Awilo Longomba facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Awilo Longomba
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Awilo Longomba in 2023
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Louis Albert William Longomba |
| Born | 5 May 1962 Kinshasa, Republic of the Congo (modern-day Democratic Republic of the Congo) |
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| Years active | 1980s—present |
| Associated acts | Viva la Musica |
Awilo Longomba (born on May 5, 1962) is a famous singer, drummer, songwriter, dancer, and music producer from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He is known for creating a unique music style called techno-soukous. This style mixes traditional African soukous music with modern techno, electro, and dance beats, often including ndombolo rhythms.
Awilo started his music journey as a drummer in the 1980s. He played for popular bands like Viva La Musica and Loketo. He became very famous across Africa and among African people living in Europe. His album Moto Pamba helped him win the Best Artist of Central Africa award at the Kora Awards in both 1996 and 1997.
In 1998, Awilo released his second album, Coupé Bibamba. The main song from this album, also called "Coupé Bibamba," became a huge hit. It was popular in Africa, Europe, and America. Many people consider it one of Africa's most famous Lingala songs. Awilo was the first artist to sell out the Lagos National Stadium for three days in a row. A new version of the song, "Comment Tu T'Appelles," was even featured on a Sony Music album.
Awilo Longomba was the first Congolese artist to perform in São Tomé and Príncipe. He was also one of only two artists from Sub-Saharan Africa (the other being Miriam Makeba) to perform in Libya when the African Union was being formed. His third album, Kafou Kafou, released in 2000, won him a special award at the 2001 Kora Awards for his amazing contributions to African music. He continued to release successful albums like Mondongo in 2003 and Superman in 2008. In 2009, he was named Best Soukous Entertainer at the IRAWMA Awards.
Contents
Early Life and Music Start
Childhood and First Steps in Music
Awilo Longomba was born Louis Albert William Longomba on May 5, 1962, in Kinshasa, which was then called Léopoldville. His father, Vicky Longomba, was a famous singer and a founder of the band Tout Puissant OK Jazz. Awilo grew up in a musical family with six sisters and three brothers. His uncle is the Kenyan music duo Lovy Longomba. His older sister, Malou Longomba, is the mother of French soccer player Claude Makélélé.
As a child, Awilo loved being around music. He often went to his father's band rehearsals. Even though his father wanted him to focus on school, Awilo's passion for music grew. He decided to leave school and became a drummer for Papa Wemba's band, Viva La Musica, in 1985.
In 1986, Awilo toured Europe and Asia with Viva La Musica. They recorded an album in Brussels, Belgium. During this time, he became known as an amazing drummer in the group. In 1989, he moved to Paris, France, permanently.
In the early 1990s, while still with Viva La Musica, Awilo also played drums for other Congolese bands like Orchestre Stukas and Loketo. In 1991, he visited Kenya for the first time as a drummer for the Loketo band. A year later, he left Viva La Musica and started his own band called La Nouvelle Génération. He was the bandleader, and they quickly became popular in Africa. Awilo also worked on many recordings in France and toured the world with other famous African artists. He became a French citizen in 1994.
Solo Career Highlights
Moto Pamba and Early Success
In 1995, Awilo Longomba started his solo career and released his first album, Moto Pamba. This album had eight songs and mixed Congolese rumba with soukous music. Awilo wrote the songs, sang, and played drums on the album. Other talented musicians helped with backing vocals, bass guitar, and lead guitar. Awilo later shared that the album's director encouraged him to sing more than drum. He surprised everyone with his singing voice when the album came out. Songs like "Moyen Te" and "Betty Mulanga" became very successful in Africa. Even with his solo success, Awilo continued to play drums for other artists, including Gabonese singer Oliver N'Goma.
During a concert in Kampala Serena Hotel in 1995, Awilo first performed secretly as "Willy" to let Oliver N'Goma shine. But in the second show, he revealed himself, and the audience loved it. This concert helped promote his Moto Pamba album. In 1996, he performed at Parc de la Villette in Paris to promote the album further. He then won the Best Artist of Central Africa award at the first Kora Awards. He won the same award again in 1997.
Coupé Bibamba and Wide Fame
On October 27, 1998, Awilo Longomba released his second album, Coupé Bibamba. This album had ten songs and was released in many countries. It featured famous singers like Jocelyne Béroard on backing and lead vocals. Awilo played the drums, and other musicians played bass and lead guitars.
The main song, "Coupé Bibamba," which mixed techno and soukous, became a huge hit. It was popular all over Africa and Europe and is still a classic African song. The song talks about the problem of poverty in Africa. Awilo explained that "Coupé Bibamba" encourages young people to get an education, go to church, and believe in themselves to fight poverty. The song also included "mabanga," which is when musicians mention someone's name in a song, often for a fee. In this song, Robert Ogwal, a famous radio host, was mentioned.
The success of "Coupé Bibamba" led Awilo to tour East Africa in early 1999. He had sold-out concerts in Tanzania and Kenya. Many fans could not get into his first show in Dar es Salaam because it was so popular. The song also made Awilo very famous in West Africa, where it was translated into local languages like Yoruba and Igbo.
In 2000, Awilo made history by selling out three concerts in a row at Lagos National Stadium in Nigeria. He also filled other large stadiums, becoming the first Congolese artist to be so popular on Nigerian radio. Awilo also worked with Sony Music for a new remix of "Coupé Bibamba" called "Comment Tu T'Appelles." This version became popular among African people living in France and the US.
