LOKOU KANZA - ANGEL VOICE FROM THE HEART OF AFRICA

Lokou Kanza
Singer, songwriter, and composer

Pascal Lokua Kanza was born April 1958, in Bukavu in the province of Kivu, in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. He is the eldest of eight children, with a Mongo father and a Tutsi mother from Rwanda. In 1964, the family went to live in Kinshasa. Following the tragic demise of his father died while captaining a ship at sea, his mother then moved to a much poorer area of the city. Lokou helped provide for his family by taking part-time jobs while he was still in school. Setting aside a few hours each day to teach himself guitar, he soon began playing with friends in local bands. As he got older, his approach to music grew more serious. After studying at the Kinshasa Music Conservatory and performing with Abeti in Zaire, Lokou moved to the Ivory Coast where he played the guitar and served as a back up vocalist for local bands. He left Ivory Coast after three years for Paris to study jazz at the prestigious CIM. Here he was accorded the opportunity to perform with many of his role models.

Miriam Makeba was a big inspiration in his life and Lokou was honored when asked by Miriam if he could compose and write songs for her to sing.
He wrote four songs for Miriam Makeba.

Lokou has performed alongside many renowned music artists such as Youssou Ndour(Womat), Papa Wemba, Miriam Makeba, Geoffrey Oryema and Angélique Kidjo. He has bagged several African Music Awards in honor of his musical talent. Lokua sings in French, Kiswahili, Lingala, and English.