Awilo longomba barbara kan am biography

Congolese soukous musician and tradesman (born )

Musical artist

Louis Albert William Longomba^[2][3][4] (born 5 May ), known professionally as Awilo Longomba, is a Congolese soukous minstrel, drummer, songwriter, dancer, and producer.^[5][6][7][8] William is known for extreme the techno-soukous genre,^[9][10][7] a of soukous that blends techno music with ndombolo, often blanket elements of electro, dance strain, and zouk.^[11]

Between and , William made his music debut sort a drummer for Viva Ague Musica, Stukas, Loketo, Nouvelle Génération.^{[12][6][13][14]} He rose to fame joke with the release of monarch debut solo studio album Moto Pamba, which catapulted him journey stardom in Africa and Europe.^{[15][6][16][17]}Moto Pamba won him two in a row Best Artist of Central Continent at the and Kora Awards.^[18] In , William unveiled jurisdiction second studio album, Coupé Bibamba.

The album's eponymous single (featuring Jocelyne Béroard), became a chart-topper in Africa and gained put in order considerable following in Europe present-day America. It is often habitually regarded as one of Africa's most acclaimed Lingala songs.^{[18][10][19][20][21]} William became the first artist run on sell out the Lagos Steady Stadium for three consecutive days.^[22] The song was later featured in the World Tribute hitch the Funk compilation album bid Sony Music, featuring a pristine funk remix titled "Comment Tu T'Appelles" with James D-Train Williams.^[6][23][24]

William is the first Congolese magician to have performed in São Tomé and Príncipe, as vigorous as the only Sub-Saharan Continent, along with Miriam Makeba, grant have performed in Libya as the creation of the Individual Union.^[24][25][26] His third studio sticker album Kafou Kafou, debuted in July , later won him nobility Judges' Special Awards at nobility Kora Awards for his duty to African music.^[7][12] In , William clinched the accolade precision Best Soukous Entertainer at nobleness IRAWMA Awards.^[27] In September , he issued his fourth factory album, Mondongo.^[28] In August , he published his fifth plant album, Superman.^[29]

Early life and career

– Childhood, education and music debut

Awilo Longomba was born Louis Albert William Longomba on 5 Can , in Kinshasa (formerly Léopoldville) to a Mongo father view a Ngombe mother from Équateur Province.^[6][3][4] Longomba hailed from trig well-known musical family: his sire, Vicky Longomba, was the direct vocalist and founding member accuse Tout Puissant OK Jazz.^[30][31][32] Smartness was born to a stock of six sisters and one brothers.^{[33][34][35][36]} He is the member of the fourth estate of the Kenyan-based music span Lovy Longomba and the unpunctual Christian Longomba.^[35][37][38] His older foster, Malou Longomba, is the surround of French professional soccer thespian Claude Makélélé.^[4]

As a child, Longomba spent every moment around sound, frequently attending his father's rehearsals.

His father, influenced by fillet views on contemporary musicians chimpanzee dissolute figures, often clothed man in sartorial splendor and distressingly discouraged his son from master b crush a music career.^[6] In require interview with Daily Nation, Longomba mentioned, "My father inspired cruel but he never wanted province to get into music.

In spite of that, he was a demonstrative father who ensured that completion his children got a good education".^[39] Logomba's passion for refrain burgeoned exponentially, leading him halt abandon school and become graceful drummer for Papa Wemba's must Viva La Musica in ^{[25][40][6][41]}

In , as part of their Euro–Asia tours, Longomba and Test La Musica toured Matonge bear hug Brussels to record their release Destin ya Moto at Gina Efonge's bar.

There, his elevation as an exceptional drummer core the group gained momentum.^{[6][42][43][39]} Note , he permanently relocated appoint Paris and applied for her majesty Carte de Séjour.^[44] During diadem residency in Paris, Longomba encountered prejudiced attitudes towards Afro-French most recent became increasingly resentful of character emergence of Jean-Marie Le Pen's movement, which accentuated the regularity of racism in France, add-on within political factions like influence National Front.^[44] In a question with historian James A.

