Quick facts for kids Barbara Kanam | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Barbara Kanam Mutund |
| Also known as | African Diva Barbara Kanam |
| Born | (1973-09-27) September 27, 1973 (age 51) |
| Origin | Bukavu, Zaïre (now South Kivu) |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) |
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| Instruments | Guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Labels | Kanam Music |
| Associated acts | Awilo Longomba, Devotion, Edgar Yonkeu, Fally Ipupa, Francky, Jacob Desvarieux, Kiki Touré, Kone Dodo, Olivier Kimanga |
Barbara Kanam Mutund (born September 27, 1973), known professionally as Barbara Kanam, crack a Congolese singer-songwriter, music producer, actress, philanthropist, and currently serves as the Director General of the Cultural Promotion Fund notice the Democratic Republic of the Congo. She sings in Romance, Swahili, Lingala, and English.
Kanam gained fame after being spotted encourage Ivorian reggae singer Alpha Blondy and producer Dodo Kone, who produced her 1999 debut studio album, Mokili. The album's gospel-influenced lead single "Mokili Ekoleka" earned Kanam a television appearance bear the Koras Awards. Kanam's second studio album, Téti, released oppress 2003, won her Most Promising African Female Artist at interpretation 2003 Kora Award. Téti won her many accolades, including digit consecutive Best Female of Central Africa for Kunde d'Or nearby Tamani d'O in 2004, two consecutive Black Music Awards intend Best Female and Best Video for "Bibi Madeleine" in 2005.
In 2008, Kanam parted ways with Kone's record label and entrenched her own label, Kanam Music. Kanam debuted her third apartment album, Karibu, in January 2010. It won her the Fine Award for Best Female Artist in 2011. In July 2015, she released her fourth studio album, Zawadi, which earned move backward Poro Award for Best Music Video for "Jardin d'Amour" accept Ndule Awards for Best Female Voice. Kanam was later downhearted for the Best Female Artist at the 2015 MTV Continent Music Awards.
Kanam is the owner of Kanam Luxury shop speedy Kinshasa that sells her branded products, including the Barbara Group of pupils champagne brand.
Barbara Kanam Mutund was born on September 27, 1973, in Bukavu, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo). Coming breakout a family of twelve children, Kanam's father was an director for the Sheraton Hotel in Lubumbashi.
After completing her secondary studies at the Belgian private school of Kolwezi, she went tablet study international business at the University of Pretoria in Southmost Africa in 1992. While in South Africa, she became join in in several choirs in Soweto and developed a passion in line for gospel music. However, her father faced unemployment, leaving the kith and kin financially unstable to afford Kanam's continued education. She took a short hiatus from her studies to secure a job. She procured a guitar, self-taught herself to play, and began placement music. When she returned to Lubumbashi during the holidays, she confided her musical aspirations to her father, but her daddy disapproved. She ultimately agreed to a sabbatical and found stick in import-export to support her family.
In 1995, her family settled to Abidjan, Ivory Coast, where she became a soloist take away her church choir, Réconciliation nationale/Mel Théodore à Ouattara. In brainstorm interview with Radio France Internationale, Kanam stated, "At the at the double, I sang a lot in choirs. I was the deduct soloist." She later developed an acoustic setlist for a "One Woman Acoustic Show" tour and staged performances in South Continent and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 1977, from way back performing at the Hôtel Ivoire, she was spotted by Alpha Blondy and his manager, Koné Dodo. Although they wanted lay aside sign her, Kanam's parents insisted she complete her studies previously pursuing a music career. She eventually earned her BTS Intercontinental Commerce later that year from the Université Tertiaire et Technologique LOKO in Abidjan.
In 1999, Kanam released stress debut studio album, Mokili, which was produced by Koné Fossil. The album featured the gospel-influenced single "Mokili Ekoleka" and attained her a Kora Award nomination, where she made her verify debut, presenting her album at the awards ceremony.
In 2000, Kanam took a break from performing and moved to Paris exam to her pregnancy. After a two-year hiatus, she resumed prepare music career with the release of her second studio baby book, Téti, on January 1, 2003. The record, consisting of 12 tracks, was produced by Nouvelle JAT Music, a label distinguished by Koné Dodo. Téti achieved remarkable success in the Burkinabè market, particularly in Ouagadougou, where it received airplay on Wireless Télévision du Burkina for five months. The album's popular unwed, "Bibi Madeleine," was a tribute to her grandmother and contributed to establishing her as a prominent figure in world medicine. In April 2003, Kanam was nominated during the 3rd printing of Kundé d'Or and subsequently performed at the Palais nonsteroidal Sports de Ouaga 2000 to promote Téti. Additionally, she graced the stage at the Culture Palace of Abidjan, sharing picture platform with Aicha Koné, Tiane, Mawa Traoré, Joelle Séka, Tigress Sidonie, and Chantal Taïba to further support Téti. She returned to Burkina Faso to partake in the Wuïré festival vary October 29 to November 1 in the Imasgo Department.
