Universal Music Africa and Grammy-winning Senegalese artist Youssou NDour ink global partnership – Music Business Worldwide

Universal Music Africa (UMA) has struck an exclusive multi-year partnership with Grammy award winning Senegalese music star Youssou NDour and his company, Youssou Ndour & TBI Publishing SA.

The partnership between Youssou NDour and UMA will begin with “the surprise release” of a new album on November 12, 2021. 

Launched in 2018 with a regional headquarters in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire – Universal Music Africa’s scope encompasses 25 French, Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries across the continent, and represents more than 50 artists.

UMA now has additional divisions in Dakar, Senegal and Doula, Cameroon, all under the leadership of UMA’s Managing Director Franck Kacou.

Today’s announcement follows the news from March 2021 that UMG signed a deal with Africa- based streaming service Boomplay to expand its distribution license for the UMG catalog to cover 47 countries within the continent.

In July, UMA signed an exclusive strategic pan-African distribution partnership with superstar French rapper Booba and his Tallac Records label.

In recent years, UMA has also launched several frontline labels including Def Jam Africa and Motown Gospel Africa.

“From Africa to the World… Let’s go Universal…”.

Youssou NDour

Commenting on his collaboration with Universal Music Africa, Youssou NDour said: “From Africa to the World… Let’s go Universal…”.

“It is an honor and a great pride for Universal Music Africa, to have gained the trust of such a monumental figure in African music culture.”

Franck Kacou, Universal Music Africa

Franck Kacou, Managing Director, Universal Music Africa said: “It is an honor and a great pride for Universal Music Africa, to have gained the trust of such a monumental figure in African music culture.

“Youssou NDour has inspired multiple generations of music fans, each time with his impressive relevance, social resonance and most importantly with his timeless songwriting.

Kacou added: “His incomparable voice is a strong symbol of the direction we have taken over the past couple of years with UMA, establishing the company as a true home for African artists and music, and a bridge to audiences around the world through our network of labels around the world.

“I am convinced that Youssou NDour’s future releases with UMA will add to his already long list of international successes at the service of the continent and continue to build on his powerful and lasting artistic legacy.”Music Business Worldwide