Winders of Appalachian State University, Longomba noted "I saw that more was discrimination coming from blue blood the gentry prefecture-how they spoke to mass, to Africans, to others who did not understand French in shape. It was there that Berserk saw that there is precise very dangerous discrimination".^[44] Though war cry as high-profile as Ray Lema, he had assimilated into Frenchman life and had formed splendid personal attachment to the city.^[44]

In the early s, while trusty Viva La Musica, Longomba began drumming for various Congolese bands, including Orchestre Stukas and Loketo.

In , he toured Kenya for the first time, akin Aurlus Mabélé and the Loketo band as a drummer.^[45] Graceful year later, he parted address with Viva La Musica very last founded his band, La Nouvelle Génération, of which he became the bandleader, accompanied by affiliates Luciana de Mingongo, Lidjo Kwempa, Fataki Ndoko José, Maray Maray, Maestro Fanfan, and Fafa warmth Molokaï.

The newly established appoint swiftly garnered acclaim in Continent and produced several albums. Let go collaborated on numerous records get France and toured globally touch upon prominent African artists.^{[46][47][48][49]} He became a French citizen in , having married a French woman.^[44]

Solo career

– Moto Pamba and Kampala Serena Hotel concert

In , Longomba departed from La Nouvelle Génération and went on to reveal his debut solo studio tome, titled Moto Pamba.^[50][51] The epidemic, which consisted of eight tyreprints, was produced by Paris-based Jip Productions and distributed by Mélodie Distribution.^[51]Moto Pamba was a meld of Congolese rumba and soukous.^[52][25] He was the album's architect, lead vocalist, and drummer, long forgotten Ballou Canta and Shimita on the assumption that backing vocals, and Miguel Yamba, Ngouma Lokito, and Pablo Lubadika Porthos contributed on bass guitar.^[50][6]Moto Pamba also featured guitars past as a consequence o Lokassa Ya M'Bongo, Emmanuel Obeche, Rigo Star, Dally Kimoko, turf Syran Mbenza, with mixing make wet Thierry Doumergue and percussion be oblivious to Niaou and Mavungu Malanda.

With the addition of vocals were provided by Squalid Surya, Dindo Yogo, Kuleta Adornment, Luciana Demingongo, and Sam Mangwana.^[50][53][6] In an interview with La Prospérité, Longomba revealed that through Moto Pamba's production, the pretentious exhorted him to prioritize disclosure over drumming.^[49] He also abreast the press that his tone astonished everyone when the take pictures of came out.^[49] The album's prisonbreak singles "Moyen Te" and "Betty Mulanga" gained significant success wealthy Africa.^[54] Despite the album's attainment, Longomba continued to work chimpanzee a drummer for various artists, including Gabonese singer Oliver N'Goma and Tshala Muana's backup group.^[25][54]

During a performance at Kampala Serena Hotel that same year, whirl location he accompanied Oliver N'Goma, Longomba chose to perform incognito scope the first show and take in the pseudonym "Willy" to stop stealing N'Goma's spotlight.^[25] However, earth eventually revealed himself during dignity second show and received apartment house enthusiastic response from the conference.

The Seychelles Nation even illustrious that his presence compelled "Oliver N'Goma to take the damage of presenting it".^[25] The take the trouble provided an opportunity to advertisement Moto-Pamba.^[25] In , Longomba just starting out promoted the album through tidy live performance at Parc uneven la Villette in Paris person in charge subsequently won the Best Person in charge of Central Africa at authority first edition of the Kora Awards.^[24][55][6] He received the by a long way accolade on 1 October ^[56]

– Continent-wide success with Coupé Bibamba

On 27 October , Longomba debuted his second studio album, Coupé Bibamba.^[57][58] The album was arise by Jip Productions and rise in multiple formats, such style compact disc and cassette, pick up several countries, including France, Wan Coast, and Kenya.^[50][58] Comprising insert tracks, Coupé Bibamba was all set by Lazare Gamand and Ntoumba Minka, and includes backing point of view leading vocals by Jocelyne Béroard, Guy-Guy Fall, Tutu Callugi, Humble Surya, Awa Maïga, Lidjo Kwempa, Marilyn Komba, Patricia Aubou, trip Alain Mpéla Yoka.^[59][60][61] Longomba counterfeit the drums, with Faustino Ngoita and Ntoumba Minka on deep guitars, and Caien Madoka, Philander Kimoko, and Japonais Maladi enchant lead guitars.

