Recording Artists & Musicians

In 1995, at the age of 22, he joined the Lemzo Diamono Group, where his talent

became widely recognized with three major hit recordings: “Darou Rahmane” (Talla

Diagne, 1996), “En Live Diapason” (KSF, 1997) and “Co Co Rico” (unknown, 1998).

After going solo in 1998, several frustrating years passed before his first album, Live

au Biddew (Tribu/Lampe Fall, 2003), and a U.S. tour.  It was then that Pape met

Mamadou “Jimi” Mbaye, lead guitarist of Youssou Ndour's band Super Étoile de

Dakar, who helped him record and produce Partir! (Jololi, 2004) – opening the door to

a promising career. That album brought widespread acclaim for the title track, “Partir”

– a brilliantly-conceived mbalax take on Andrea Bocelli’s blockbuster hit, “Con te

Partirò”.

It was also the launch of Pape Diouf et la Génération Consciente, his band which has

now been together for more than 18 years.

International tours and pressure from his fans led to the 2008 album, Jotna, released

on the Prince Arts label (formerly Jololi, still under the guidance of Youssou Ndour).

The gates were thrown open and Pape Diouf was now an idol in his own right.

His 2011 album, Casse Casse (Prince Arts), was released with a massive hit, “Bégué,”

which took him over the top.

In July 2012, Pape succeeded in filling the Grand Théâtre de Dakar, proving to all of

Senegal his place as contender to the title, “King of Mbalax.” Less than one year later,

in March 2013, he sold out the world-famous Zénith Theatre de Paris.

Pape Diouf then signed with New African Production, Inc. in May of 2014 to

represent his interests in North America.  Pape Diouf released his highly-anticipated

new album, Ràkkaaju, in October, 2014 to rave reviews and critical success.  In April

2015 Pape Diouf & la Generation Consciente sold out the famous Dock Pullman in

Paris.  Following the success at Dock Pullman Pape Diouf toured Europe then West

Africa.  

In 2016 he released his new single, Malaw featuring the Gambian artist Baye Babou. 

He then performed at the Gambian Independence celebrations and was received by the

Vice President of Gambia.  He followed up with a North American and European tour

that same year.

In March 2018, Pape Diouf released his new album, Enjoy!, and followed that with

his history making performance at the inaugural African concert presented by

SummerStage in Harlem at Marcus Garvey Park.  He then headlined in the Pape

Diouf show at Accor Hotels Arena at Bercy in Paris where he drew an audience of

over 15,000 old and new fans and wowed everyone yet again.

In 2019, Pape Diouf had a great 6-State United States tour as well as sold out

performances in Africa.  2019 also brought a booking with the Dresden Music

Festival (DMF) in Germany at the recommendation of the legendary artist, Eric

Clapton.  This became the anchor for a 2020 European Tour.  

In 2020, the world unfortunately is experiencing COVID19 which made cancellation

of all entertainment including Pape Diouf’s European tour mandatory and necessary! 

DMF planned and executed a 24-hour Live Stream, Music Never Sleeps – DMF. 

Pape Diouf contributed 3 songs which were performed and filmed specially for this

occasion.  His performance was the penultimate closing performance followed by Eric

Clapton and Jan Vogler, Director of DMF who closed the event.  

2020 also brought a request from the African Union Commission to participate in

their virtual event in commemoration of 2020 Africa Day which sees Pape Diouf back

in the studio a day after DMF working on COVID19 specific material for the event. 

Further, Pape Diouf was named Artists in Action Ambassador #Wellbeing360 and

participated in the Impact Games, a 5 region, 20-hour virtual concert which started in

Tokyo, Japan and ended in Los Angeles.  Pape Diouf is again in the studio preparing

for his live, virtual concert Teranga! on Dreamstage, a new live performance

streaming platform which is revolutionizing the live concert experience.

Subsequent to the pandemic, the challenges the world encountered as a result

strengthened Pape Diouf’s focus on Africa, support and rebuilding.

Pape Cheikh Diouf has emerged as one of the most important voices in contemporary

Senegalese music. More than just a prolific hit maker, he draws on his family’s

guewel (griot) traditions to sing about love, life lessons and the Wolof ideal of

“teranga” – mutual respect, acceptance and hospitality that’s at the core of Senegalese

life.

As we stride towards 2025/2026, the prospects for this amazing artist are very bright!

He recorded three CDs with Mártires del Compás – Flamenco Billy (1995), Prohibido Da el Cante (1996), and Al Compás de la Llaga Dolorida (1998) – and has collaborated with Spanish pop stars such as Ana Belén, Victor Manuel, Kiko Veneno and Raimundo Amador, among many others.

In 2004, Sidy recorded his first solo album, La Sombra del Duende. Featuring all original material, he called the project Gewel and invited the participation of a select group of legendary musicians: Raimundo Amador, Diego Amador, Pepe Bao, Joaquín Megallón, Alex Icot, Valentín Ponce, Álvaro Gandul and Pape Ndiaye. The instrumentation included kora, balafon and sabar drums as well as Spanish guitar and cajón, along with electric guitar, bass, keys and drums. With lyrics in Wolof, Mandinga, Spanish and French the music is a rich exploration of flamenco, jazz, reggae, and various Senegalese styles.

Following that project, Sidy formed a new band, this time with his compatriots, returning to Senegal and offering the kind of “pure and hard mbalax” that was in high demand. “I felt like an ambassador of African music in Europe, because in everything I did, I brought my African touch. But at some point, I thought it was time to return to the source,” he says. He recorded several albums for the Senegalese market. Askanwi (2004) was, as Sidy calls it, “a business card” – a foot in the door of Senegal’s pop music industry. Produced by Youssou Ndour, the album came from Sidy’s participation in Ndour’s 4.4.44 project celebrating Senegal’s independence 44 years earlier on April 4, 1960. Two other albums followed: Morena (2005), featuring Youssou Ndour on the song “Daan San Doolé”; Gnun Gnep Thilen (2006), and Women (2009) – which was re-released in 2012 for the international market.

Once again, the urge to look elsewhere returned to Sidy, who identifies as “not a Senegalese musician but a Senegalese who makes music”. In 2014 he recorded yet another new concept album, Sunu (Return to Our Origins), on the Aztec Musique label. For this project Sidy enlisted the brilliant Ivoirian guitarist Mao Otayeck, pillar of Alpha Blondy’s band Solar System, as co-director. At its very core a pan- African album, Sidy describes it as a “trip to Africa” – incorporating instruments and musical elements from Senegal, Guinea, Mali and the Democratic Republic of Congo. More importantly, he composed the music on site: “I don’t want to stay in Senegal and sing a song in Lingala without going there [to the DNC],” he explains. The songs on the album carry messages about peace, love, unity and other issues of concern to Africans across the continent.

In 2015, a follow-up album, Adayi, was released on Youssou Ndour’s Prince Arts label. With a solid fan base in Spain and Senegal and growing recognition throughout Africa, Sidy Samb has the foundation and momentum to open new doors in the international arena. He has participated in festivals like WOMAD, Etnosur, La Mar de Músicas, BAM, Getxo International Jazz Festival, MIDEM, Africa Vive, and others, as well as festivals throughout Senegal.

Sidy Samb has recently joined the artist roster of the U.S.-based New African Production for exclusive representation in North America and is preparing for his upcoming album release and tour in 2021/2022. The album will have collaborations from the gotha of spanish artists like Tomasito, Jorge Pardo, Diego Galán, Pepe Bao, Andreas (Ofunkillo), La Naike and Oscar Gallardo.