In Gabon, music is a tool for visibility both inside and outside the country
The current President's mother is a famous singer too
Originally published on Global Voices
Screen capture from the music video for La Gabonaise on the artist Nigassi's Youtube channel
Gabonese music has become one of the most visible musical scenes in Central Africa over the last ten years, despite the dominance of Congolese and Cameroonian musical sounds.
Although relatively sparsely populated, the Republic of Gabon is a land rich in cultural and ethnic diversity. Pierre Akéndéngué, who was born in 1943, is credited as one of Gabonese music's forerunners, ever since the release of his first album ‘Nkere’ in 1973. As his hit ‘Libérée la liberté’ (‘Freedom set free’) shows, he is also a politically committed artist. The song, in which he denounces the signs of dictatorship in his country, was released as a single in 2016:
Alongside Akéndéngué, we find other big names in Gabonese music: solo artists that include Pierre Claver Zeng, Mackjoss, Aziz’Inanga, Martin Rompavet, and Hilarion Nguéma, and groups like Akwéza, Massako, and Diablotins.
These pioneers have laid the foundations upon which a new generation of artists is trying to build its art, across different musical strands. The Gabonese generation from the 1990s to the 2010s is inspired not only by the wealth of traditional music, but also by more modern material coming out of other African countries and the rest of the world.
The influence of imported rhythms
Whether it be the late artist Olivier N'goma‘s brand of afro-zouk (inspired by zouk, a Caribbean musical rhythm), soukous and rumba (musical styles originating in the Democratic Republic of Congo), or rap, young Gabonese artists are finding inspiration in music which comes from outside.
‘Betty’ is one of N'goma's well-known songs:
Patience Dabany is not only the mother of Gabon's current president Ali Bongo, but also a well established artist who acts as a bridge between the old and the new generation. She represents the Congolese soukous and rumba current which inspires so many Gabonese musicians, and which has given rise to two of her big hits, ‘Ewawa’ and ‘On vous connaît’:
Traditional music in the present
This doesn't mean, however, that the Gabonese musical tradition has been abandoned. Vickoss Ekondo is one artist who has consistently been able to run the country's traditional colours up the flagpole, and is considered a cornerstone of the genre:
On August 14, 2023, Ekondo passed away at the age of 72. President Bongo relayed the news of his death via his his X account [formerly Twitter], where he paid him homage and described him as a monument to Gabonese music:
Dieu vient de rappeler à lui Vyckos Ekondo.
C'est une icône, un monument de la #musique gabonaise qui s'en va.
Mais son œuvre, elle, restera éternelle.
Que le “Roi du Tandima” repose en paix.
Mes condoléances à sa famille et à ses très nombreux fans dont je fais partie.#Gabon pic.twitter.com/ZRVlIl06kS— Ali Bongo Ondimba (@PresidentABO) August 14, 2023
God has called to his side Vyckos Ekondo.
An icon, a monument of Gabonese #music passes on.
But his work iself will remain eternal.
May the “King of Tandima” rest in peace.
My condolences to his family and his numerous fans, of whom I am one.#Gabon pic.twitter.com/ZRVlIl06kS— Ali Bongo Ondimba (@PresidentABO) August 14, 2023
Other political figures like Mike Jocktane also paid him homage:
Hier, alors que nous nous préparions pour notre meeting de #Mouila, nous avons été frappés par la triste nouvelle du décès de #Vyckos_Ekondo, roi du #Tandima et l'un des baobabs de la musique traditionnelle Gabonaise.
Toutes mes condoléances au #Peuple_gabonaisDr #MikeJocktane pic.twitter.com/4Pf7xvseBD
— Mike Jocktane (@mikejocktane) August 15, 2023
Yesterday, just as we were preparing for our meeting in #Mouila, we were hit by the sad news of the passing of #Vyckos_Ekondo, King of #Tandima and one of the veteran trees of Gabonese traditional music.
All my condolences to the Gabonese people #Peuple_gabonaisDr #MikeJocktane pic.twitter.com/4Pf7xvseBD
— Mike Jocktane (@mikejocktane) August 15, 2023
Following on the trail Ekondo has blazed are other artists such as Pape Nziengui, Laurianne Ekondo, and Nicole Amogho, who are inspired by the traditional styles. Zang Gabon's song ‘Mouyanga ba mambangue’ also features one of Gabon's traditional dances:
Another video, by the artist Prisca Along, illustrates Gabonese traditional and spiritual initiation rites:
Towards globalization
The post-2010 generation of Gabonese artists is trying to modernize its production, and is often strongly influenced by new African trends, especially Nigerian and Ivorian. In the roster of contemporary artists are Creol, Shan'l, Jeune Vili, General Itachi, Emma'a, L'oiseau rare 8G, Don'zer, and Eboloko.
With the globalization of musical art, these young artists can more easily export their sound. In 2019, for example, Shan'l was declared best female artist in Central Africa in the All Africa Music Awards (Afrima):
Even if there is little discussion about Gabonese music on social media channels, a collaboration between Emma'a et Shan'l, currently in the pipeline, has not gone unnoticed. BweliTribe, an African news and urban music channel, discusses it on its X page:
#BTBrandNew | SHAN'L CHEZ SONY MUSIC AFRIQUE.
C’est Officiel ! Shan’L signe chez Sony Music Afrique, elle est actuellement en studio avec Emma'a, qui elle nous prépare un EP.
On a hâte d’écouter les pépites de nos 2 stars pic.twitter.com/Co06hSVPdM
— BweliTribe (@BweliTribe) July 31, 2023
#BTBrandNew | SHAN'L ON SONY MUSIC AFRICA.
It's Official! Shan’L signs with Sony Music Africa, in the studio right now with Emma'a, who is herself getting an EP ready for us.
Can't wait to hear our 2 stars’ gems pic.twitter.com/Co06hSVPdM
— BweliTribe (@BweliTribe) July 31, 2023
For many African countries, visibility on the world's cultural stage comes nowadays through the route of music; now, Gabon can be also proud of its young artists and musical ambassadors.
For a cross-section of Gabon's musical output, see the Spotify playlist below, and for further eclectic world music, see Global Voices’ Spotify profile.