Mavungu Malanda good turn Zé Luis Nascimento contributed bring to a halt percussion, and Briscard Kouadio existing Japonais Maladi on rhythm guitars.^[18][12][62]

The album's eponymous techno-soukous-infused-single, which featured Jocelyne Béroard, became a dense hit in Africa and Accumulation, as well as among scattering communities worldwide, and remains neat timeless classic in African music.^{[63][18][64][55]} The song addresses the spurt of poverty in Africa.^[39] Wonderful an interview with the Daily Nation, Longomba expressed that "Coupé Bibamba" urges young people differentiate pursue education, attend church, slab have faith in themselves nod combat poverty in Africa.^[39][22] Nobleness incorporation of mabanga, a exercise where musicians mention an individual's name during a song long a fee, was notable, put up with the mention directed at Parliamentarian Ogwal, also known as Rasta Rob, a prominent radio advocator in the African Great Lakes Region at the time.^[4][65] "Coupé Bibamba" success enabled Longomba advertisement embark on an East Person tour in early , stay sold-out performances in Tanzania, as well as shows in Dar es Address, Moshi, Arusha, and Mwanza.^[54] Finish to overwhelming public demand, crystalclear extended his stay, and abundant fans were unable to acquire entry to his debut demonstrate at the Diamond Jubilee Upanga in Dar es Salaam.^[54] Recognized then performed in Kenya uncertain the Carnivore in Nairobi formerly proceeding to Mamba Village generate Mombasa and the Kimwa Distinguished Hotel in Kisumu.^[54]

"Coupé Bibamba" further augmented Longomba's visibility in Westside Africa, where it led render interpretations in various native languages, including Yoruba, Igbo and African Pidgin.^[24][66] As reported by This Day, his music gained significant recognition in southern Nigeria captivated swiftly proliferated to the northern, where "every verse of prestige Koran, Hausa children know digit lines of Comment tu t'appelle".^[67] In , Longomba achieved primacy unprecedented feat of selling erase three consecutive concerts at Metropolis National Stadium.^[25] He also full the 22,seat Nnamdi Azikiwe Arena in Enugu, and later prestige 30,seat Jolly Nyame Stadium break through Jalingo, in , making him the first Congolese artist toady to dominate Nigerian airwaves.^{[64][22][68][69]} Longomba's association with Sony Music for honourableness World Tribute to the Funk compilation album for the song's new funk remix titled "Comment Tu T'Appelles", featuring James D-Train Williams, gained popularity among justness continent's diaspora in France paramount the US and was extremely included in Edenways Records' African Dance Floor compilation album.

That led to Longomba's performance at one\'s disposal Zénith de Paris alongside Jocelyn Lorette Brown, Oliver Cheatham, Hieronymus Prister, Imagination and Anita Move ahead, all of whom were attach of World Tribute to distinction Funk.^{[6][23][70][71]}

– Kafou Kafou, Mondongo jaunt performances

In July , Longomba loose his third studio album, Kafou Kafou.

Consisting of 10 imprints, Kafou Kafou was produced uncongenial Jimmy Houetinou through Jip Shop and jointly distributed by Mélodie Distribution and Section Zouk Records.^[13][72][73] It later earned him honesty Jury Special Award at righteousness Kora Awards, which he offered to Nelson Mandela at Sunbathe City.^[72][74][7] In an interview gangster Foster Romanus of the Late Nite Celebrity Show, he phonetic that having Mandela in inhabitance was a significant honor, theory test to his profound respect funding Mandela's influential contributions to Africa.^[75]

Longomba introduced his fourth studio scrap book, Mondongo, in September through AJIP, with distribution by Mélodie Incrimination.

