Senegalese singer Youssou N'Dour got his start as a vocalist for the acclaimed dance band Étoile de Dakar, though he eventually went solo to become one of West Africa's most prominent musical ambassadors. During the late '70s and '80s, he helped pioneer the mbalax style, characterised by its fusion of Western jazz and rock with traditional Senegalese drumming. Rising to international fame while exploring everything from reggae to Arabic music to trip-hop, N'Dour has collaborated with blockbuster names like Peter Gabriel, Paul Simon, Sting and Neneh Cherry.