All images courtesy of the author unless otherwise stated.
1. Youssou N’Dour with the author.
2. Panorama, Dakar (© Djami Cama).
5. Traditional house in Medina, Dakar, the suburb where Youssou grew up.
6. Gorée Island, Dakar (© Adama Doucouré).
7. Bigué Ndoye in her Gorée curiosity shop.
8. The House of Slaves, Gorée (© Shutterstock).
9. Poster for FESMAN, the third World Festival of Black Arts, held in 2010.
10. FESMAN press photo (© Adama Doucouré).
11. Cameroonian jazz bassist Richard Bona (© Shutterstock).
12. Berber Taxi, Malika Zarra, photographer Rebecca Meek (© Motema Records Ltd).
13. Senegalese designer Mame Fagueye Ba’s fashion show at FESMAN.
14. Youssou on the election trail (© Seneweb).
15. Elimane N’Dour, Youssou’s father, and Ndèye Sokhna Mboup, Youssou’s mother.
16. Super Étoile de Dakar musicians and fans in Gambia (© Miyoko Akiyama).
18. Youssou at a Super Étoile de Dakar rehearsal in Castor, Dakar.
19. Senegalese group Touré Kunda in Paris.
20. Best of Touré Kunda (© Celluloid).
21. Babacar ‘Mbaye Dièye’ Faye, Youssou’s percussionist.
22. Guitarist Jimi Mbaye, Youssou’s long-time collaborator.
23. Dancers in Youssou’s Thiossane Club, Dakar.
24. ‘Nelson Mandela’ (© Earthworks).
25. Recording the album Nelson Mandela in Paris.
26. Immigrés (© Celluloid Records).
28. Thioro N’Dour, one of Youssou’s daughters.
29. Senegalese society beauty Absa Gueye.
30. Senegalese actress Marie Madeleine Diallo.
31. Portrait of Kocc Barma, Senegalese philosopher and master of proverbs.
32. Youssou in his Kocc Barma costume (© Miyoko Akiyama).
33. So, Peter Gabriel, photographer Trevor Key (© Peter Gabriel Ltd).
34. Recording ‘In Your Eyes’ at Peter Gabriel’s studio, Ashcombe House.
35. Youssou enjoying a game of croquet outside Peter Gabriel’s studio.
36. Youssou and the band’s concert at Glebe Place, Chelsea.
37. Youssou and musicians on tour in the USA.
38. Youssou backstage at Madison Square Garden.
40. Mauritanian artist Dimi Mint Abba.
41. Guinean artist Doura Barry.
44. Poster advertising Youssou’s album Alsaama Day.
45. Ivorian reggae singer Tiken Jah Fakoly (© Sipa/Shutterstock).
47. The holy city of Touba, Senegal (© Adama Doucouré).
49. Babacar Lo’s painting of a marabout (© Binette Cissé).
50. Senegalese singer Carlou D (© Adama Doucouré).
51. Senegalese singer Ndiaga Mbaye.
52. Photographer Iain McKell’s iconic portrait of Youssou (© Iain McKell).
53. Senegalese artist, philosopher, playwright, poet and art critic Joe Ouakam (© Antje Majewski).
54. Some of Youssou’s siblings as children.
55. Youssou with Barack Obama (© Seneweb).
57. Folon, Salif Keita (© Island Records).
58. Soro, Salif Keita (© Syllart Records).
59. Mandjou, Salif Keita (© Celluloid Records).
60. Malian artist Salif Keita with the author (© Mark Hudson).
61. Healer and clairvoyant Tenin Traoré, Salif Keita’s mother-in-law.
62. Fanta Damba, Fanta Damba (© Celluloid Records).
63. Malian artist Ali Farka Touré with the author.
64. Musician Vieux Farka Touré, Ali Farka Touré’s son (© Richard Pierce).
65. Senegalese artist Baaba Maal at the Real World studios.
66. Baaba Maal with the author.
67. Apartheid is Nazism, Alpha Blondy (© Sterns Music).
68. Orchestra Baobab with well-known Senegalese photographer Behan Touré.
69. Nick Gold, manager of World Circuit Records, with Togolese musician Barthélémy Attisso.
70. Youssou with Cuban singer Ibrahim Ferrer, of Buena Vista Social Club fame.
71. Tribute to Ndiouga Dieng, Orchestra Baobab (© World Circuit Records).
74. Xalam II’s drummer, Prosper Niang (© the artists).
75. Xalam II’s percussionists onstage (© the artists).
76. African music expert Lucy Duran dancing with Balla Sidibé from Orchestra Baobab.
77. Bembeya Jazz National’s self-titled LP (© Disques Espérances).
78. Sékou Diabaté and Kaba from Bembeya Jazz National at Julie’s Restaurant in London.
79. Senegalese artists Seydina Insa Wade and Oumar Sow performing at Momo’s, London.
80. Senegalese duo Pape and Cheikh (© Adama Doucouré).
81. Glass painter Mor Gueye’s suwer painting of Senegalese singer Cheikh Lô.
82. Baye Fall followers of Cheikh Ibra Fall, Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba’s right-hand man.
83. Diawar, Ismaël Lô (© Sterns Records).
84. Senegalese artist Coumba Gawlo Seck (© the artist).
86. The port of Saint-Louis du Senegal (© Adama Doucouré).
87. Teranga, Hervé Samb (© the artist).
88. Ndoumbelane, Bideew Bou Bess (© the artists).
89. Senegalese artist Wally Seck (© the artist).
90. Poster advertising 2016 Wally Seck concert in Paris (© the artist).
91. Cameroonian bikutsi group Les Têtes Brulées performing onstage (© Louis Vincent).
92. Tête Brulée (© Louis Vincent).
93. Royal Albert Hall programme cover for the African Prom, africa95 (© BBC).
94. Travel and See, Hi-Life International (© Sterns Music).
95. Cameroonian jazz musician Manu Dibango performing onstage (© Adama Doucouré).
97. Nigerian artist Keziah Jones.
99. République Amazone, Les Amazones d’Afrique (© Real World Records).
100. Sing Me a Song, Miriam Makeba (© Celluloid Records).
101. South African artist Hugh Masekela (© Jeff Christensen/AP/Shutterstock).
102. Le Grand Maître Franco, Franco (© Celluloid Records).
103. Cape Verdean artist Cesária Évora (© Shutterstock).
104. Mozambican-Portuguese artist Mariza (© Shutterstock).
105. Hada Raykoum, Cheb Khaled (© Triple Earth Records).
106. Tunisian artist Amina Annabi (© the artist).
107. Malian Tuareg band Tinariwen performing onstage (© Shutterstock).
108. Youssou performing in Dakar (photographer Patrick Tucker, © Youssou N’Dour officiel).