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Papa Wemba
The Sage Who Breathes Happiness
Paris
25/06/1999 -
Papa Wemba is currently back at the forefront of the music scene with "M'zée Fula-Ngenge", a brand new album featuring an explosive cocktail of rumba, soukouss, and n'dombolo. Fusing hot Latino-style rhythms with the energy of rap and some fiercely tender ballads, Papa Wemba is on top form. And the singer's sensuous, velvet tones are guaranteed to impress fans and critics alike.
What does the title of your new album "M'zée Fula-Ngenge" mean?
Papa Wemba : My new album's called "The Sage Who Breathes Happiness". "M'zée" is Swahili and "Fula-ngenge" is an expression in Lingala. You began working on the production of your new album back in May '98 and went on to spend at least ten months in the studio. How did you go about the production ?
Well, I got in touch with one of my young compatriots, a bass-player called Alfred Zimbi who lives in Abidjan. You know, I was beginning to get a bit sick and tired of working with producers from Europe. I really wanted to bring in someone with a different perspective, someone who could throw up some fresh ideas. I've known Alfred as a musician for about ten years now .... Anyway, I got Alfred to come over to France and we started talking about the project. And it turned out that we were both exactly on the same wavelength. I really wanted Alfred to understand that "M'zée Fula-Ngenge" is a particularly important album because it stands on the cusp of the next Millennium. Musically speaking, your new album doesn't make a radical break with the normal Papa Wemba style. But listeners do, I think, get the feeling that you're beginning to move in a new direction. You seem to be using arrangements and orchestrations which are very different from those we've heard in Congolese music before.
You know, on this new album Alfred and I set out to produce a really avant-garde sound. We wanted to take our ideas and our musical experiments as far as possible. A lot of the songs on the album were already written before we went into the studio, but others arrived while we were in the process of recording. We really took our time on this album. We sat down and listened to each track and tried to be really critical and objective about it. At the end of the day we only kept the songs we were really pleased with … As far as the music on the new album is concerned, I worked with three main composers Al Nzimbi, Sec Bidens - who's one of my guitarists - and Guy Waku.
Your new album also features contributions from an impressive list of guest stars …
Yes, I was lucky enough to work with Jocelyne Béroard from the group Kassav. She provided some great vocals on "Bonjour Daddy". Then there was Tito Puente, who came in to play trumpet on the track "Etaleli". And we also had a string quartet come into the studio and accompany me on "Maria" and "Bonjour Daddy". What about the wonderful single "O'Koningana", which you recorded as a rap duet with Tony Madinda? Did that come about as a direct result of your work with the group Bisso Na Bisso ?
Yes, that's right. I wanted to bring out a single which would interest young music fans, something they could listen to without going out and buying the whole album. Anyway, the original idea was to team up as a duo with Passi, but the whole thing kept getting put off and delayed. The whole project was dragging on and on and it looked like we'd never get round to going into the studio. So finally I said to myself "OK, let's go ahead with the project and team up with someone who's less well-known." Anyway, I suddenly started thinking about a demo tape Tony Saad (alias Madinda) had got me to listen to. I remember I'd been really impressed by his voice. It has this really incredible timbre and I really like Tony's style of rap because it's got this melodious quality to it … Anyway, Bisso Na Bisso just gave me a copy of their gold disc. I was really touched by that! I think these young musicians have come up with some excellent musical ideas. They should be congratulated for having opened rap up to African music. "M'zée Fula-Ngenge" is a very ambitious album, both in terms of music and songwriting and production techniques. How much did the whole thing cost?
The overall budget, which we managed ourselves, was in the region of 330,000 and 340,000 francs. In the past all the Papa Wemba albums were released on Real World. But "M'zée Fula-Ngenge" has come out on Sono, the label which signed Viva La Musica. Why this sudden change?
The contract that I signed with Real World - which included a distribution deal with Virgin - came to an end last year. After that I had a series of lengthy discussions with Henri de Bodinat, the new director of Sono. And the upshot is that from now on Sono's going to be looking after all my recording work. I think it's much better for me to be with a record company based in France rather than one in England. We're just hoping that Sono are going to be behind us on this new album and give us a good budget to promote it - I think the new album's really got what it takes to sell! Do you have any other production projects on the horizon?
Yes, next year I'm planning to get back to producing a number of young up-and-coming groups on Time International Production (TIP), the label I set up in Brussels. I recently bought a three-storey building in Brussels to house TIP, my offices and my nightclub.
What about music projects in Kinshasa ?
I'd love to go back home and spend a decent amount of the year in Kinshasa. But each time I try and head back there there's some major political upset. The other problem is that I have to stay in Europe because of my recording contracts. But I love Kinshasa and I try to get back there whenever I can. It's fantastic! There's always n'dombolo blaring out on every street corner and in the Matonge neighbourhood there's always this really electric atmosphere. There's a lot of interesting young musicians out there too, but the problem is they don't have the money to promote their music outside Kinshasa.
