Ferré Gola

Hervé Gola Bataringe (born 3 March 1976), known professionally as Ferré Gola, is a Congolese singer-songwriter, dancer, and record producer. Revered as "Jésus de Nuances", he is regarded as one of the most significant figures of the fifth-generation Congolese rumba. His lyrics predominantly revolve around themes of love, social support, and interpersonal relationships.

Bataringe began his music career as a member of the Kinshasa-based Rumba des Jeunes ensemble. In 1994, he was spotted and recruited by Werrason into the soukous band Wenge Musica. Following the band's dissolution in December 1997, Bataringe joined the newly formed Wenge Musica Maison Mère. He rose to prominence with his breakthrough single "Vita-Imana," which was featured on the band's 1999 album Solola Bien!. In 2004, Bataringe co-founded the band Les Marquis de Maison Mère alongside Bill Clinton Kalonji and JDT Mulopwe. Their double album, Miracles, garnered continental acclaim, and the band received a nomination at the Kora Awards.

In 2005, Bataringe joined Koffi Olomidé's Quartier Latin International before venturing into his solo career in 2006 with his debut studio album, Sens Interdit. In 2009, he released his second studio album, Qui est derrière toi?, which gained widespread popularity across Africa and earned a gold record from SACEM, selling over 110,000 copies. In December 2011, he released a three-track maxi-single titled Avant-goût, which earned him a nomination for Best Male Artist of Central Africa at the 2012 Kora Awards. Bataringe's third studio album, Boite Noire, released on 19 July 2013, sold 10,000 copies in five hours in Paris. It debuted in the top two spots on the iTunes bestsellers in the World Music category in France, Canada, and Belgium. It also peaked at ninth and twelfth positions in South Africa. In 2014, Bataringe released a five-track maxi-single titled Dérangement,  which earned him a nomination for Best Rumba Artist at the 2015 Afroca Music Awards. In July 2015, he won the Best Male Video at the Bilily Awards and was nominated for Best Central African Male Artist at the African Muzik Magazine Awards.

Bataringe's fourth studio album, QQJD, released on 9 June 2017, debuted at number one, two, and three on the iTunes World Music category on its release day. On 4 March 2017, he won the Best African Artist at the Canal 2'Or. On 25 March 2022, he released his fifth studio album, Dynastie Volume 1, which amassed over one million streams on Spotify within 21 days of its debut and peaked at number-one on the Best Sellers category on French Amazon Music. Dynastie Volume 1 also won the accolade for Best African Melody Album from Sony Music Entertainment Africa. On 13 October 2023, he released his sixth studio album, Dynastie 2 Volume 1. On 26 October 2023, he issued Dynastie 2 Volume 2.

1976–1996: Early life, education and Wenge Musica
Ferré Gola was born as Hervé Gola Bataringe on 3 March 1976, in the Kintambo commune of Kinshasa, in what was then Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo). He spent his formative years in the Ngiri-Ngiri commune, raised by his mother alongside his siblings. He is the seventh of nine children, born to parents of mixed Teke and Yombe parentage. From a tender age, Gola harbored dreams of becoming a professional musician, drawing inspiration from Franco Luambo, OK Jazz, Carlyto Lassa, Tabu Ley Rochereau, Simaro Lutumba, King Kester Emeneya, Papa Wemba, Youssou N'Dour, and Salif Keita. He actively participated in local musicians' rehearsals after school and started composing music. The family later relocated to the Bandalungwa commune, where Gola joined the Rumba des Jeunes ensemble and began honing his skills in Congolese rumba.

In 1994, during a talent fair in Bandalungwa, he was spotted and recruited by Werrason into the soukous band Wenge Musica. In 1996, Gola was henceforth named Ferré by Adolphe Dominguez in reference to the Italian stylist Gianfranco Ferré, which contributed to his full stage name "Ferré Gola".

1997–2003: Wenge Musica Maison Mère (WMMM)
Following the band split in 1997, he became a constituent of the newly formed Wenge Musica Maison Mère (WMMM), which was led by Werrason, Didier Masela, and Adolphe Dominguez. Ferré Gola gained prominence in 1999 after releasing his single "Vita-Imana" from the band's album Solola Bien!. "Vita-Imana" debuted as the Best Song of the Year 2000 by the Congolese press and achieved widespread success in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, and Kenya. In 2001, Gola became the band's director after the departure of Christian Mabanga and founder Didier Masela, and took on a bigger role after Adolphe Dominguez left. In 2002, WMMM released their third studio album, A la Queue Leu-Leu, where Gola was the sole artist to compose two songs ("Chetani" and "Victime d'amour") and later performed "Nostalgie", a song by Elliot Mondombe in a duet with Héritier Watanabe.

