Awilo Longomba

Louis Albert William Longomba[2][3][4][5] (born May 5, 1962), known professionally as Awilo Longomba, is a Congolese soukous singer, composer, drummer, songwriter, dancer, and producer.[6][7][8] The second child of Vicky Longomba and maternal uncle of French player Claude Makélélé, Longomba is known for his avant-garde performances and high-energy dance moves and infectious beats.[5][9][10][11][12]

Awilo Longomba
Awilo Longomba, May 2023
Background information
Birth nameLouis Albert William Longomba
Born (1962-05-05) 5 May 1962
OriginKinshasa, Republic of the Congo
(modern-day Democratic Republic of the Congo)
GenresTechno-soukous[1]
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • dancer
  • composer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
  • drummer
  • media personality
Years active1980s—present
Websitehttps://awilolongomba.skyrock.com

With a nearly three-decades-long career, Longomba is revered as a Congolese and global African music icon.[6][13][14] His musical style, distinct and divergent from the oeuvre of his paternal predecessor, is characterized by a harmonic confluence of guitar melodies.[15][16]

He rose to prominence in 1995 with his debut solo album, Moto Pamba, which catapulted him to stardom in Africa and Europe.[17][18] He was crowned "Best Male Artist in Central Africa" in 1996 at the Kora Awards in Sun City.[19] His hit single "Coupé Bibamba," released in 1998, dominated African, European and American charts for several weeks and is venerable as one of the most ubiquitously serenaded Lingala compositions across Africa.[20][21][22][23][24] He became the first artist to fill the Lagos Stadium with 120,000 attendees for three consecutive days.[25] His song was later included in the "World Tribute to the Funk" compilation by Sony Music, featuring a new funk remix version with James D-Train Williams, which metamorphosed into a summer hit and was transmuted into Nigerian local languages by home-grown artists and performed in churches.[6][26] The song was also popular in Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, and Malawi and had a significant impact on local culture.[26]

Longomba is the first Congolese artist to have performed in São Tomé and Príncipe, as well as the only Sub-Saharan African, along with Miriam Makeba, to have performed in Libya.[26][27] His album, Kafou Kafou, released in July 2000, won the Judges' Special Awards at the Kora Awards in 2001 for his contribution to African music.[19] He is also one of Africa and Europe's "most wanted"[28] Congolese artists. He has toured extensively throughout Africa, including countries such as Nigeria,[29] Cameroon,[30] Uganda,[31][32] Tanzania,[33] Burkina Faso,[34] Kenya,[35][36] Côte d'Ivoire,[34] Benin,[34] Togo,[37] Zambia,[38] Namibia,[39][40] Gabon,[34] Sierra Leone,[41] Rwanda,[42] Seychelles,[43] Malawi,[44] Sudan,[45] South Africa,[46][47] and Mali,[34] among others. He has also performed in Europe, notably in Switzerland,[45] Belgium,[48] Sweden,[49] France,[50] the UK,[51] and Germany,[52] as well as Japan,[52] Australia,[53] Malaysia,[52] and the United States.[28][6][19][54]

Early life and career
Awilo Longomba (middle) during his Euro–Asia tours as a member of Papa Wemba's band Viva La Musica in 1986. They gave four concerts in Tokyo and one in Osaka

Awilo Longomba was born as Louis Albert William Longomba on May 5, 1962, in Kinshasa (formerly Léopoldville) to a Mongo father and a Ngombe mother from Équateur Province.[6][4][5] His father, Vicky Longomba, was the renowned lead vocalist and founder of Tout Puissant OK Jazz.[55][56][57] As a child, Longomba spent every moment around music, frequently attending his father's rehearsals. His father, influenced by his perception of contemporary musicians as dissolute figures, often clothed himself in sartorial splendor and ardently discouraged his son from pursuing a career in music.[6] Logomba's passion for music burgeoned exponentially, leading him to veer from formal pedagogy and become a drummer for various musical groups in Kinshasa, including "Orchestre de Lita Bembo." He later joined Viva La Musica, led by Papa Wemba as a drummer, and toured with Afro-zouk crooner Olivier N'Goma in 1985.[58][6][18]

Viva La Musica during their Euro-Asia tours in 1986 in Tokyo, Japan

In 1986, as part of their Euro–Asia tours, Longomba and Viva La Musica toured Matonge, a culturally rich neighborhood known for its Congolese influences, to record their album Destin ya Moto in Gina Efonge's bar. There, his stature as an exceptional drummer within the group gained momentum.[6][59][60] In 1989, he permanently relocated to Paris and applied for his Carte de Séjour.[50] In Paris, he encountered discriminatory attitudes against African immigrants and grew resentful of the rise of Jean-Marie Le Pen's movement, which underscored the prevalence of racism in France, particularly within political parties like the National Front.[50] Though not as high-profile as Ray Lema, he had settled into a life as a Parisian and had formed a personal attachment to the city.[50] In 1992, Longomba left Viva La Musica and formed his musical ensemble, La Nouvelle Génération, of which he became the leader, alongside members Luciana Demingongo, Lidjo Kwempa, Fataki Ndoko José, and Fafa de Molokaï. The newly established band rapidly gained popularity within the precincts of Europe and produced several albums. He collaborated on numerous records in France and toured globally with renowned African artists such as Tshala Muana, Oliver N'Goma, and Kanda Bongo Man.[61][62] He became a French citizen in 1994, having married a French woman.[50]

