New Congolese singer captivates fans by stellar performance
What you need to know:
- Modero, a key figure in the US-based band’s revival, said the audience at the festival were enthralled by Blandine’s brilliant performance.
- During the Globalfest, she teamed up on the vocals with some of the veteran singers in Afrisa such as Dodo Munoko and Wawali Bonane.
The name Blandine may not ring a bell to many rumba fans in East and Central Africa, but the Canada-based Congolese singer is already carving a niche for herself.
The relative newcomer caught everyone’s eye with her scintillating performance when she backed up the revived Afrisa International Band at the recently held GlobalFest in New York.
According to the manager of the band founded by Tabu Ley Rochereau in the late 1960s, saxophonist Mekanisi Modero, the choice of Blandine, whose real name is Mbiya Kaniki, as a replacement for veteran Mbilia Bel paid off dividends.
Mbilia, who gained fame under the tutelage of Tabu Ley, with whom she did great compositions in the 1980s, was unable to make it the festival due to unavoidable circumstances.
Speaking to the Saturday Nation recently, Modero, a key figure in the US-based band’s revival, said the audience at the festival were enthralled by Blandine’s brilliant performance.
“Not only was Blandine able to adjust to our style within a short period, but she was also able to captivate the audience,” Modero said.
In a separate interview, Blandine expressed her delight at having been given a chance to sing with legendary Tabu Ley’s Afrisa International band.
“I felt honoured to have been called upon to sing with the band, whose music I grew up listening to,” she said.
In particular, she was quite happy and inspired to have taken up the role of the female lead vocalist.
GREAT EXPERIENCE
Video clips of her splendid cover versions of big tracks such as "Boya Ye" and "Nakei Nairobi" by Mbilia Bel, her mentor, have attracted a lot of attention on social media since she appeared on the big stage alongside some of the best musicians to ever come out of DRC, widely considered the mecca of African music.
During the Globalfest, she teamed up on the vocals with some of the veteran singers in Afrisa such as Dodo Munoko and Wawali Bonane.
She was also happy to be paraded alongside ace soloist Nseka Huit Kilos and to feature in front of mercurial drummer Parigo.
Blandine nostalgically recalls her debut in music at the age of 12 at a church in Togo, Lome, where her father worked as a diplomat.
She moved to Toronto, Canada, in 2001, where she lives to date.
She has however kept in touch with leading Congolese musicians, including her idol, Mbilia Bel, with whom she toured with in 2010.
“Mbilia inspired me as a singer and dancer. I also grew up listening to Abeti Masikini, Mirriam Makeba and Yvonne Chaka Chaka.”
The budding singer and dancer singled out Canada-based former Zaiko Langa singer JP Buse as one of the musicians who have inspired her in her career. Buse is now a gospel musician.
Blandine released her song, "Rockyna", backed by veteran Paris-based singer Nyboma Mwandido and top guitarist Lokassa Ya Mbongo.
“I’m looking forward to doing more with the Afrisa International Band in the near future, both in tours and recordings,” she said.
PART OF GROUP
Her dream is to also visit Nairobi and be able to “sing the favourite Nakei Nairobi there.”
Modero confirmed that Blandine would be part of the group during its forthcoming shows in Canada, Cuba, other Latin American countries and Europe.
“We also look forward to touring in Africa later to popularise the new-look band,” he said.
The budding singer’s arrival at Afrisa is a welcome tonic to the fans of the group, which previously featured songbirds Mbilia Bel, Faya Tess and briefly, Beyou Ceil.
And this new talent confirms DRC as the perennial well oozing with musical excellence.
