CONGOLESE MUSICIAN CARLYTO LASSA IS DEAD

August 31, 2026 - 07:30 PM

Congolese musician Carlyto Lassa is dead. The sad news was broken by fellow musician Jeannot Bell, who is based in London, in a post on Facebook. The post, however, did not divulge further details regarding the circumstances of his death.

Carlyto, who was known for his melodious tenor voice, first made a name for himself alongside Debaba and Defao at Choc Stars, before joining OK Jazz, the legendary orchestra of Franco Luambo. He excelled with songs such as Maya and Affaire Kitikwala, both composed by Simaro Lutumba, among others. He also performed numerous nzing-nzong sessions with dozens of musicians. Among them was the ever-popular Bon Samaritain album by Papa Noël, which was recorded at IAD Studios in Brazzaville in 1984.

Carlyto later converted to Christianity and became a preacher, adopting the name Pastor Charles Ndombasi. He released several gospel albums and preached in both Paris and Kinshasa. Born in 1961, Carlyto initially pursued tailoring as a career before he was discovered by Gérard Madiata, the famous Congolese singer who headed Congo Jazz. He also sang with Jeannot Bombenga of Vox Africa.

Italy-based choreographer Eugène Magina, who describes Carlyto as the greatest singer to have graced Congolese music, said the music scene has lost an important pillar. Carlyto Lassa leaves behind a rich musical legacy that straddled both secular and gospel music.

By Jerome Ogola