2004–2005: Les Marquis de Maison Mère and Quartier Latin International
In 2004, WMMM toured Europe, but disputes materialized during their stay in the UK. Following these occurrences, Gola co-founded Les Marquis de Maison Mère with Bill Clinton Kalonji and JDT Mulopwe. The band released their debut 18-track double album, Miracles, which included Ferré Gola's internationally acclaimed hits "100 Kilos", "Amour Intérêt", and "Papitcho Nyanx". Miracles received widespread acclaim and further catapulted Gola into the spotlight.

In 2005, he joined Koffi Olomidé's Quartier Latin International as a singer and composer and contributed significantly to Olomide's maxi-single Boma Nga N'Elengi and solo studio album Danger de mort, notably on tracks such as "Sisi Silvie" and "Insecticide."

2006–2012: Sens Interdit, Qui est derrière toi?, Zénith de Paris, and Avant-goût
In 2006, Gola released his debut solo studio album, Sens Interdit. Consisting of 12 tracks, Sens Interdit was produced under DRTV Production, with Gola also serving as a producer alongside Norbert Dabira. The album was recorded at Studio Recorder and featured backing vocalists such as Bivarai, Cele Zino, and Mirage Supersonic, as well as instrumentalists including Michel Bass, Lumana Masewu on bass, and Japonais Maladi on lead guitar. Shortly after its debut, he secured a sponsorship deal with the DRC's Bralima Primus beer brand. Sens Interdit 's success helped expand Gola's fanbase across Africa, leading to performances in France, Belgium, and various Schengen Area states alongside his collective, Jet Set, in January 2008. After his return to Kinshasa, he released Lubukulukumu, a 2-track compact disc which contains the ndombolo-infused theme song "Lubukulukumu" for Primus and a remixed version of "Vita Imana" to promote Jet Set. In March 2008, he performed at the Elysée Montmartre in Paris. In August 2008, he hosted a sold-out concert in Cabinda Province, Angola, and made a guest appearance on Nsimba Lufwankenda's studio album Contre Mur later that year. In May 2009, during an interview with Radio Okapi, Gola announced that his forthcoming 18-track double album, Qui est derrière toi?, was nearly complete. He embarked on an American tour and later toured Paris for music video production with some finishes in Abidjan. Qui est derrière toi? was released on 15 October 2009, in Paris and Kinshasa markets under DRTV Production and Kiki Productions, with Norbert Dabira as the executive producer. It featured backing vocals by Bivaray, Cele Zino, and Fila Jems, and instrumental work by Giscard Bass and Michel Bass on bass guitar, Djoudjou Ché on drums, and guitar work by Marc House and Olivier Tshimanga. The album was a fusion of Congolese rumba, R&B, and ndombolo, and received wide acclaim across Africa and France. On 12 September 2011, it clinched three awards at the Trophées des Arts Afro Caribéens, including Best Singer in Africa, Best Male Voice in Central Africa, and Best Video for "Zazou". In October of that year, Qui est derrière toi? garnered gold certification from SACEM after selling over 110,000 copies across Africa, America, and Europe. In November–December of that year, he participated in the cultural programming of the Wallonie-Bruxelles Center in Kinshasa, alongside Lexxus Legal, Mantuila, and Félix Manuaku Waku.

In May 2010, he took the stage at the Zénith de Paris with Jet Set, accompanied by music columnists Tshitenge from Radio Télévision Groupe Avenir and Hélène Kalemba from Raga TV. He sold over 4,500 tickets and performed several hits from his album, including "Maboko Pamba", "3ème Doigt", and "Zazou".

On 12 September 2011, Gola won four French Trophées des Arts Afro-Caribéens for Best African Singer, Best Central African Male Voice, Best Song for "Zazou" and Best Clip.

In December 2011, he released the maxi-single titled Avant-goût, containing three tracks: "Tchekele Pete", "Porte-Monnaie", and "Leke Leke". On 30 December 2012, he was nominated for Best Central African Male Artist for his song "Tchekele Pete" at the Kora Awards.

