Joe Boyd, the record producer, wrote a big book about World Music and his own role in it. He talked about Youssou N’Dour, a famous singer from Senegal, and how one of his band members said that the song “7 Seconds” with Neneh Cherry was a disaster for Senegalese music. The band member thought that the song’s success made N’Dour change his style to be more like Western music. Boyd, who suggested a more traditional recording for N’Dour but got rejected, was not a fan of the glossy production. N’Dour’s early success in the ’80s didn’t always show in his later albums, which sometimes felt watered down due to collaborations with other artists like Cherry and Peter Gabriel. His album “History” in 2019 seemed like a goodbye to his music.
The new album “Éclairer Le Monde” by N’Dour is not perfect, but it shows off his voice better than before. Another Senegalese singer, Baaba Maal, worked with a Swedish producer on his latest album, focusing on percussion. N’Dour’s producers also used a lot of percussion in this album. The first song, “Tout Pour Briller”, starts with strong drum beats like N’Dour’s older songs that were popular in Paris in the ’80s, making up for the simple lyrics about self-improvement. There are feminist themes in songs like “Sa Ma Habiibi”, criticizing forced marriages, and “Say Thank You”, a tribute to mothers. N’Dour’s son Nelson joins in on the football anthem “On L’a Fait”, giving it a lively feel. “Sam Fall” pays homage to the Baye Fall Islamic group, with a nice mix of acoustic guitar and electric guitar.
Even if “Éclairer Le Monde” doesn’t become a hit, it’s still a great comeback for N’Dour. The album brings back the energy and passion of his early music, showing that he still has a lot to offer to the music world. So, if you’re a fan of N’Dour or just curious about his new album, give it a listen and see for yourself what all the fuss is about.