OMAR PENE

National Monument of Senegalese music, Omar Pene embodies the power of mbalax, ternary and convulsive, with his head voice at times raucous and his politically-aware lyrics tinged with popular expressions of the Dakar street. Driving force of the legendary Super Diamono for 30 years, “The loud-hailer of the voiceless” has significantly changed the genre by adding a touch of jazz, rythm’n blues and reggae to introduce it into a new era. The one Youssou N’Dour crowned “living legend of African music” is now up to the top with his velvety voice, expertly weathered by time.