Kolinga is more than just music – Kolinga is an energy. In Lingala, ‘Kolinga’ means ‘to love’ or, with the emphasis on the ‘i’, ‘to create connections’. It is this unifying, enveloping force that lies at the heart of the project: it builds bridges between people and worlds and leads us to the hidden corners of our soul – to the place where we feel that we are all one.

Kolinga is led by the musician, author, composer and singer Rébecca M’Boungou. In her songs, she tells stories that have long been overlooked or suppressed – stories of women, of ancestors who still lived in harmony with the rhythms of nature and whose wisdom still resonates today. Musically, Kolinga navigates a fascinating interplay of contemporary music, jazz and Bantu influences. Rébecca’s powerful, passionate lyrics tackle themes such as feminism, childhood, ecology and decolonisation – always linked to a deeply personal level. When groove and emotion come together, magic happens: hearts begin to beat in unison, bodies start to move. Together with an extraordinary band – Jérôme Martineau Ricotti (drums), Jérémie Poirier Quinot (flute, keyboard, vocals), Johary Rakotondramasy (bass), Joël Riffard (guitar) and Vianney Desplantes (flugabone, euphonium, vocals) – Kolinga creates an intense, transcendent experience on stage for all who are ready to immerse themselves fully in it.