Dakar festival blends traditional and trendy music, to attract young audience

Record ID: 1364254

  • Title: Dakar festival blends traditional and trendy music, to attract young audience
  • Date: 15th November 2018
  • Summary: DAKAR, SENEGAL (NOVEMBER 11, 2018) (REUTERS) AFRICAN RENAISSANCE MONUMENT / STAGE WHERE MUSICIANS PLAY SAHAD AND THE NATAAL PATCHWORK BAND PLAYING TO CROWD SAHAD SINGING VARIOUS OF CHEIKH LO WITH BAND PLAYING DRUMS
  • Embargoed: 29th November 2018 15:17
  • Keywords: fusion music Senegalese music influence Dakar Music Festival Cheikh Lo Sahad and the Nataal Patchwork band DJ Ras Moses
  • Location: DAKAR, SENEGAL
  • City: DAKAR, SENEGAL
  • Country: Senegal
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Music
  • Reuters ID: LVA00196M9EMV
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:The second edition of the Dakar Music Festival kicked off last week in the Senegalese capital, bringing together international and local acts as well as DJs playing in different venues across the city.
    The festival aims to bring together artists from various backgrounds and different genres of music, in what organisers hope will revive the local music scene amongst young people.
    Despite Senegal's renowned distinct sound of music that blends traditional and modern styles, and legendary musicians such as Youssou N' dour, Cheikh Lo or Baaba Maal, young Senegalese have increasingly gravitated towards a younger urban sound, like Nigeria's popular Afrobeats or South African hip hop.
    With a lineup that includes established artists such as Cheikh Lo and up and upcoming groups such as the Afro-Jazz band Sahad and the Nataal Patchwork, the festival's organisers hope to attract a diverse group of music lovers.
    "It's a very beautiful initiative. It's a meeting between with different music genres, and that's a nice discovery," said Cheikh Lo.
    Having earned the title of the "Senegalese James Brown" by music critics, lead singer of Sahad and the Nataal Patchwork band, Sahaad Saar says he is ready to take Senegalese music to another level.
    "In the years before, yes Senegal was the leading country (for music). But now, 20 years later, Senegal is no longer number one in Africa. Today we're talking about Nigeria, Mali first. We're talking about DR Congo before talking about our country. Because people here are just focused on local music, the Mbalax music of our country. That's a fact. If we only make the music that is there, then we cannot open ourselves to other things. And naturally, music in the international scene varies, that also plays a role," he said.
    Senegalese music fans were not not forgotten, with bands such as Ngueweul Rhythme electrifying the crowd with rhythmic dancing and drums playing Mbalax, which has been at the core of artists such as N'dour and Baaba Maal's music.
    "We chose a theme, which is the mix between contemporary music and African music, that showcases African culture. In fact, at every event, we offer live music as well as electronic music. So people that like African music come to discover electronic music and the people who like electronic music come to discover African music," said festival organiser, Sophien Arrar.
    The festival, which began on November 8, is due to end on November 18.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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