Youssou N’DOUR & Le Super Etoile de Dakar

Experience Youssou N’Dour's legendary voice and the vibrant rhythms of Senegal

Presented by The Arts Center at NYUAD and Ideas Abu Dhabi, in collaboration with the 2026 UN Water Conference and in partnership with Abu Dhabi Festival

Few artists have brought the sound, identity, and spirit of Africa to the world with the reach, longevity, and authenticity of Youssou N’Dour. With a career spanning decades, the Grammy Award-winning Senegalese singer, songwriter, and composer has connected audiences across continents through music that celebrates Africa’s identity, heritage, and hopes.

Now, experience his extraordinary musical world live, as Youssou N’Dour brings the vibrant rhythms of Senegal to the stage alongside his celebrated band, Super Étoile de Dakar, in a cross-cultural concert that bridges musical traditions and influences.

Together, they helped develop and popularize mbalax, a distinctive urban Senegalese sound that blends the powerful rhythms of traditional sabar and tama drums with electric guitars, keyboards, bass, and influences ranging from Cuban rumba and hip-hop to jazz, soul, and contemporary popular music. Deeply rooted in Senegalese tradition yet unmistakably modern, their music helped bring the sounds of Dakar to audiences around the world.

Over the years, N’Dour’s remarkable musical journey has brought him together with internationally acclaimed artists including Peter Gabriel, Paul Simon, and Sting. His participation in the historic Human Rights Now! tour alongside Peter Gabriel, Sting, Tracy Chapman, and Bruce Springsteen further introduced his music to international audiences, demonstrating how music deeply rooted in Senegalese culture could connect with people across borders, even when the lyrics were in Wolof.

At the heart of N’Dour’s artistry is a philosophy without frontiers. Rather than choosing between tradition and modernity, Africa and the West, or popular music and cultural heritage, he has continually built bridges between them. Through every collaboration and international stage, he has remained true to his musical roots, with his unmistakable voice, the powerful rhythms of Senegal, and the exceptional musicianship of Super Étoile de Dakar at the centre of his work.

Long before African popular music gained its current global prominence across streaming platforms and festival stages, N’Dour was helping expand international understanding of contemporary African music, showing that artists could reach audiences worldwide while remaining creatively anchored in their cultural heritage.

Opening the evening is the UAE’s Lewah Maritime Ensemble, presenting a vibrant expression of Emirati cultural heritage traditionally performed during celebrations such as wedding processions and other festive occasions.

Introduced to the Arabian region through East African traders, Lewah reflects the cultural connections between East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. The tradition features the distinctive sounds of the mizmar, a flute-like wind instrument with a wide-open mouth, alongside three types of drum

Biography

FROM DAKAR TO THE WORLD — 50 YEARS OF MUSIC Few artists have carried the sound, identity and spirit of Africa to the world with the reach, longevity and authenticity of Youssou N’Dour. Singer, songwriter, composer, bandleader and cultural ambassador, Youssou N’Dour has spent nearly five decades building a musical journey that began in the streets and clubs of Dakar and grew to encompass some of the world’s greatest stages. Yet throughout that extraordinary journey, one thing has remained constant: Dakar is home. Senegal is the source. Born in Dakar in 1959, with maternal roots in Senegal’s griot tradition, Youssou began performing while still a child. The griot is more than a musician: storyteller, historian and guardian of collective memory. That tradition — the belief that music carries history, identity and responsibility — would remain fundamental to his artistic life. By his teenage years, his remarkable voice was already attracting attention in Dakar’s vibrant music scene.But Youssou was not content simply to inherit a musical tradition. He wanted to transform it. THE BIRTH OF A SOUND Following his early experience with Dakar’s Star Band, Youssou became a central figure in Étoile de Dakar before establishing Super Étoile de Dakar, the band that would accompany him through much of his career. Together, they helped develop and popularise a new urban Senegalese sound: mbalax. Drawing on the powerful rhythms of the sabar and tama and combining them with electric guitars, keyboards, bass, jazz, soul, Afro-Cuban influences and contemporary popular music, mbalax represented something both deeply Senegalese and unmistakably modern. It became the soundtrack of a changing Dakar. And Youssou N’Dour became its most internationally recognised voice. DAKAR MEETS THE WORLD

Ticket Information

Priority booking is currently open exclusively to The Arts Center VIP and Supporting Members. General public booking opens on Tuesday, November 10, at 10 AM.

Event Policies, Terms, and Conditions

• The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for all patrons. • Entry to the NYUAD Campus is through either the East or West Parking or the Welcome Center. • Please note the new campus entry requirements: you must present both your event ticket and the campus access QR code sent by email through NYUAD Campus Safety. • As per current Department of Culture and Tourism guidelines a Green Al Hosn is NO LONGER needed to attend public events in Abu Dhabi. • The wearing of face masks is NO LONGER required in most indoor public places, including campus buildings. • For access and wheelchair bookings, please email: nyuad.boxoffice@nyu.edu

How to get there

By car: Take Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan St/E10, Al Mina, and Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed St/E12 to Laffan St. Exit at Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed St/E12. Continue on Laffan Street to your destination. GPS navigation is advised. By public transportation: You can take bus 170 (Al Saadiyat New York< University Via Abu Dhabi) to the Saadiyat New York University 3 bus stop and take a short walk from there. By taxi: You can easily reach your destination via taxi or by using a ride-hailing app. Please note the new campus entry requirements: you must present both your event ticket and the campus access QR code sent by email through NYUAD Campus Safety.