The reception of “Egypt” was conflicting, as Western music critics and audiences believed it groundbreaking, while many Muslim societies felt it to be a dishonor. Some African and Muslim societies argued that Islam had no place in popular music and that the combination was insulting to the religion. A two-year boycott was instilled after the release of the album in Senegal, with radio stations refusing to play its music and stores returning their copies. Naturally, N’Dour felt this rejection personally, from a society who once adored him and his musical talent. Despite its controversy, “Egypt” won the 2004 Grammy Award for “Best Contemporary World Music.”
“Youssou N’Dour: I Bring What I Love” is a documentary retelling N’Dour’s musical career, particularly highlighting the points we’ve discussed so far. Its collection of interviews and concert footage make for a snapshot of Senegalese life, culture and music. The film starts off slowly, making the viewer question what it is trying to educate them on, before launching into how N’Dour’s career begins and goes on to flourish. Perhaps the most impactful aspect of the film is how it portrays the creation and reception of “Egypt,” as the producers make such the overall plot. The rising point and climax of the documentary is when N’Dour is watching the television, waiting for the consensus of whether he has won a Grammy. Once he finds he has, all controversy and guilt or unhappiness from being shunned by the people of Senegal disappears. He attends rallies and publicly tells the Senegalese that he himself is proof that they can achieve anything.
In the end, “Youssou N’Dour: I Bring What I Love” is an inspirational film depicting a Senegalese musician aiming for connection and universal love, despite advocating for what might be controversial in his native hometown. It is well worth watching!