In the male-dominated world of Congolese rumba in the early 1980s, one woman’s voice rose above the guitars. Mbilia Bel became known as the “Queen of African Rumba” and “Queen Cleopatra”, and she is regarded as one of the most influential figures in twentieth-century African popular music.
Kinshasa
She was born Marie-Claire Mboyo Moseka on 10 January 1959 in Léopoldville, now Kinshasa, in what was then the Belgian Congo.
A start at 15
In 1974, at the age of 15, she answered a radio advertisement looking for backing singers for Abeti Masikini’s group, Les Redoutables. It was the start of her professional career.
Sam Mangwana
She later sang with the star Sam Mangwana, gaining experience on stage and in the studio with one of the leading names in Congolese music.
Afrisa International
A saxophonist in Tabu Ley Rochereau’s band, Michel Sax, recommended her to Tabu Ley as a replacement for the Yondo Sisters, two singing and dancing siblings who had left Afrisa International. Impressed by her audition, Tabu Ley renamed her “Mbilia Bel“. She joined the band in 1981.
Mpeve Ya Longo
Her lead vocals debuted on the 1982 hit “Mpeve Ya Longo”, written by Tabu Ley. The song introduced her to audiences across Africa.
Eswi Yo Wapi
“Eswi Yo Wapi”, which she composed with Tabu Ley, won the Best Song award, and she was named Best New Artist. With Afrisa, she toured widely and recorded many popular songs.
A female star
Mbilia Bel was among the first women to become a headline star in Congolese rumba, not a backing singer. Her success opened doors for other women in the genre.
Solo career
After years with Afrisa, she released her debut solo album, Phénomène, in 1988. Later albums include Belissimo in 2004, The Queen in 2011, Royaume d’amour in 2014, Signature 8646 in 2017 and Big Mama in 2021.
Across Africa
Her music was loved far beyond Congo, especially in East Africa, where Congolese rumba was hugely popular. Her concerts drew large crowds in Kenya, Tanzania and elsewhere.
Still singing
Decades after her first hit, Mbilia Bel continues to perform. For fans who grew up with Afrisa’s records, her voice remains the sound of rumba’s golden age, when a young woman from Kinshasa proved she belonged at the front of the stage.
