THE MUTUASHI QUEEN'S REIGN EXTENDS BEYOND HER DEATH

Although DRC has had a galaxy of women musicians, from the days of Pauline Lisanga at Loningisa studios in 1952 to the era of Marcel Ebibya, Lucy Eyenga, and the generation of Mbilia Bell, and even those who came after her, like Cindy Le Coeur, Tshala Muana's contribution to Congolese music stands out for several reasons.

She is the face of Mutwashi. She did not invent the dance, but she brought it from the villages and spruced it up for an international audience.

She literally created the Mutuashi kingship and ruled over it with great authority. Her dancing prowess, described by others as almost explicit, was magnetic, drawing fans who would travel long distances to attend her shows. Her typical African woman physique was seemingly built for the dance.

On this, she easily had an edge over her competitors. The genre of music she performed—Mutuashi, a traditional dance of the Baluba people from the Kasai Province in the DRC—was more danceable due to the heavy drum beats. She stuck to this folk dance, making it extremely popular and gaining international recognition, using modern equipment and recording in contemporary studios. In contrast, other musicians opted for rumba, a Cuban style that was imported into Congo, flavored with local influences, and later domesticated.

The fact that she mostly sang in her native Tshiluba dialect gave her music a unique signature, easily identifiable with the Baluba culture and tradition, which is considered an important heritage of the country.

Ndombolo, as a dance style, would be comparable to Mutwashi if it had stood on its own as a genre, but unfortunately, that wasn't the case. It was incorporated as an animation into techno-soukous, unlike Mutwashi, which remained independent.

Tshala Muana was born Elizabeth Muidikayi, to Madeus Muidikayi, an army man, and Alphonsine Tumba, on March 13, 1958, in Elisabethville (now Lubumbashi). She began her music career as a dancer for several top musicians, including Mpongo Love and Abeti Masikini, in Kinshasa in the mid-1970s. It wasn't until 1981, when she traveled to Paris, that her potential as a gifted songwriter and vocalist began to emerge. It was in Paris that she released her first album, titled Kami, featuring session guitarist Rigo Star and others. She also had several musical sojourns in West Africa, where she collaborated with local musicians.

She released more than a dozen albums throughout her musical career, with some songs becoming some of Congo's most popular. Some of her most famous songs include "Dezo Dezo," "Nasi Nabali," "Vuluka Dilolo," "Tshibola," "Malu," "Bena Moyo," and "Kokola," among many others.

The Queen of Mutuashi, as she was popularly known, also straddled life beyond music, dabbling in politics. After the May 1997 ouster of Mobutu Sese Seko, the Junta, led by Laurent Kabila, appointed her to the transitional government. More recently, two years ago, her song "Ingratitude" was interpreted by authorities as a critique of the government, landing her in trouble. She was arrested but later released. Having been a close political ally of the Kabila family, the song was seen as an indirect message to the new president, Félix Tshisekedi, for reneging on his post-election agreement with Joseph Kabila, the former president.

Unlike Mbilia Bell, whose entry into music was assisted by Tabuley, who mentored her, Tshala Muana was guided but walked her own path to success. Her success in music resonates far and wide, even beyond her death. Fans will be holding several events across African cities and Europe to mark the anniversary of her passing.