You must be a busy man at the moment. You’ve appeared on three Live8 stages, you’re playing concerts with the Super Etoiles, and you’re involved in a range of other projects, such as Children’s Rights Projects, and an exciting internet project called Joko. Can you tell us a little bit about those?
I campaign for children’s rights in my function as UN Ambassadeur, focussing on things like education, and the fight against diseases.

Live8 could have been such a boost for African artists, such an opportunity to bring African music to the world, and it wasn’t used. Instead, the stars remained among themselves

Joko is a big project I’m working on. It’s designed to create internet access in rural regions, and to give local residents the chance to learn internet skills and to create a business. We give them the chance to open internet cafes called ‘Joko Club’, which are part of a national network. There, they can conduct training, teach people the use of the internet, sell products via the web, operate telephone lines — there are many possibilities. It’s a way of increasing employment and training in the remote regions of Senegal. The first stage of the project has begun. During that phase, we have learnt a lot, we have done our research. Now we want to enter into the second phase.

Artists such as yourself and Baaba Maal are strongly involved in development work and campaigns. Do you think artists can make a difference?
I think that musicians are in a special position, because they have a certain amount of influence on people. And they can use to move things on. There are many problems, and not all of them are easy to solve. Musicians can send out messages, encourage certain projects, and help move things forward.

And you bring an African perspective to development, which is different in concept than approaches from the outside, such as Live 8.
It is different, but people such as Bob Geldof — you still have to give them credit for what they do. They are people who know about the power of music. They can help people to think about problems and how to resolve them. I’d encourage that, even though they still have to learn a lot about Africa, and need to make more contact.

Do you think that such initiatives can really change things in Africa?
I do think that we now see the beginning of certain changes. A lot more needs to be done, but at least some steps are being made.

Salif Keita, Youssou N’Dour, Cesaria Evora — those are great names, but that’s not all. Those names should be like openings for people to search further, in order to understand what’s there

You were strongly involved in Live 8, particularly in the inception of Live 8 Africa Calling at the Eden Project. Were you disappointed that the Hyde Park stage featured no African artists apart from you?
Yes, I was very disappointed. I don’t think you can have a party for Africa without inviting the Africans. And I think, this would have been a major opportunity to promote African talent. The audience would have been able to see African artists singing alongside the stars they know. It could have been such a boost for African artists, such an opportunity to bring African music to the world, and it wasn’t used. Instead, the stars remained among themselves.

Was Live 8 Africa Calling your idea?
It was an idea that came from Peter Gabriel and WOMAD, and I was quickly behind it, when they approached me. I think that it was a great thing, I was very happy about their initiative.

You played at three concerts at Live 8, in London, Paris and the Eden Project. It was great to see you do that — but don’t you find it disappointing that Youssou N’Dour seems to be the only African name that many people can think of, when it comes to African music?
Absolutely! There are so many young artists that are amazingly talented! They need to be given opportunities. I do everything I can to support them, I produce people, and try to nurture talent. In the West, people have a limited view on African music. Salif Keita, Youssou N’Dour, Cesaria Evora — those are great names, but that’s not all. Those names should be like openings for people to search further, in order to understand what’s there. It’s a shame that this doesn’t happen enough, because there are many gifted young artists.

Can you give us the names of some young artists, whom we should look out for?
There are too many to mention! Daara J, Abdou Guite Seck, there’s Carlo D, and there are many, many more.

And are you planning to record another album soon?
Not at the moment.

And at WOMAD, can we expect you to play your big hits with the Super Etoiles?
Yes, I’ll be there with the Super Etoiles. And don’t forget my concert on the 1st of October in Paris, Le Grand Bal in Bercy. Like every year, I’ll play there for 20,000 people, 70% of Africans in the audience, and all that in Europe!

Photo Credit: Veronique Rolland

Catch Youssou N’Dour et les Super Etoiles at WOMAD this Saturday night