Engracia Domingos da Silva (born 10 April 1992), known professionally as Pongo, is an Angolan-Portuguese singer and songwriter.

Early life

Born in Luanda, Angola, Pongo immigrated with her family to Lisboa, Portugal, escaping from the Angolan civil war. In the new country, her mother worked as a maid and her father worked as a construction laborer. She lived in a shelter room for five years with the other four members of her family, sharing a bed with her two sisters. Her father was very strict and wouldn't let Pongo and her sisters have a social life. Finding it hard to endure these difficulties, at 12 years old she threw herself from the seventh floor of the building where she lived, sustaining injuries and breaking a leg. During the initial phases of her recovery, she couldn't walk and her father nicknamed her

M'Pongo Love Aimee Françoise M'Pongo Langu (27 August 1956 – 15 January 1990), known professionally as M'Pongo Love, was a Congolese singer and songwriter. First taking up singing in a church choir, she quit her job when she was 19 years old to pursue a car ...

, after the name of a Congolese singer very well known in Angola who had endured a period where she couldn't walk because of an unsuccessful polio treatment. On her way to one of the

physical therapy Physical therapy (PT), also known as physiotherapy, is one of the allied health professions. It is provided by physical therapists who promote, maintain, or restore health through physical examination, diagnosis, management, prognosis, patient ...

sessions across the city, in a neighborhood with African immigrants, Pongo saw for the first time the kuduro group Denon Squad performing on the street. After her recovery, she started dancing with the group and singing rap. She adopted the

stage name A stage name is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. Such professional aliases are adopted for a wide variety of reasons and they may be similar, or nearly identical, to an individu ...

Pongolove, later abbreviated to Pongo.

Career

Pongo's participation in Denon Squad led her to meet Buraka Som Sistema. She performed on a stage for the first time with them in 2008 in the Music Box concert venue in

Lisbon Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...

. In the same year, she became known in Portugal for the song "Kalemba (Wegue Wegue)", written and recorded by her. This song was part of the soundtracks of the games Need for Speed: Shift and FIFA 10, and was extensively played on YouTube, with over ten million views. Pongo performed with Buraka Som Sistema for two years, then left the group for disputes relating to

royalties A royalty payment is a payment made by one party to another that owns a particular asset, for the right to ongoing use of that asset. Royalties are typically agreed upon as a percentage of gross or net revenues derived from the use of an asset o ...

of the song "Kalemba (Wegue Wegue)". To help raise her sisters, Pongo worked in menial jobs after her father abandoned the family. One day, while working as a housecleaner, she heard "Wegue Wegue" playing on the radio and then decided to return to focusing on her career. Pongo's career recovery was accelerated in 2018 by the launch of her first EP, "Baia", and in 2019 by her participation in the

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

festival Fête de la musique, performing in the Élysée, official residence of the French presidency, being hosted by

Emmanuel Macron Emmanuel Macron (; born 21 December 1977) is a French politician who has served as President of France since 2017. ''Ex officio'', he is also one of the two Co-Princes of Andorra. Prior to his presidency, Macron served as Minister of Econ ...

, when she became known as the "Diva of Kuduro". In 2020 she launched her second EP, "Uwa" (a word that means "step" in

kimbundo Kimbundu, a Bantu language which has sometimes been called Mbundu or 'North Mbundu' (see Umbundu), is the second-most-widely-spoken Bantu language in Angola. Its speakers are concentrated in the north-west of the country, notably in the ...

, one of Angola's official languages). In 2020 Pongo won the ''Music Moves Europe Talent Award''.

Discography

Albums

References

{{reflist 1992 births Living people People from Luanda 21st-century Angolan women singers Angolan emigrants to Portugal Angolan songwriters