The major Muslim festival Tabaski is a public holiday, Wednesday, July 21, 2021, in Senegal. The opportunity for singer YoussouN’Dour to release a new single: “Wanniko”. In early May, the artist – also an adviser to the head of state – had announced a “small break” in his musical career to “reflect” and “follow the president on the issue of youth employment”, but he has already returned, with this song that has attracted many comments.
as reported from Dakar, Charlotte idrac
“Wanniko” in Wolof can be translated as “decreases”, “lowers a tone” or more prosaically “stop your cart”.
“It’s a relationship with people called mythomaniacs, people who tend – and it’s very Senegalese – to exaggerate the words, to tell anything. And they do it in such a convincing way! There you go … It’s teasing, but at the same time it’s a title that has plenty of metaphors, ”explains Bouba N’Dour, Youssou N’Dour’s brother and producer of the title.
“You say you eat a whole sheep that when Obama came you saw him walking the streets of Pikine” – a suburb of Dakar – “Know everything, all power, only God is capable”, the singer concludes. So who is the “king of Mbalax” for: to young people, to political leaders, is there a “garouwalé” in Wolof, in other words a hidden message?
“No no. Every time Youssou N’Dour releases a song, there are many interpretations. It is not aimed at any particular person or people. No, far from it, Bouba N’Dour adds.
This single is the first title on a new album released “later this year” according to the producer, which specifies that Youssou Ndour will return on stage “when the time comes”.
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