Jimmy Omonga
Encyclopedia
Jimmy Omonga is a singer and songwriter from the Democratic Republic of the Congo
. With his debut album "Destin" (2008), he became within a few months one of Congo's new popular singers, known for his characteristic and unique voice; clear and ringing in its upper reaches, with soulful low notes.
. He began to perform when he was 14. A notable feature in Congo culture is it has blended its ethnic musical sources with Cuban rumba
and merengue
to give birth to soukous
. Some of the music Omonga is a direct derivative, but blended with other African styles he picked up while touring in Angola
and South Africa.
On his arrival in South Africa in 1998, Omonga joined the Brothers Band (the later Afro Fiesta) as singer and percussionist with his long time friends Mermans Mosengo on bass, Papy (Felix Garemua) Lilawu joining as lead guitarist, Junior Kisangwa, drum, percussion & backing vocal and Christian Eboko on rhythm guitar, keyboards & backing vocal. The band soon became a draw card at various venues around Cape Town
, including Mama Afrika, Chapman's Peak Hotel, Kennedy's Cigar Lounge, Africa Junction, Marco's African Restaurant .
Omonga sings mostly about love. He sings in many languages (French, English, Italian and Lingala).
The new millennium brought changes as Jimmy did his first European gigs as a singer-songwriter, no longer as Jibriel but Jimmy Omonga.
Omonga's big break in African popular music
came when two of his songs were released at a Womex
sampler-cd in 2007.
Before his debut album "Destin" was released in 2008 (UK distribution Harmonia Mundi
) Omonga won the Music of the World Award in Amsterdam
. The Award Ceremony was transmitted by UPC
to the Amsterdam A1 channel and the Amsterdam TV Foundation Salto for providing a live-stream of the show, so the event was seen live in over 200 countries on New Years Day 2008. A record of over 57.000 votes were cast online by music fans from across the globe. MokumTV's Music of the World Awards unveiled Jimmy Omonga as the best of that year in Worldmusic.
In 2007, Omonga traveled to South Africa, where he, together with Junior Kisangwa, recorded his debut album Destin.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
. With his debut album "Destin" (2008), he became within a few months one of Congo's new popular singers, known for his characteristic and unique voice; clear and ringing in its upper reaches, with soulful low notes.
Biography
Omongo was born in KinshasaKinshasa
Kinshasa is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The city is located on the Congo River....
. He began to perform when he was 14. A notable feature in Congo culture is it has blended its ethnic musical sources with Cuban rumba
Rumba
Rumba is a family of percussive rhythms, song and dance that originated in Cuba as a combination of the musical traditions of Africans brought to Cuba as slaves and Spanish colonizers. The name derives from the Cuban Spanish word rumbo which means "party" or "spree". It is secular, with no...
and merengue
Merengue music
Merengue is a type of music and dance from the Dominican Republic. It is popular in the Dominican Republic and all over Latin America. Its name is Spanish, taken from the name of the meringue, a dessert made from whipped egg whites and sugar...
to give birth to soukous
Soukous
Soukous is a dance music genre that originated in the two neighbouring countries of Belgian Congo and French Congo during the 1930s and early 1940s, and which has gained popularity throughout Africa...
. Some of the music Omonga is a direct derivative, but blended with other African styles he picked up while touring in Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
and South Africa.
On his arrival in South Africa in 1998, Omonga joined the Brothers Band (the later Afro Fiesta) as singer and percussionist with his long time friends Mermans Mosengo on bass, Papy (Felix Garemua) Lilawu joining as lead guitarist, Junior Kisangwa, drum, percussion & backing vocal and Christian Eboko on rhythm guitar, keyboards & backing vocal. The band soon became a draw card at various venues around Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, including Mama Afrika, Chapman's Peak Hotel, Kennedy's Cigar Lounge, Africa Junction, Marco's African Restaurant .
Omonga sings mostly about love. He sings in many languages (French, English, Italian and Lingala).
The new millennium brought changes as Jimmy did his first European gigs as a singer-songwriter, no longer as Jibriel but Jimmy Omonga.
Omonga's big break in African popular music
African popular music
African popular music, like African traditional music, is vast and varied. Most contemporary genres of African popular music build on cross-pollination with western popular music. Many genres of popular music like blues, jazz, salsa zouk, and rumba derive to varying degrees on musical traditions...
came when two of his songs were released at a Womex
WOMEX
WOMEX is an international world music support and development project based in Berlin, whose main event is an exposition held annually in different locations throughout Europe. It integrates a trade fair, showcases, conferences, film market, networking sessions, and awards...
sampler-cd in 2007.
Before his debut album "Destin" was released in 2008 (UK distribution Harmonia Mundi
Harmonia Mundi
Harmonia Mundi is an independent music record label founded in 1958 by Bernard Coutaz in Arles . The Latin phrase means "world harmony"....
) Omonga won the Music of the World Award in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
. The Award Ceremony was transmitted by UPC
UPC Netherlands
UPC Netherlands is the second largest cable operator in the Netherlands, providing cable television , broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers.-History:...
to the Amsterdam A1 channel and the Amsterdam TV Foundation Salto for providing a live-stream of the show, so the event was seen live in over 200 countries on New Years Day 2008. A record of over 57.000 votes were cast online by music fans from across the globe. MokumTV's Music of the World Awards unveiled Jimmy Omonga as the best of that year in Worldmusic.
In 2007, Omonga traveled to South Africa, where he, together with Junior Kisangwa, recorded his debut album Destin.
Awards and recognition
- 2008 – Music of the World Award (Victoires de la musique mondial) as "Best Newcomer"
- 2008 – Nominated for the Edison Award
- 2009 – First Congolese singer to tour Mexico (13–19 April)