KISSANGWA
Singer - Drummer - Composer
- Songwriter, and Producer
Describe
your style.
My music is a blend of
Traditional Congolese music with some AFRO JAM - AFRO JAZZ - AFRO SOUL… I am a
musician who can comfortably sit in any genre from nothing. I can create
everything. I am limitless in terms of musical creativity.
Who
or what has been your greatest influence on your style?
My musical influence
comes from my Congolese roots with artists like: Franco, Tabu Ley, Abeti Masikini and some of the African finest like: Youssou
N'Dour, Salif Keita or Myriam Makeba also worldwide musician form soul, to
funk, jazz and reggae music with people like Bob Marley and the Wailers,
Prince, Steve Wonder, James Brown
How
did you get started in your career?
I
grew up singing, and one day my neighbor heard me and asked me to join the
youth choir. And after that, I joined a couple of bands. By watching different
bands from my area, I learned to play a few instruments like guitar, drum, and
percussion.
What
struggles or barriers did you face, or are you facing to promote yourself and
your work?
As
you know, music takes hard work to sharpen your craft; after working and
producing different artists, I thought that now is the perfect time to work on
my own music and let the people hear what I can come with! It is a new
experience, but I am excited about the journey.
What
life lessons have you learned, and how have they influenced your style?
The life lesson that I
have learned is that I have to be me and be original!
Always keep your head up cause it's never too late in life!
Provide an example of your work.
I present to you my
new single: KEEP THAT JOY!
When I wrote the song, I was inspired by the event of life. I was going through
ups and downs!
You can listen to the song here:
https://soundcloud.com/user-941654736/kissangwa-keep-that-joy/s-LtyH47Xzd7f
Was it a long writing process or did you just pick up your guitar and play?
It started with a guitar line, and then I wrote words on it. Yes, it was a long
process; the song has to grow after ten years, here we are.
Do you have a particular feeling you want to portray through your release?
Through my release, I have a feeling of encouragement. I want to lift people’s
spirits up. I hope people gonna find some joy when they hear the song!
What was the recording process like? Were other people involved, or was it a
solo project?
It took some musicians to play some instruments.
1. Mike Soper and William Scott brass section
2. John Kelly and Chris Bakalanga on guitars
3. Mulele Matondo on bass
Is there a story behind your video?
The primary goal is to spread good energy through music and lyrics.
It is a very catchy song, so the purpose is to evoke joy through the video as
well.
In the video, you can see a woman who is depressed sitting on her bed, hearing
sad news. Suddenly a whispering comes from her canvas hanging on the wall that
tells her to keep that joy!
What is your website and social media for my readers to be able
to follow you?
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Akongorekordsltd