Later Albums and Performances
In July 2000, Awilo released his third album, Kafou Kafou. It had 10 songs and later won him a special award at the 2001 Kora Awards. He dedicated this award to Nelson Mandela, a very important leader in Africa. Awilo said it was a great honor to have Mandela there.
Awilo released his fourth album, Mondongo, in September 2003. This album featured popular songs like "Karolina," "Zumbeya," and "Mondongo." Mondongo mixed Congolese rumba, soukous, R&B, and Kompa music. It was very popular in Africa and sold over 30,000 copies in France. "Karolina" became a favorite song at parties and events. In the song, Awilo sings about how much he admires a girl named Karolina. To promote Mondongo, Awilo performed in Zimbabwe and Cameroon in 2004. He was also nominated for an award for "Karolina" at the 2004 Kora Awards.
In March 2005, Awilo performed at the Africa Live 2005 concert. This event was held to fight malaria and had 40,000 people watching. Many other famous artists also performed. The next month, he toured the US with his band, performing in cities like New York City and Washington D.C. He also performed in France. In September 2005, Awilo held three concerts in Namibia. He continued to perform at big festivals and concerts in countries like Gabon and Angola in 2006. In 2007, he had two sold-out concerts in Ivory Coast.
Superman and Recent Work
In August 2008, Awilo released his fifth album, Superman. It included songs like "Super Man," "Torticolis," and "Banana." Singer Barbara Kanam also appeared on the album. Awilo performed at Zénith de Paris in December 2009 to promote Superman. He also performed in Madagascar in 2010 to celebrate 50 years of Malagasy Independence.
In 2014, Awilo released a preview of his new song, "Bundele." Before the music video for "Bundele" came out, he worked with Nigerian duo P-Square on their song "Enemy Solo." He also appeared on Nathalie Makoma's song "Eyi Mabe." In 2017, he released "Rihanna" with Yemi Alade and "Esopi Yo" with Tiwa Savage. In 2018, Awilo was featured on BM's remix of "Rosalina," which became a popular dance challenge on social media. He performed two concerts in Uganda in April 2019. He then released the music video for "Canon," a mix of Congolese rumba and Afrobeats. In 2021, Awilo was featured on Harmonize's song "Attitude," which quickly got millions of views. He also appeared on Angel Mary Kato's song "Tanzania."
On October 29, 2022, Awilo performed at the Fally Ipupa concert in Kinshasa. In November 2022, he worked with many other artists on a song called "Allons Tous Nous Faire Enrôler." This song was made to encourage people to register for the 2023 Democratic Republic of the Congo general election. On December 31, 2022, Awilo was featured on Inoss'B's song "Maboko Milayi," which quickly gained millions of views. In March 2023, Awilo became a coach for the first season of the Voice Africa, a singing competition for English-speaking African audiences. He performed at the Legends of Sound concert in Uganda in August 2023. He also joined Innoss'B on stage in Brussels in December 2023 for a humanitarian concert. On July 6, 2024, Awilo was the main performer at AfroFest in Toronto, Canada. He also performed at the Antilliaanse Feesten Festival in Belgium in August 2024. On November 15, 2024, Awilo released a new song called "Mbongo Na Ngai Moko," featuring Innoss'B.
Awilo's Impact on Music
Awilo Longomba is one of the most popular Congolese artists in Africa and Europe. Jide Taiwo, a writer for Nigerian Entertainment Today, said that Awilo "inspired a new group of Nigerian entertainers." Awilo's music style has influenced many Nigerian musicians. For example, Funmi Adams and Julius Agwu have songs that sound like Awilo's style. Nigerian singer-songwriter Burna Boy also said that Awilo was a big inspiration for him when he was growing up.
In February 2023, Nigerian singer Ayra Starr released "Sability," a song inspired by techno-soukous that used parts of Awilo's "Coupé Bibamba." This song was praised by Tanzanian singer Harmonize, who admired how it honored Awilo's music. Harmonize even said, "I want to be like Awilo Longomba."
Albums
- Moto Pamba (1995)
- Coupe Bibamba (1999)
- Kafou Kafou (2001)
- Mondongo (2003)
- Super-Man (2008)
Popular Songs
- "Moto Pamba"
- "Coupé Bibamba" (featuring Jocelyne Béroard)
- "Gaté Le Coin"
- "Manon"
- "Karolina"
- "Champion"
- "Mondongo"
- "Fidele"
- "Bundele"
Awards and Nominations
| Year | Event | Prize | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Kora Awards | Best Artist of Central Africa | Himself | Won | |
| 1997 | Kora Awards | Best Artist of Central Africa | Himself | Won | |
| 2001 | Kora Awards | Jury Special Award | Himself | Won | |
| 2009 | IRAWMA Awards | Best Soukous Entertainer | Himself | Won | |
| 2011 | Nigeria Entertainment Awards | Pan-African Artist | Himself | Nominated | |
| 2019 | AFRIMA | Legend of the Year | Himself | Won | |
| 2021 | AFRIMMA | Legendary Award | Himself | Won | |
| 2022 | Zikomo Africa Awards | Best Achievement in Music | Himself | Won |
