Lady Ponce

Adèle Ruffine Ngono, known by her stage name Lady Ponce, is a Cameroonian singer and songwriter. She is also known as "La Reine de Bikutsi" (the Queen of Bikutsi). In 2014, Ngono was named a knight of the Order of Valour.

Lady Ponce
Lady Ponce in 2012
Background information
Birth nameAdèle Ruffine Ngono
Also known asLa Reine de Bikutsi[1]
BornMbalmayo, Cameroon
OriginYaoundé, Cameroon
GenresBikutsi
Knight of Order of Valour

Early life

Ngono was born in Mbalmayo, Cameroon.[2] Following the death of her mother in 1999, she moved to Yaoundé, where she joined Chapelle d’Essos, the local choir.[3] Ngono performed in cabarets at Camp Sonel[4] and La Cascade.[5]

Career

In 2007, Ngono released her first album, Le ventre et le bas-ventre, which consisted of six songs.[6] The album led to her winning the Canal 2'Or's Best Voice and Musical Revelation awards for that year.[7] Ngono followed up the success of her first album with three albums produced by Jean Pierre Saah:[8] Confession in 2009, La loi du talion in 2011, and Bombe atomique in 2012, containing ten, twelve, and twelve tracks respectively.[9][10][11] In 2015, she released Bain de sons, consisting of eighteen songs.[12] In 2017, she released "Patrimonie", an album regarding her early life, consisting of twelve tracks and produced by KMG Productions.[13]

In July 2016, Ngono performed at the Viking Center in Maryland, US.[14] In April 2017, she sang at SEG Geneva Arena for the Afrikan Zik Festival,[15] and later at La Cigale, on 21 January 2017.[16] In July 2018, Ngono headlined Afrofest at Toronto's Woodbine Beach.[17]

In December 2018, Ngono went on a one-month national tour, visiting Yaoundé, Douala, Bafoussam, Ngaoundéré and Ebolowa.[18][19]

Personal life

In 2011, it was rumoured that Ngono died after a fatal childbirth in Paris – however this was quickly debunked by her relatives.[20] In February 2019, rumours surfaced that she had died in a car accident.[21]

In 2011, Ngono criticized then-Cameroonian Minister of Culture, Ama Tutu Muna, for not doing enough to help artists – citing slow copyright request responses and limited financial support.[22] In 2015, she donated equipment and supplies to FoundationFact, an orphanage in Yaoundé.[23]

On 21 November 2018, Ngono married Aloys Tsafack, a Cameroonian manager and producer known as Dieu Cyclone,[24][25] at a reception near Les Clayes-sous-Bois city hall.[26] To maintain secrecy and avoid paparazzi, Ngono advertised the wedding was to be at 3:30 pm, then held it at 9:00 am.[27]

Ngono is a mother of three children.[28] [29] Cameroonian media colloquially refers to Ngono as "La Reine de Bikutsi", which translates to "The Queen of Bikutsi".[1]

Discography
Lady Ponce discography
Lady Ponce dancing at a concert
Studio albums6[30]
Singles6[30]

Albums
  • Le ventre & le bas-ventre (2007)
  • Confession (2009)
  • La loi du talion (2011)
  • Bombe atomique (2012)
  • Bain de sons (2015)
  • Patrimoine (2017)

Singles
  • La la la (2014)
  • Obele (2017)
  • Me Ndigui Yem (2017)
  • Espoir (2017)
  • Connais-tu l'amour (2017)
  • Fidélité Kmer (2019)

Awards
Year Song Category Result Reference
Canal 2'Or
2007 – Best Voice Won [31]
– Musical Revelation of the Year Won
2008 Treason Song of the Year Won [32][33]
– Best Female Artist of the Year Won
2013 Pipiyou Best Music Video Nominated [34]
Secouer Secouer Song of the Year Nominated
– Best Female Artist of the Year Nominated
2017 O bale ma Best Music Video Nominated [35]
– Best Female Artist of Year Nominated
2019 – Best Folk Artist of the Year TBA [36]
– Best Female Artist of the Year TBA
Radio Tiéméni Siantou (RTS) Awards
2007 – Performance of the Year Won [37]
– Bikutsi Artist of the Year Won
2008 – Artist of the Year Won
Festival Bikutsi
2008 – Bikutsi Artist of the Year Won [37]
Kora Awards
2012 – Best Female Artist – Central Africa Won [38]
Hommage à Jésus Best Female Artist – Religious Music Nominated [39]

On 20 May 2014, Ngono was awarded with the Order of Valour by president Paul Biya.[40][41]