Papa Wemba : My new album's called "The Sage Who Breathes Happiness". "M'zée" is Swahili and "Fula-ngenge" is an expression in Lingala. You began working on the production of your new album back in May '98 and went on to spend at least ten months in the studio. How did you go about the production ?
Well, I got in touch with one of my young compatriots, a bass-player called Alfred Zimbi who lives in Abidjan. You know, I was beginning to get a bit sick and tired of working with producers from Europe. I really wanted to bring in someone with a different perspective, someone who could throw up some fresh ideas. I've known Alfred as a musician for about ten years now .... Anyway, I got Alfred to come over to France and we started talking about the project. And it turned out that we were both exactly on the same wavelength. I really wanted Alfred to understand that "M'zée Fula-Ngenge" is a particularly important album because it stands on the cusp of the next Millennium. Musically speaking, your new album doesn't make a radical break with the normal Papa Wemba style. But listeners do, I think, get the feeling that you're beginning to move in a new direction. You seem to be using arrangements and orchestrations which are very different from those we've heard in Congolese music before.
You know, on this new album Alfred and I set out to produce a really avant-garde sound. We wanted to take our ideas and our musical experiments as far as possible. A lot of the songs on the album were already written before we went into the studio, but others arrived while we were in the process of recording. We really took our time on this album. We sat down and listened to each track and tried to be really critical and objective about it. At the end of the day we only kept the songs we were really pleased with … As far as the music on the new album is concerned, I worked with three main composers Al Nzimbi, Sec Bidens - who's one of my guitarists - and Guy Waku.
Your new album also features contributions from an impressive list of guest stars … Yes, I was lucky enough to work with Jocelyne Béroard from the group Kassav. She provided some great vocals on "Bonjour Daddy". Then there was Tito Puente, who came in to play trumpet on the track "Etaleli". And we also had a string quartet come into the studio and accompany me on "Maria" and "Bonjour Daddy". What about the wonderful single "O'Koningana", which you recorded as a rap duet with Tony Madinda? Did that come about as a direct result of your work with the group Bisso Na Bisso ?
Yes, that's right. I wanted to bring out a single which would interest young music fans, something they could listen to without going out and buying the whole album. Anyway, the original idea was to team up as a duo with Passi, but the whole thing kept getting put off and delayed. The whole project was dragging on and on and it looked like we'd never get round to going into the studio. So finally I said to myself "OK, let's go ahead with the project and team up with someone who's less well-known." Anyway, I suddenly started thinking about a demo tape Tony Saad (alias Madinda) had got me to listen to. I remember I'd been really impressed by his voice. It has this really incredible timbre and I really like Tony's style of rap because it's got this melodious quality to it … Anyway, Bisso Na Bisso just gave me a copy of their gold disc. I was really touched by that! I think these young musicians have come up with some excellent musical ideas. They should be congratulated for having opened rap up to African music. "M'zée Fula-Ngenge" is a very ambitious album, both in terms of music and songwriting and production techniques. How much did the whole thing cost?
The overall budget, which we managed ourselves, was in the region of 330,000 and 340,000 francs. In the past all the Papa Wemba albums were released on Real World. But "M'zée Fula-Ngenge" has come out on Sono, the label which signed Viva La Musica. Why this sudden change?
The contract that I signed with Real World - which included a distribution deal with Virgin - came to an end last year. After that I had a series of lengthy discussions with Henri de Bodinat, the new director of Sono. And the upshot is that from now on Sono's going to be looking after all my recording work. I think it's much better for me to be with a record company based in France rather than one in England. We're just hoping that Sono are going to be behind us on this new album and give us a good budget to promote it - I think the new album's really got what it takes to sell! Do you have any other production projects on the horizon?
Yes, next year I'm planning to get back to producing a number of young up-and-coming groups on Time International Production (TIP), the label I set up in Brussels. I recently bought a three-storey building in Brussels to house TIP, my offices and my nightclub.
What about music projects in Kinshasa ?
I'd love to go back home and spend a decent amount of the year in Kinshasa. But each time I try and head back there there's some major political upset. The other problem is that I have to stay in Europe because of my recording contracts. But I love Kinshasa and I try to get back there whenever I can. It's fantastic! There's always n'dombolo blaring out on every street corner and in the Matonge neighbourhood there's always this really electric atmosphere. There's a lot of interesting young musicians out there too, but the problem is they don't have the money to promote their music outside Kinshasa.
You've got a major concert coming up at in Paris at the Zénith which marks a bit of a double celebration for you, doesn't it, Papa? You turned 50 on June 14th this year and you're just about to celebrate 30 years in the music business (c.f. archives). I believe you've got another major concert coming up in Kinshasa as well …
Yes, that's right! We're organising the "Papa Wemba - Fula-Ngenge Festival", which is going to be a big festival which is going to run between July 21st and July 25th. I've invited all my friends over for the occasion, so there'll be a whole lot of African singers and musicians, as well as everyone who helped me launch my career in Europe.
(So, cyber music fans, watch this space for more Papa Wemba info. soon!)
François Bensignor
Translation : Julie Street
24/10/2003 -
31/12/2001 -
31/12/2001 -
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