El Hadj N'Diaye's encounter with music was something of an accident: his older brother gave him a guitar as a reward for passing his A-levels. An excellent student, he should have been awarded a scholarship to study abroad, but as he came from a poor family, he had to make do with a half-scholarship to the University of Dakar. Disappointed and hurt by this injustice, El Hadj picked up his guitar to tell him all about his sorrows. A prolific songwriter, he was soon composing on all subjects, especially social issues such as AIDS. Every Saturday he was on the radio with a new song. In 1985, "Bonjour" (how are you and how's your health) became the signature tune on the 7 a.m. radio show with which the Senegalese start their day. In 1988, El Hadj joins the NGO Enda Tiers Monde and its humanitarian fight for the underprivileged. From 1989 to 1996, he recorded four cassettes in Senegal. But it was his first CD, "Thiaroye", co-produced in France by Siggi Musique in 1997, that made him a household name outside his homeland. In 2000, El Hadj N'Diaye was invited to perform at the French Midem in January, the German Womex in October and the Canadian Cinars in November. The release of his second CD, "Xell", in March 2001, further strengthened his international career.
