L'Orchestre Bella Bella, sometimes simply called Bella Bella, was a prominent soukous band from the Democratic Republic of the Congo that emerged in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The group was founded in 1969 by the Soki brothers, Maxim (Soki Vangu) and Emile (Soki Dianzenza). Emile, who was only sixteen when the band started, quickly became a teen idol among the youth of Kinshasa. Bella Bella, along with bands like Shama Shama, was known for popularizing a smoother, softer style within the soukous music scene. Their early lineup included guitarists Johnny Roger and Jean Bosco, and the group recorded several hits such as "Baboti bapekisi," "Sylvie," and "Alexandrine."
Around 1972, the band underwent significant lineup changes and internal disputes. One result of this was Emile temporarily leaving the group to form a spin-off, Bella Mambo. During this period, the band brought in other notable musicians, including Nyboma and Pepe Kalle, the latter joining temporarily to earn money for his own band, Empire Bakuba. With Kalle, Bella Bella maintained its strong position in the soukous scene with hits like "Mbuta" and "Lipua Lipua." Emile rejoined his brother in Bella Bella in 1973. In the same year, the Soki brothers established their own record label, Allez-y frères Soki, releasing two highly successful singles, "Bienvenue Doudou" and "Sentina," which were written with the help of Dizzy Mandjeku. This success allowed the Soki brothers to eventually sponsor other ensembles, such as Papa Wemba's Viva La Musica.
In 1977, while the Soki brothers were on tour in Europe, Emile experienced health issues that led to a nervous breakdown and his final departure from the band. Maxim attempted to revitalize Bella Bella, but many long-time members left in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Despite recruiting new talent like Kanda Bongo Man and Diblo Dibala, the band's decline could not be reversed. Ultimately, Maxim Soki Vangu dissolved Orchestre Bella Bella and relocated to Germany. Tragically, Emile Soki Dianzenza died in 1990 at the age of thirty-five, followed two weeks later by his brother, Maxim Soki Vangu, who passed away in Germany at forty-two years old.