ALIOUNE GUISSÉ
“Alioune Guissé brings the heartbeat of West Africa to the stage, blending tradition and modernity into music that moves both body and soul.”
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Coming soon.
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Born in Dakar, Senegal, Alioune Guissé — composer, guitarist, and singer known as “The Prince of Yela” — knew from an early age that he was destined for the stage. Coming from a musical family (his father, Amadou Guissé, was also a singer), Alioune followed his artistic calling and studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Dakar.
After art school, he co-founded the group Tim Timol, which blended traditional Yela rhythms with Hip Hop and Reggae — making Alioune the first artist to rap in his native Fulani language. The group toured extensively across Africa and Europe, earning widespread acclaim.
In 2000, Alioune moved to New York, where he joined the Maimouna Keita African Dance Company, performing throughout the U.S. while maintaining deep ties to Senegal. Returning home in 2004, he released his debut solo album, “Macha Allah,” a vibrant fusion of traditional and contemporary sounds. Its first single, “Yaye Kénela,” reached number one on Senegalese radio and television charts, followed by “Dental Africa,” which achieved the same success.
In 2012, Alioune was among a select group of African artists — including Fatoumata Diawara and Baaba Maal — chosen to perform at the London Olympics. That same year, he was named Découverte 2012 by the Institut Français de Dakar, and in 2015, he received the Best African Entertainer Award at the Chicago Music Awards.
Renowned for his magnetic stage presence and his ability to bring together some of West Africa’s finest musicians, Alioune and his band have performed at major events including the Festival Mondial des Arts Nègres in Dakar, as well as concerts and festivals across Paris, Berlin, London, Montreal, Amsterdam, Houston, and Chicago.