Soukous icon Koffi Olomide arrived in Namibia yesterday for his concert set for the Independence stadium tomorrow.
Koffi is back for his second gig in Namibia since 2005, and DJ Vuyo is happy to perform on the same stage. Officially known as
Mushe Musomi, DJ Vuyo told VIBEZ! sharing the stage with such an icon means a lot to him – and now that music events have been hyped up in the country, he feels great entertaining Namibia with his industry colleagues.
“For me, this means the world; it’s Katima to the world, and it’s an unexplainable feeling. Koffi coming to Namibia only means the country has become a hotspot, which is a good thing,” he happily said.
Host of the show Che ‘The Goddess’ Ulenga feels genres like kwasa kwasa/soukous and rhumba are the backbone of Nambian music, and artists are still respected in that regard. “Remember the Namibia Annual Music Awards when PDK won the best soukous/kwasa kwasa category; that has a lot to do with our history. The beat came from Congo, through Angola to Namibia and making it softer as we have it today,” she highlighted. Ulenga stated that Koffi is the king of his crop, recalling watching him on the Penduka music.
“This is something we enjoy as Africans; it’s something that brings people together. It is that genre that unites people and countries.”
She further said the connection between Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania) and Koffi is like bringing two generations of soukous/kwasa kwasa together. “I want Namibians to embrace that part of music, and we have been doing it.” On her role for the night, Ulenga said she is more than ready to be the bridge between the soukous/kwasa kwasa lovers and artists. “Before he comes on stage, I would want to open the dance floor and create a space where they can let loose because those hips need to work,” she said excitedly before heading back to rehearsals.
The only group specialising in soukous/kwasa kwasa on the list of performers – 4×4 Too Much Power – say they are ready to set the stadium on fire with their electric performances. “We are going to perform out of this world. That is a guarantee,” assured Fanfan Mandende, the percussionist and spokesperson of the 12-member band. Although they love being part of the line-up and can’t wait to show the world what they are made of, they have received some concerns from their supporters on why the band is performing so early. Tate Buti, King Tee Dee, One Blood, Ethnix, PDK, Top Cheri, Adora, LeatherMein, Tswazis and Santiago are the entertainers in the night. The show starts at 13h00.