Koffi Olomide

Congolese Soukous Singer

Koffi Olomidé (born Antoine Christophe Agbepa Mumba, on July 13, 1956 in Kisangani) is a Congolese soukous singer, musician, composer, writer, arranger and producer. After more than 35 years of career, Koffi is one of the most popular Congolese and African singers and a much present personality in the Congolese media landscape. At the beginning, Antoine was only a songwriter, he sold his composition to the stars of this time as Papa Wemba who will integrate him to this band Viva La Musica in 1977. He will begin his recording career in this band, with some artists like Kester Emeneya, Dindo Yogo, Djuna Djanana. He started his solo recording career in 1983 and he founded his own band, Quartier Latin, in 1986. The career of Koffi expands from 1990 when the record company Sonodisc signs a contract with him until 2003 when Sonodisc will go bankrupt. They will publish together a total of thirteen albums (6 solo album, 5 album with his band, 1 album in collaboration with Papa Wemba and 1 live). On February 19th, 2000, Olomidé become the first African artist to fill the 17 000 places of Palais Omnisports Paris-Bercy, without promotion. Koffi Olomidé has earned 7 gold records and 5 Kora Awards (the African equivalent to the Grammy) including 4 in the edition of 2002 for his album Effrakata. He become an African and one of the world's best-selling african artists.