References
  1. "Lady Ponce : la reine du Bikutsi s'est discrètement mariée à paris !". Retrospective People (in French). 21 November 2018. Archived from the original on 26 November 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  2. Le King, Alain B. (17 August 2015). "LADY PONCE". Kamer Konnection (in French). Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  3. Linge, Idriss (27 May 2009). "Cameroun: Lady Ponce, une reine au royaume des seigneurs du Bikutsi". Journal de Cameroun. Archived from the original on 26 September 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  4. "Biographie – Lady Ponce, une valeur sûre de la musique camerounaise". Le Bled Parle (in French). 22 June 2013. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  5. Mengue, Erica Emmanuelle (January 2017). "Star insight Lady Ponce, déjà 10 ans et toujours au top". Reglo (in French). Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  6. "Lady PONCE en concert à la cigale de Paris en Janvier". Le Bled Parle (in French). 2 September 2016. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  7. Calvino (18 September 2013). "La video "Carrosserie" de la star camerounaise Lady Ponce". Variculture (in French). Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  8. "L'hommage de Lady ponce à Jean Pierre Saah : " Un homme Exceptionnel ! "". Le Bled Parle (in French). 2 April 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  9. "Confession, Lady Ponce". Afrisson. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  10. "Lady Ponce – Bombe A". discogs. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  11. "La loi du Talion , Lady Ponce". Afrisson. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  12. "Lady Ponce lance " Bain de sons " à Douala". Music in Africa (in French). Douala. 29 July 2015. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  13. "Lady Ponce dévoile son " Patrimoine "". Camernews (in French). 22 September 2017. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  14. "L'artiste Lady Ponce attendue aux États-Unis pour une série de spectacles". Camernews (in French). 19 June 2016. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  15. Nehdi, Dariche (7 April 2017). "Lady Ponce sera à GENÈVE ce 1er juillet pour le Afrikan Zik Festival". Culturebene (in French). Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  16. "LADY PONCE". La Cigale. 21 January 2017. Archived from the original on 31 October 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  17. WhatsOn (6 July 2018). "Afrofest celebrates African music, culture at Toronto's Woodbine Park". Toronto.com. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  18. "Lady Ponce en Tournée Nationale". Tendance Actu. 1 December 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  19. Nématchoua, Eliane Sara (19 December 2018). "Cameroun tour : Lady Ponce enflamme le Carrossel". Diapason Media Group (in French). Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  20. Njipou, Alain (11 February 2011). "La rumeur tue Lady Ponce". Lecamerounaisinfo (in French). Retrieved 8 March 2019.
  21. "No, Lady Ponce is not dead". Stopblablacam. 18 February 2019. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
  22. "Lady Ponce tacle durement la ministre Ama Tutu Muna". Bonaberi (in French). 14 January 2011. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  23. "Lady Ponce assists orphans". Cameroon Concord. 23 March 2015. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  24. Domina, Yvan (23 November 2013). "Lady Ponce et Aloys pour le meilleure et le pire". 7Television (in French). Paris. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
  25. Tientcheu, Marchelo (21 November 2018). "PEOPLE : Le mariage de Lady Ponce avec un agent de sécurité fait de grands bruits sur la toile". Le Bled Parle (in French). Retrieved 19 February 2019.
  26. "People: Lady Ponce se marie en France avec 'un complice' des ambazoniens". Camerounweb (in French). Les Clayes-sous-Bois. 20 November 2018. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
  27. Sopie, Hilaire (20 November 2018). "FRANCE :: LADY PONCE ET DIEU CYCLONE DEVANT LE MAIRE CE MERCREDI 21 NOVEMBRE 2018 PRES DE VERSAILLES :: FRANCE". camer.be (in French). Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  28. Katchikpe, Edouard (9 April 2018). "Chanteuse et mère de trois enfants : Lady Ponce critiquée pour ses tenues provocantes". Journal Educ Action Bénin (in French). Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  29. "Lady Ponce : un concert à Paris pour ses 10 ans de carrière". Music in Africa (in French). 13 September 2016. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  30. "Lady Ponce : tous les albums et les singles". Chartsinfrance. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  31. "Lady Ponce en concert carritatif". Bonaberi (in French). Cameroon. 5 January 2008. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  32. "16 secrets peu connus sur Lady Ponce et ses reins électriques". Camerounweb (in French). 5 May 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  33. Soh, Duvalier Kamdoum (15 April 2009). "Canal d'or 2008 : Lady Ponce, reine de la musique Camerounaise – lecamerounaisinfo". Lecamerounaisinfo (in French). Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  34. "Canal 2'OR : la liste complète des nominés". Culturebene (in French). 20 February 2013. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  35. "Canal 2'Or Act 11: " La reine blanche " domine les nominations". Madeinmboa. 16 January 2017. Archived from the original on 17 January 2017. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  36. "Canal 2 d'Or 2019 : la liste des nominés est connue". Music in Africa. 4 February 2019. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  37. Akono, Justin Blaise (2 March 2009). "Récompenses : Lady Ponce reine de la musique 2008". Cameroon-info (in French). Archived from the original on 11 March 2019. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  38. Batchou, Frank William T (5 January 2013). "Kora awards 2012 : Le Cameroun rentre bredouille, DJ Arafat au sommet". Atelier des médias (in French). Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  39. Adéline T. "Kora 2012: Lady Ponce, Charlotte Dipanda, X-maleya et N'Lauretta, représenteront le Cameroun". Le Bled Parle (in French). Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  40. RTC (20 May 2014). "Lady Ponce sera élevée au grade de chevalier de l'ordre et de la valeur ce 20 Mai 2014". Culturebene (in French). Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  41. Kioshiko, Kohan (18 September 2018). "Les Chanteuses Stars Africaines connues en Afrique et dans le Monde". Cote d'Ivoire News (in French). Retrieved 8 March 2019.
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