Final concert: Youssou N'Dour

From Gambia to Senegal: Just like the opening concert of the 2022 festival year, the closing concert will also take the audience to West Africa. With Youssou N'dour, a superstar of "global pop," the "Golden Voice of Senegal," a singer, cultural ambassador, businessman, media entrepreneur, politician and activist will be on stage at the BASF Feierabendhaus. His band Super Étoile de Dakar is considered by some to be one of the best live bands ever. Youssou N'dour is known for his social and political commitment. He organized concerts for the release of Nelson Mandela, is involved with Amnesty International and UNICEF, and in 2012 wanted to run against the then incumbent in the Senegalese presidential elections. When he was banned from doing so due to a technicality, he then supported the victorious opposing candidate Macky Sall, who in return made him Minister of Culture and Tourism. Even today, the singer acts as a "special advisor" to the president, who has long been controversial and has evolved from visionary to autocrat, which is why N'dour suddenly found himself on the "wrong" side as a government representative during the opposition protests in the spring of 2021. Perhaps also to polish up his somewhat tarnished image, his current album "Mbalax," released in november 2021, is rhythmically complex, anchored in Senegalese "griot" culture and also decidedly political. The songs are about self-empowerment, respect, communication and exchange of experiences, admission of mistakes, identity, the importance of knowledge and education, environmental protection and distribution struggles - all formulated as proposals rather than accusations. It is about very concrete considerations for a better future of Senegal, of West Africa, about a sense of tradition - and at the same time about a music-political offer that wants to communicate internationally. So it is only logical that Youssou N'dour not only performs the material from the current album, but certainly also takes the opportunity to recall the stations of his career that are associated with names like Peter Gabriel, Ryuichi Sakamoto or Neneh Cherry. And if you then read about the ease with which N'dour and his Super Étoile de Dakar recently succeeded in transforming Hamburg's venerable Elbphilharmonie into a boiling large-room disco, then the ingredients are right for a roaring party.