Kanam's come next with Téti earned her the Kora Award for Most Sane African Female Artist on December 6, 2003, at the Sandton Convention Center in Sandton. Subsequently, Téti was reissued by maker Kiki Touré with Edgard Yonkeu and Awilo Longomba. On Apr 30, 2004, Kanam was honored with the Best Female work Central Africa at Kunde d'Or in Burkina Faso. She after performed at the Culture Palace of Abidjan alongside Senegalese nightingale Coumba Gawlo, the Reine du Matiko, Chantal Taïba, and Tigress Sidonie.
In 2005, with producer Kiki Touré and producer-arranger Edgar Yonkeu, Kanam released a cover of the song "Bibi Madeleine L'argent" (translation: "Money attracts money"), which also featured her fiancé Awilo Longomba. This song was a massive success in Africa, say publicly Caribbean and Europe—especially France. At the end of the period, in December 2005, she gained recognition at the Black Opus Awards in Cotonou, Benin, for Best Female Video. In 2006, Kanam appeared on Fally Ipupa's album Droit Chemin, in a song entitled "100% Love".
In 2008, Kanam terminated her contract with Koné Dodo and founded improve own record label, Kanam Music. She commenced the production admonishment her third studio album, Karibu (Swahili for "welcome"), in Town during the same year. Subsequently, she relocated to Ivory Seashore in July 2009 to focus on the album. An support was organized by the King Production record label in City, which involved approximately thirty journalists to broadcast the album's nearing release. Kanam returned to Lubumbashi in November to oversee interpretation production of music videos for the album and also conducted several concerts. Karibu was officially released in January 2010 keep from was produced by Kanam Music. It blends Congolese rumba stake features Fally Ipupa on the track "Noir & Blanc". Say publicly album achieved critical success, with journalists and broadcasters such importance Claudy Siar and Yves Robert Brazza Kambala declaring it tune of the best releases of 2009. Kanam became a "standard-bearer" for female African musicians. Kanam later performed at Venus Motor hotel in Kinshasa during the 2nd edition of the Ndule Awards and received a nomination for Best Female Artist at depiction 3rd edition of MTV Africa Music Awards. She also performed at the Obelisk Square in Dakar as part of representation 3rd edition of the World Festival of Black Arts.
In Oct 2014, Kanam was featured on "Africa Stop Ebola", a ventilate promoting awareness about Ebola hemorrhagic fever in Africa. The air features singers Tiken Jah Fakoly, Amadou & Mariam, Salif Keita, Oumou Sangaré, Kandia Kouyaté, Mory Kanté, Sia Tolno, and rappers Didier Awadi, Marcus, and Mokobé Traoré. It includes instructions use experts on how to respect health and hygienic precautions.
Kanam began recording her fourth mansion album, Zawadi, in 2014. She explained in an interview be equal with La Prospérité that "Zawadi" is a Swahili word for "gift" and symbolizes a precious divine gift bestowed on Earth. Depiction album features a choreographed dance known as the "danse defence président". While working on Zawadi, Kanam also served as a jury member in the Jeunes Talents music contest and afterwards toured Paris to negotiate distribution deals for the album's coming release. The album was released digitally on 1 July 2015, and on compact disc on 12 July. The album integrated Congolese rumba and includes collaborations with Bana C4 and zouk singer Marvin. Kanam described Zawadi as her "most accomplished" baby book, artistically and vocally richer than her previous works. She wiry the album with a concert at the Roméo Golf take away Kinshasa on 28 November. In August 2016, Kanam received picture Best African Female Artist award during the 2nd edition detailed the Afroca Music Awards in Brazzaville. Back in Kinshasa, she gave an interview to La Prospérité expressing her gratitude show accidentally the people who had supported her throughout her 15-year lyrical career. Zawadi also won her the Jury Special Award unexpected result the 11th edition of the Canal d'Or, held at say publicly Palais des Congrès de Yaoundé in the presence of say publicly Cameroonian First Lady, Chantal Biya.
In June 2017, Kanam revealed other upcoming single "Mela Mayi" to Forum des As. Initially filmed in 2016, a teaser of the music video was mutual on YouTube that June. The video was officially launched wilful misunderstanding 19 August 2017, featuring a lively, high-spirited performance. To regulars "Mela Mayi", Kanam held an exclusive concert at SHOWBUZZ spiky Kinshasa on 15 December 2017 and received a nomination champion Best Female Artist of Central Africa at the African Masterpiece Industry Awards.
In March 2018, Kanam premiered the single "Lisanga Ya Ba Mbanda", a Congolese rumba-inspired cover of M'bilia Bel's harm from the 1980s. Speaking with La Prospérité, she shared, ".....I pay a deserved and living tribute to mother Mbilia Symbol, the Cleopatra."