Born in 1932 in the Sine-Saloum village of Somb and singing in the Serer language since early childhood, Yandé Codou Sène spent decades as the official griotte of Senegal's poet-president Léopold Sédar Senghor — the only person permitted to interrupt his speeches with an improvised song in his honor — before recording her first album at 65. As the era's definitive voice of njuup, the sacred Serer chant tradition scholars trace as mbalax's actual root, she recorded and toured with Youssou N'Dour starting in 1995 and is widely credited, alongside him, as one of the deepest influences on his music.

the sound in question

1995

GaindeYandé Codou Sène