15 April 2021

Release of album MOPEPE MAMA

Award-winning Belgian-Congolese Singer-Songwriter Syssi Mananga releases Mopepe Mama, a 12-track album infused with a blend of afro pop, folk and jazz sonorities, that pays tribute to womanhood.

DISCOVER

Syssi Mananga drops MOKILI music video to celebrate the Mopepe Mama Album Release on April 15, 2021

Syssi Mananga drops MOKILI, an apology and a commitment to our Mother Earth

31 March 2021

After Mopepe and Nawe, MOKILI is the third and last single to come out before the "Mopepe Mama" album release on April 15. 

Mokili means Earth in Lingala. In this a capella track which blends African vocals, latin percussions, European classical influences and ethnic rap, Mankind's voices address Mother Earth in a mea culpa that transcends cultures and geographies. The afrobeat song is also a commitment to restore our Planet Earth and protect her going forward.

MOKILI features two-times MTV Base Award Nominee Ugandan Rapper Keya Nemesis. The music video for MOKILI will be released on April 15 at the same time as the Album Mopepe Mama will drop.

LISTEN NOW

New Video | NAWE

08 March 2021

Nawe is Semi-Finalist of the ISC

Nawe was just selected as semi-finalist of the International Songwriting Competition whose jury is composed of ColdPlay, Bebe Rexha, Dua Lipa and many more acclaimed artists 🤩They received 26,000 entries and only 9% of songs made it to the semi-final including #Nawe 😎 So Proud !!! Watch the music video of Nawe now.

LIST OF ISC SEMI-FINALISTS

26 February 2021

Syssi Mananga releases "Nawe", an afro-reggae ballad that calls for choosing love against all odds

As she announced it at the beginning of January, Syssi Mananga is back in 2021 with a new album called "Mopepe Mama" which will be released in April. Until then she will be releasing a single each month. The first single “Mopepe" was released on January 28th. Today, it’s Nawe’s turn to make its big debut.

Nawe means "I'm dying" in Lingala, the mother tongue of the Belgo-Congolese artist. With this afro-reggae ballad, the winner of the “Beyond Music” competition (founded by Tina Turner) sings the regret of having let go of one's beloved because of social pressure and the pain of having to miss one’s soulmate forever. Nawe urges you to stand by your loved one against all odds, no matter how different or how wrong people tell you (s)he is for you.

Nawe has also just been selected as semi-finalist of the International SongWriting Contest in the "World Music" category, with Cold Play, Dua Lipa, Bebe Rexha, Laura Pausini and many other celebrities as judges.

For this second single, the Kora Award nominee collaborated with virtuoso musicians from the World Music and international scenes, including Congolese guitarist  Chris Bakalanga (Freshlyground), South African bassist  Shaun Johannes and Irish percussionist  Ronan M. Skillen.

Nawe's music video will be released on March 5, 2021.

LISTEN NOW

NEW VIDEO | Mopepe

05 February 2021 

WATCH "MOPEPE" MUSIC VIDEO 

The music video of Mopepe premiered on YouTube on Friday February 5. Watch it and leave a comment if you enjoyed it!

Mopepe is the first single out from Syssi Mananga's forthcoming world music album «Mopepe Mama». With this world music tune rich in #afropop vibes, the award-wining singer-songwriter celebrates women and mothers. Mopepe means "wind" but also "spirit" in Lingala (language of Congo). With this music video, the Congolese musician shows women from different religion, ethnicities, cultures and geographies, but that all share similar traits. Mopepe mamas are brave, driven and passionate women. Proud of their unique heritage, their spirit is as free and untamable as the wind. Mopepe mamas lead a life driven by their own dreams, away from mainstream trends. Open-minded, natural, spiritual, adventurous, fearless dreamers and achievers are the Mopepe mamas. The song asks "What can stop the frantic race of the Mopepe mama?" The answer: her children. Mopepe's children ground her and, for them, her love is as powerful and all-embracing as the wind. #mopepemama

NEW SINGLE | Mopepe

January 28, 2021

Syssi Mananga drops Mopepe, an afrofolk hymn to women as untamable as the wind

Syssi Mananga announced it in a personal video to her followers at the beginning of January. She is back in 2021 with a new album, called "Mopepe Mama", which will be released this Spring . The first single from this long-awaited opus is called Mopepe.

Mopepe means “wind” but also “spirit” in Lingala, the mother tongue of the Congolese-Belgian artist. Infused with the afro-blend and acoustic signature of the singer of Tala Ngai, Mopepe celebrates women as free-spirited and untamable as the wind. With Mopepe, Syssi's captivating voice tells of a passionate woman determined to make her dreams come true. A multicultural woman, proud of her unique difference. A natural woman, that leads her life away from mainstream trends. A spiritual woman, with a creative and adventurous drive, that nothing, or almost nothing, could stop ... 

With Mopepe, the AFRIMMA Award Nominee, talks about herself who is also known as the Mopepe Mama. "Who can stop the crazy race of the wind?" says the song. The answer: her children - Four kids that ground her and for whom her love is as powerful and all-embracing as the wind.

For this single, the winner of the Beyond Music Project (2019) collaborated with virtuoso musicians from the World Music and international scenes, including Congolese guitarist Chris Bakalanga (Freshlyground), South African bassist Shaun Johannes and Swiss flutist Sandro Friedrich. The track is mixed by the talented percussionist and producer Ronan M. Skillen. The music video of Mopepe, shot in Kenya, will be released on February 5, 2021.

listen now

Apr 25 2021

Mopepe Mama sur BBC Africa

Mag de la culture BBC Africa - Syssi Mananga : " mes amis m'appellent la femme du vent". #MopepeMama

Les échos de la vitalité de la culture africaine et de sa diaspora avec Valérie Bony. Ecoute l'interview ici: https://www.bbc.com/afrique/bbc_afrique_radio/w172y1wzct2jcs4