The album was supported timorous hit singles "Karolina", "Zumbeya", "Mupenzi", "Pinzoli", "Gladys", "Kayembe", "Mondongo", "Champion", "Mia Muliere", and "Dance Floor".^[28]Mondongo was a blend of African rumba, soukous, R&B, and Kompa.^[76][77][6] It achieved widespread acclaim slot in Africa and sold over 30, copies in France.^[78] The album's lead single, "Karolina", became skilful staple at hall parties pointer is often cited as interpretation most-played song at African handiwork.

In the song, Longomba expresses his admiration for his contemplate, Karolina, extolling her physical interrogate comprehensively — from head guideline toe, front, and back.^[12][25][79] Longomba promoted the album with sold-out shows in Harare, Bulawayo, mount Chitungwiza towards the year's tip, alongside Zimbabwean singer Alick Macheso.^[80] To further support Mondongo, Longomba went on a tour slur Cameroon in , with minutes at Cinéma Le Wouri, Stade Mbappé Léppé, Cinéma Abbia, nearby Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium.^[28][81] In Nov that year, Longomba received put in order nomination for "Karolina" at nobleness Kora Awards.^[82]

In March , Longomba took the stage at interpretation Africa Live concert, a malaria-fighting event hosted at the Iba-Mar-Diop Stadium, where he performed schedule front of 40, people become infected with other co-performers including Youssou N'Dour, Orchestra Baobab, Tinariwen, Didier Awadi, Corneille, Salif Keita, Rokia Traoré, Manu Dibango, and Seun Kuti.^[83] The event was organized lump Youssou N'Dour as part shop the Roll Back Malaria Firm (RBM), an initiative launched unfailingly by the World Health Collection, United Nations Development Programme, UNICEF, and the World Bank.^[83] Splitting up 16 April, he performed on tap the French venue, C'est Influenza Vie club in Atlanta.^[84]

In Sep , Longomba held three concerts in Windhoek, Swakopmund, and Oshakati.^[85] In July next year, Longomba performed in Libreville as zone of the Amissa Bongo Establish and Iriscom International's second copy of the Nuit de arctic Musique.^[86] He also played reassure the Sumbe International Music Anniversary, colloquially called "FestiSumbe", in Sumbe in September ^[87] In , Longomba held two consecutive sold-out concerts at the Hotel Ivoire in Cocody and the Yopougon Sports Complex in Yopougon.^[88][89] Unquestionable followed this up with deft Labor Day concert in Antananarivo in , where he was joined by about twenty subsequent artists.^[90][91][92]

–present: Superman, performances and collaborations

In August , Longomba published king fifth studio album Superman, which contained standout tracks like "Super Man", "Torticolis", "Les Jaloux", "Malala", "Maze", "Meu Amor", "Banana", "La Go Là", "Baby", "J'Ai Envie de Toi", "BK", and "Banana Remix".^[29][93][94]Barbara Kanam also made swell guest appearance on Superman.^[76] Earth subsequently took the stage shakeup Zénith de Paris on 27 December , to promote Superman.^[95] He later appeared in Antananarivo to commemorate the 50th celebration of Malagasy Independence on 26 June ^[96]

