Paul Mwanga (1932–2016) was a vocalist and composer. He was one of the early pioneers of
Congolese rumba. He was born in
Angola
, national_anthem = " Angola Avante"()
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capital = Luanda
, religion =
, religion_year = 2020
, religion_ref =
, coordina ...
.
In 1944, when modern Congolese music was only in its earliest days, Paul Mwanga's music gained popular review among the local public. He began his career working in the company of seminal greats such as
Wendo, and recorded a number of hits on the
Opika
Opika was an early record label in the Congo, which recorded and promoted African pop, guitar, and rumba - not only from the Congo, but from Cameroon and Ghana as well. The label also recognized the value of ethnographic recordings, which were fea ...
Label teaming up with famous "Hawaiian" style guitarist Jhimmy (
Zacharie Elenga
Zacharie Elenga was a virtuoso guitarist and one of the founding fathers of modern Congolese music. His unique style of playing led him to be popularly known as Jhimmy the Hawaiian, or simply Jhimmy.
Born in Brazzaville to a Congolese father and ...
).
Around 1950 or 1951
Nicolas Kasanda, later to be popularly known as Docteur Nico, made his debut singing behind Paul Mwanga.
In 1958 Mwanga signed to the young recording label
Ngoma, which began a new period for him where his fame reached its height for his career. At the time he was one of the principal artists recording in the language
Kikongo.
Mwanga passed away in 2016. Shortly before that, he took part in Alan Brain's documentary The Rumba Kings, released in 2021.
References
Soukous musicians
20th-century Angolan male singers
{{Africa-musician-stub