One thing great about Indie Spirit Magazine is that we are bringing you artists from all over the world.  Sometimes there are language barriers, but the music and the art is universal.  We prefer not to make edits to people’s english because we want you to feel as if you are speaking to the artist themselves.  It keeps the experience more real in our opinion and we essentially understand what is being said.

Sarro is from  Dakar, Senegal and sings and plays very soulfully with a message to his people.

 

 

Curious about your name. What does Sarro mean?

My grand mom gave me this nickname when I was child. So my name is Omar and my family’s name is Sarr. Then she said SarrO. And all of my family and friends call me  Sarro.

 

Who did you hear or see playing the guitar as a child that gave you the inspiration to play and what is the most vivid aspect of that moment?

Of my childhood memories I kept silent moments particularly at night when my father made cross the jazz music in the lounge of the house. Since my room I felt a lot of pleasure to listen to the jazz. I think that that’s what tempted me to play later the guitar. Still that at the age of adolescence I got back objects able to trash cans to go up my band with my brother and my friends. This passion has never stopped growing up until the day when I decided to sell my mobile phone and my shoes to buy my first guitar.

 

How long have you been playing?

I am starting play guitar since 2008. It is very recent. In 2009 I saw frequently a music school in Dakar to professionalize. In 2010 I became a professor in the same school. At present, I still give music course (guitar, voice and music theory) in a high school in Dakar.

 

Do you play other instruments?

I am just playing keyboard in amateur way.

 

You write and compose your own songs. Is there a main message that you want to put out for people?

Yes, I compose and arrange myself my sounds. My main subject it is the awakening of the consciousnesses especially an African consciousness which will take place necessarily by the self-awareness. For me, it is important that the Africans take their responsibility for the development of the continent. Generally, I speak about Senegal which is reflected I can tell the image of the other African countries 80 % of the cases. It is the personal fight that to invite the African people to double effort for the future of its youth.

 

What kinds of topics do you like to write about?

Very often I approach my theme in a philosophic way. I like very much using the metaphor, the images to translate my thought. For example in “Niit Ndiaye” who means the Man, I speak about the condition of the Human being in this at the same time short-lived and mysterious cosmos in which we shall never stop asking ourselves existential questions.

We always like to emphasize that Africa is the land of music because at one point it was totally integrated into the way of life of the people. Was or is this your experience? Do many people play instruments and drums and sing?

(Lol) A Lot of people has actually this image of Africa where everybody knows how to sing and dance. But it is not still true. Especially as in certain African traditions, I take the case of Senegal, there is a social class (The nienios) which have to commit the custom to sing, to play traditional instruments as the Sabar (drum) etc. Even if it is not any more necessarily the case today as far as people stemming from a class “noble” as me for example sing or dance. It is to say that there are singers, dancers, poets, film-makers as in any cultures of the world otherwise it is necessary to specify that the dance or the music is not systematically practised in Africa. In my circle of acquaintances a lot of people does not know how to either dance or sing. Then, one has to recognize that people are generally very brimming with energy and feel especially a certain joy of living.

Is your band a regular, steady group of people or do you find people as you need them for performances?

I can say that I try to play as long as possible with the same musicians. But according to the project, I am brought to request instrumentalists in function.

 

What kind of performance venues are there in Senegal?

It is necessary to say that in Senegal it has not many stages for the music. There are some places which still resist because many are closed. There are especially two types of spaces: restaurants – bar (club) and theaters. There is also a programming of street on the occasion of certain festivals.

 

Have you gone to other countries to perform and if so, what is the experience like ?

Yes, I have already had the experience to go to play somewhere else that in Senegal. One of the experiences which marked me most it is the artistic fruiting exchange that I shared with Ivory Coast musicians the last summer.

 

Links & Contact Information:

Administration – Management
Sicap – Mermoz
Villa n° 7616 Bis
BP. 15699 Dakar – Fann
Sénégal
NINEA 004816338

Email. sarro.management@gmail.com
Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/SarrSarro?fref=ts
Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Tawx155GUw&ab_channel=SarroManagement
Soundcloud:  https://soundcloud.com/sarro-getsafeeling/babylone