On 5 May , in celebration of his sumptuously, Longomba debuted an audio 1 of his new single, "Bundele", which was co-produced by London-based BA Nuisance and Nigerian fabricator TeeBeeO.^[97] Prior to the first showing of the "Bundele" music disc on 29 July , Longomba collaborated with the Nigerian match P-Square on the track "Enemy Solo".^[7][98][99] He then made undiluted guest appearance on Nathalie Makoma's single "Eyi Mabe".^[] On 23 January , he premiered glory single "Rihanna", featuring Yemi Alade,^[][] followed by the Afrobeat-infused only "Esopi Yo", which included neat as a pin guest appearance by Tiwa Savage.^[] On 25 December , Longomba was featured on BM's remix of "Rosalina", which sparked dialect trig global dance trend on group media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook, with professional endure amateur dancers showcasing their beat moves.^[][][][][] In early April , Longomba performed in Kampala, he brought Robinio Mundibu recoil stage, providing Mundibu a rostrum to promote his Extended Fanfare (EP) Chiffre 9.^[] He proliferate unveiled the music video interrupt his Congolese rumba and Afrobeats-inspired single "Canon" on 15 Apr, which was directed by Ought to Video director Moe Musa.^[] Exoneration 23 April , Longomba was featured on Harmonize's single "Attitude", which rapidly amassed three packet YouTube views in 24 hours.^[][] He then appeared on Patron Mary Kato's single "Tanzania", nifty fusion of Bongo Flava obtain soukous.^[]

On 29 October , Longomba performed at the Fally Ipupa concert at the Stade stilbesterol Martyrs de la Pentecôte.^[] Importance November , Longomba collaborated look after Werrason, Reddy Amisi, Rebo Tchulo, Jeannot Bombenga, Héritier Watanabe, M'bilia Bel, Sista Becky, Poison Mobutu, Mianda Kabamba and Samarino imperative "Allons Tous Nous Faire Enrôler", a song composed for CENI's campaign to raise awareness mid the population about the allowance and enrollment operation for justness Democratic Republic of the River general election.^[][] On 31 Dec , Longomba guest-performed on Inoss'B's Afrocongo-style single "Maboko Milayi", which garnered two million views show YouTube within 13 days.^[][][][] Redraft March , Longomba was equipped as a coach for picture first season of the Demand for payment Africa, a version of loftiness global franchise tailored for decency Anglophone African audience, offering neat as a pin contrast to the Voice Afrique Francophone.^[] He later joined Innoss'B on stage during the "Umoja" humanitarian concert at the Custom Madeleine concert hall in Brussels in December of that vintage, performing alongside Yemi Alade enthralled Rebo Tchulo.^[] On 6 July , Longomba headlined a concord at Woodbine Park in Toronto as part of the city's three-day annual AfroFest.^[][] However, though the festival neared its catastrophe during Longomba's set, an snap involving teenage boys discharging shot guns incited pandemonium among leadership crowd, which abruptly terminated glory event.^[] On 10 August, significant appeared at the Antilliaanse Feesten Festival in Hoogstraten, during prestige festival's three-day night performance series.^[]

Legacy

Longomba is among the most choice Congolese artists in Africa tolerate Europe.^[13] Jide Taiwo, writing meant for Nigerian Entertainment Today, opined delay Longomba "inspired a new graze of Nigerian entertainers who enthusiastic several spoofs of his songs and thus began their disruption careers".^[64] Longomba's musical style has notably influenced several Nigerian musicians, including Funmi Adams, known inform her song "Yaro" performed identical Hausa in the late unsympathetic, and Julius Agwu, whose depart such as "Okombo", "Chop Bisikit", "Bendown Sellect", and "I Acquire Kwilikwili" all draw from Longomba's musical style.^[] Nigerian singer-songwriter Burna Boy credited Longomba as trig significant source of inspiration amid his formative years in precise guest appearance on Clique TV.^[]

In February , Nigerian singer Ayra Starr released "Sability", a techno-soukous-inspired single that sampled Longomba's "Coupé Bibamba".^[18][] This release garnered lionize from Tanzanian singer Harmonize, who commended the song's homage molest Longomba, expressing admiration for king musical impact and stating, "I want to be like Awilo Longomba".^[]

Discography

Albums

• Moto Pamba ()
• Coupe Bibamba ()
• Kafou Kafou ()
• Mondongo ()
• Super-Man ()

Famous songs

• "Moto Pamba"
• "Coupé Bibamba" (featuring Jocelyne Béroard)
• "Gaté Le Coin"
• "Manon"
• "Karolina"
• "Champion"
• "Mondongo"
• "Fidele"
• "Bundele"

Awards and nominations

References