Legendary Singer Tshala Muana for years dominated the Rhumba music scene. Tshala was a Singer, Songwriter, and a Dancer.
Officially known as Élisabeth Tshala Muana Muidikay, She was born on 13th March 1958. Her birth town was then the Belgian Congo, which is now Lubumbashi, the second largest city in the Democratic Republic of Congo. She was the second born of 10 children of Amadeus Muidikayi and Alphonsine Bambiwa Tumba. Her father, a soldier, died during civil warfare in Congo when she was 6 years old.
Her popular tracks include Karibu Yangu, DezoDezo, and Kokola among others making her among the iconic ladies who dominated the industry. Tshala Muana did her music in her local language Tshiluba considering that Congolese artists majorly sang in Lingala and French languages. She expressed her art in her local dialect earning her the title "Queen of Mutuashi."
Muana started her artistic career as a dancer and backup artist in 1977 for the musical band Tsheke Tsheke Love. She then went on to pursue a solo career, and recorded her first single, “Amina,” in 1982. Moving to Paris, she recorded her first album, “Kami" in 1984. Tshala Muana toured widely overseas, winning several awards on the national, continental and global scene. She has over 20 albums recorded and her music has appeared in the soundtrack of the 1987 Congolese musical film La Vie est Belle and Aya of Yop City.
Despite her fame, Tshala Muana stood for social justice. She entered politics in 1999, which earned her the nickname Mamu Nationale (Mother of the Nation). Muana advocated for the rights of women and children and giving a voice to the poor but she paid a price for her political stance.
She was arrested in November 2020 over her song, Ingratitude. The Song was considered to be an attack on President Félix Tshisekedi because it castigates a man who bites the hand that feeds him. This was due to her public support of President Joseph Kabila. Muana was released on demand from a public uproar.
In East Africa, her music is still widely celebrated especially in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Her hit song Karibu (sang in Swahili) is one of her most popular songs in the region. She was described as a natural beauty, soft-spoken and friendly.
Muana was loved by the continent with her fans ranging from Dakar to Nairobi. She passed on and was laid to rest on 10th December 2022 at the age of 64.
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