Senegal's Baba Maal to head Olympic Games cultural shows

Senegalese musician Baba Maal has been picked to head cultural performances of the upcoming London Olympic Games, the artiste has confirmed.

Maal is one of Senegal’s leading Mbalax and African Blues musicians with several awards under his belt including the prestigious Grammy.

He is renowned for his thrilling percussions while he mostly sings in his native Pulaar (Fulani) tongue, one of the largest ethnicities in Africa.

A bachelor in his mid-fifties, Maal is also the proud winner of the Viliant Awards, recently conferred on him by the Association of Black African Mayors in the United States.

“I’m indeed honoured to be selected by the Olympic Committee to provide cultural entertainment for the thousands of spectators at the event,” said the artiste who is also a UNDP goodwill ambassador, on Thursday.

He pledged to use the opportunity to display the “real image of Africa as a continent with immense cultural and artistic wealth".

He is expected to work together with other leading African cultural leaders such as Prof Wole Soyinka, Akon, Angélique Kidjo and Yvonne Chaka Chaka.

“Cultural animation at the Olympic Games constitute a formidable platform for Africa, not only to showcase our musical talents, but also to distinguish ourselves in the other domains such as science, theatre, sport and fashion," the international star said.

Maal joined the music world slightly over a decade ago after his studies at the Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar.

He has since recorded several albums at home and abroad and performed with top American, Scandinavian and European artistes during his extensive travels across the globe.