Congolese Star Aspires To Break Into French R&B

MONKAGEDI GAOTLHOBOGWE
Staff Writer | Monday November 9, 2009 00:00

The Democratic Republic Congo (DRC) artist is trying to break into the market as a star in the relatively new genre of soul zouk or smooth kwasa-kwasa style.

He was in Gaborone last Friday to market his music style, courtesy of the Alliance Francaise, the French cultural centre, which is providing enthusiasts in African countries especially with the opportunity to travel around and market their art or music talent.

Although Maluwe says his visit to Botswana was the first of its kind through the Alliance Francaise, Jaccuzi says the network has already sponsored him to record his debut album in Senegal, where some of the finest music studios are found. His album should be on the market in a month or two.

Of interest is the fact that Jaccuzi's debut album will hit the shelves after 10 years of promotional activities through DRC television network. He has been releasing music videos for singles since 1999, just to build a reputation in the competitive zouk market in the vast DRC.

Jaccuzi says in DRC one has to first create enough hype around him so that by the time the music album is out, the market is more than ready to buy the product. He says all the five music videos were sponsored by the Alliance Francaise as well.

'They are quite unique. They (Alliance Francaise) create a platform for exposure for their artists. The cultural centres in Africa help promote artists because the network is so big.

I got to know about him through a cultural centre in Lubumbashi,' says director of Alliance Francaise, Jean-Marc Depiere. Jaccuzi's ultimate dream is to see himself mesmerising Paris audiences with his blend of Zouk/ R'n' B. He says he has been inspired by a Rwandan-born singer, Corneille, who is now a household name in the genre, performing in French. There is also a performer called Vibe, a Caribbean French singer, as well as other African-French artistes such as Matt Houston and Tragedy, who also do French R 'n' B. It may have been Jaccuzi's first-ever visit to Botswana, but with so much interest in DR-Congo music here resulting in household names such as Franco, Les Africa Sounds, Chris Manto 7, and many others, Jaccuzi is the first to admit that the 'possibility of doing a concert here is tempting'.