1995–1998: Moto Pamba

In 1995, his career took off, and he left "La Nouvelle Génération." He released his first solo album, Moto Pamba, for which he served as the composer, lead singer, and drummer with help from Shimita, Ballou Canta, Dindo Yogo, Dally Kimoko, Sam Mangwana, Syran Mbenza and Rigo Star. The album achieved great success and marked his rise to international stardom, with tours in East Africa and Europe. In 1996, he participated in a festival held at Parc de la Villette and later won the "Best Artist of Central Africa" award at the Kora Awards. He achieved the same accolade again on October 1, 1997.[63][6][64]

1998–2000: Coupé Bibamba
Awilo Longomba and Samuel Eto'o in Paris

In 1998, he released the album Coupé Bibamba, featuring hit songs like Gaté Le Coin, Mobimba Ya Mama, Coupé Bibamba, Manon, Porokondo, Sans Papier, J'en Ai Marre, Fifi, J'en Ai Marre, and Gâté Le Coin [Bonus Mix]. The album catapulted him to international stardom.[20][63][65] The album's titular track, "Coupe Bibamba," featuring Jocelyne Béroard, became a massive hit in Africa and Europe, as well as among diaspora communities worldwide, and remains a timeless classic in African music.[66][20] Longomba's three consecutive sold-out shows at Lagos Stadium, each attended by 120,000 fans, solidified his superstar status across West Africa.[25] "Coupé Bibamba" is a Congolese phrase loosely translated to "waist movement." The song is an energetic celebration of African dance and rhythm, blending traditional Congolese ndombolo dance music with modern elements. The song's music video featuring Longomba's electrifying choreographic prowess metamorphosed into a cultural phenomenon and introduced a new generation of music, leaving a massive impact on several African musicians.[67][68] The song was adapted into local languages by indigenous artists in Nigeria.[25][26] The lyrical incantations, encapsulated by the refrain "Comment t'appelle? Je m'appelle Coupe Coupe Bibamba," have been embraced by non-French-speaking fans and given meanings in their native Yoruba language, widely spoken in the Southwestern and Central Nigeria, and the Pidgin English spoken generally in Nigeria and West Africa.[69]

The track "Manon" is dedicated to his daughter of the same name, while "Porokondo" emphasizes humility in both difficult and prosperous times.[5] In the song, he included a mabanga, a practice where musicians "shout out" an individual's name during a song for a fee, directed at Robert Ogwal, also known as Rasta Rob, one of the most popular radio presenters in the African Great Lakes Region at the time.[5][70]

2000–2017: Kafou Kafou, Mondongo and Superman
Awilo Longomba, Anita Ward, and Jocelyn Brown backstage Zénith de Paris in 2001, during their 'Tribute To The Funk' show

In July 2000, Longomba released his third album, Kafou Kafou, which earned him the Jury Special Award at the Kora Awards in 2001.[19] Towards the end of the year, Sony Music requested a funk remix of his hit "Coupé Bibamba" with James D-Train Williams, which gained popularity in France and the US. It was also featured in the "African Dance Floor" compilation, and Longomba later performed at Zénith Paris in Paris alongside notable American artists, including Jocelyn Lorette Brown, Oliver Cheatham, Jerome Prister, Imagination and Anita Ward, who were part of the compilation.[6][71][72][73]

At end of 2003, he unveiled his fourth album, Mondongo, featuring hit singles like Karolina, Zumbeya, Mupenzi, Pinzoli, Gladys, Kayembe, Mondongo, Champion, Mia Muliere, and Dance Floor. The album blended Congolese rumba, soukous, R&B, and Kompa with the collaboration of other notable African artists, such as Lokua Kanza, and gained popularity in several African countries.[74][75][6] The track "Karolina," transcended the realm of a love song, becoming a staple at hall parties and the most-played song at African gatherings. In the song, Longomba eloquently expresses his admiration for his muse, Karolina, declaring her pulchritude from every angle – from head to toe, front, and back.[76]

In 2008, he released his fifth album, Superman, which stands out as one of the most well-produced and recorded albums, featuring notable songs like Super Man, Torticolis, Les Jaloux, Malala, Maze, Meu Amor, Banana, La Go Là, Baby, J'Ai Envie de Toi, BK, and Banana (Remix). Barbara Kanam also made a guest appearance on the album.[74] He subsequently took the stage at Zénith de Paris on December 27, 2009, in promotion of his album.[77]

In 2014, Longomba collaborated with the Nigerian duo P-Square on the track "Enemy Solo." On January 23, 2017, he released a single titled "Rihanna" featuring Nigerian singer Yemi Alade.[7][78]

Famous songs
  • Karolina
  • Coupe Bibamba
  • Rosalina (Karolina Remix)
  • Mondongo
  • Fidele

Discography
  • Coupe Bibamba (1999)
  • Kafou Kafou (2001)
  • Mondongo (2004)
  • Super-Man (2008)

References
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