Kolinga
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About
Originally founded as a duo by Rébecca M’Boungou and Arnaud Estor, Kolinga has evolved into a sextet—yet it has always remained true to the elements that have defined its success from the beginning: a catchy synthesis of pop, soul, jazz, hip-hop, folk, rock, and Congolese rumba, with lyrics in French, Lingala, and English.
On their 2022 album Legacy, Rébecca tells her story—her familial, personal, and spiritual heritage—through a sophisticated musical narrative. Kolinga means to connect or to love in Lingala, the main language of the Democratic Republic of Congo. An irresistible blend carried by the warmth of Rébecca’s unique voice and the melodic inventiveness of the musicians who accompany her. Legacy speaks of polyphonic identity, of the ghosts of history and a rootless present, of the memories we chase and the ones we run from.
Kolinga’s sensuous and elegant music goes straight to the body, drawing from a thousand sources, with vocals that reveal the inner conflict of an artist caught between two worlds—who, at barely thirty years old, has become the voice of a virtuosic collective.
Press
“”Legacy” is a record that deals with the complexity of personal identity and the euphoria that comes from a feeling of belonging as well as the melancholy and weight of constant alienation. “Legacy” bears this burden. But accompanied by six musicians, […] it does not feel as heavy anymore. A record that excels in and beyond its musical range.”
– Nothing But Hope And Passion, DE
“Rébecca Mboungou combines soul and chanson with highlife and Afrobeat. An album that tells of how enriching it can be to grow up with two cultures.”
– SWR 2, DE (“Tandem” Album of the Week)
“The dark piano chords in the intro are almost reminiscent of Nina Simone, a worthy prelude to a grandiose work…. Each piece a small and large world in itself in this sound globalized in the best sense. An Afro music of the future.”
– Jazzthing, DE
„Legacy is a moving journey into the space between cultures.“
– Jazzethik, DE