The first time senior Amar Diallo heard singer-songwriter Nubian Mady was in 2009 at an International Leadership Conference sponsored by the United Nations.

Just like Diallo, Mady is from the West African country Senegal, where the education often takes the back burner, Diallo said. Mady’s music encourages education and school attendance.

Now Diallo, with the aid of the African Diaspora Club, is helping to spread Mady’s message at Towson.

Mady will perform Monday at The Glass House in Baltimore.

Diallo said he really enjoyed and understood the message that Mady conveys in his music. He even had the opportunity to introduce Mady to select people at the United Nations, where Diallo’s father works.

“I think [Mady’s music] is really different,” junior Asmaou Kourouma said. “And different is good. It’s really encouraging education and positivity. You don’t really get that a lot in music. It’s a nice change and I think people are really going to listen to that.”

Outside of his music, Mady has also started his own charity called the Nubian Foundation, in which he donates to natives in African and Caribbean countries. He collects books, clothes, and other goods to help people go to school and pay for tuition.

Diallo said he and the African Diaspora Club have already donated to the Nubian Foundation.

“School is about to start right now back in Senegal, so [the foundation] called me on Friday morning and said some students need help to pay for registration or they’re going to be kicked out of school. So I sent his foundation like $150, which is like $75,000 in Africa,” Diallo said.

Kourouma said she’s excited to see what Mady will bring to Monday night’s performance.

She will also be celebrating her birthday that evening.

“I’m very excited, I haven’t had a birthday party ever since I was 10 years old so this is a big deal for me,” Kourouma said.