2013–2015: Boite noire, collaborative ventures, Battle Afro, Francofolies Festival, and Dérangement
In February 2011, during an interview with host Marc Tabu in Paris, aired on TVS 1 in Kinshasa, Gola revealed that his forthcoming double album Boite noire was in the conclusive phases of production. Boite noire was initially slated for release in 2012, but its release was postponed to 19 July 2013. Distributed across two volumes with a total of 22 tracks, and produced by Diego Music, Boite noire blended Congolese rumba, kudoro, and ndombolo. Boite noire sold 10,000 copies in five hours in Paris. Three days later, it debuted first and second place on the iTunes bestsellers in the World Music category in France, Canada, and Belgium. It also clinched ninth and twelfth spots in South Africa. The single "Pakadjuma" peaked at number five on Trace Africa's Top 10 chart, while "Chichiwash" secured the third spot on the Top 30 chart. Boite noire success augmented his visibility, leading to invitations for collaborations on the compilation Les Chroniques du Wati Boss featuring the French rapper Dry on the track "J'ai tout donné". He also collaborated with Black Bazar and Izé Teixeira on the song "Songa Flesh", which was produced by Alain Mabanckou.

In October 2013, Gola served as a member of the jury for Battle Afro, alongside artists like Alicia Fall, Phil Darwin, Mokobé, Lino Versace, and Serge Beynaud. Boite noire official presentation took place on 9 November 2013, at the Grand Hôtel in Kinshasa.

On 13 February 2014, Gola was a featured guest at the 7th edition of the Anoumabo Urban Music Festival (FEMUA) in Abidjan, hosted by Magic System at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, and subsequently earned two nominations for Best Central African Artist at Kundé d'Or and Best Francophone Artist at the 2014 MTV Africa Music Awards. In June 2014, he performed at the Bralima-sponsored Primus Fete de la Musique at the Théâtre de Verdure in Mont Ngaliema. He was later nominated for the Best Male Central Africa at the African Muzik Magazine Awards.

In September 2014, Gola participated in the Francofolies festival in Kinshasa, sharing the spotlight with Lokua Kanza, Youssoupha, Fally Ipupa, Werrason, Lexxus Legal, La fouine, Johnny Clegg, and Passi.

Recorded simultaneously with Boite noire since mid-2013, Gola released a 5-track maxi-single titled Dérangement at the end of 2014, featuring the flagship song "Vieux Jaloux". In May 2015, he was nominated for Best Rumba Artist at the Afroca Music Awards in Brazzaville. In June 2015, he issued the ndombolo-infused single "Seben" on the Kinshasa market, which was met with great success. On 11 July 2015, Gola won the Best Male Video at the Bilily Awards in Kinshasa and was subsequently nominated for Best Central African Male Artist at African Muzik Magazine Awards. He also made a cameo appearance on French rapper Gradur's mixtape ShegueyVara 2, featuring on the track "Motema". Gola took the stage on 27 November 2015 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi, followed by a performance in Kisumu at Club Buccaneers alongside Dola Kabarry and Prezda Bandasson on December 5. Later in December, Gola received a nomination for Best Male Artist of Central Africa at the Kora Awards.

2016–2018: QQJD
In March 2015, Gola announced his forthcoming double album, Qu'est ce que j'avais dit, acronym QQJD. He teamed up with Kenyan singer Victoria Kimani on the single "Tucheze" and later made a guest appearance on J. Martins' album Authentic on the track "Ekelebe". On 30 September 2016, he dropped the single "ManiX", declaring its inclusion on QQJD, and on 18 December 2016, he dropped the ndombolo-infused dance track "Boss". The Congolese rumba-infused "Jugement" premiered on his birthday on 3 March 2017 and garnered immense success, debuting at the top of the Congolese charts and amassed over a million views on YouTube within three weeks. While engrossed in album production, Gola won the Best African Artist on 4 March 2017 at the eleventh edition of Canal 2'Or, hosted by the Cameroonian television channel Canal 2 International at the Palais des Congrès in Yaoundé. The event was attended by the First Lady of Cameroon, Chantal Biya, and Gola was subsequently honored by the DRC's Ministry of Culture and Arts, Sylvain Maurice Masheke. In April 2017, to celebrate his decade-long music career and promote QQJD, Gola performed in Lagos alongside J. Martins.

QQJD made its official debut on 9 June 2017. It comprises 33 tracks distributed across three compact discs (Red, Blue, and Gold), which symbolize the Congolese flag's colors, with each disc containing eleven tracks. QQJD blended Congolese rumba and ndombolo. The three volumes peaked at No. 1, 2, and 3 in the iTunes world music category on its release day. To further promote QQJD, Gola embarked on several concerts in Kenya, Angola, and Central African Republic. On 30 June 2017, he performed in Moscow, Russia, and later received a nomination for Best Central African Artist at the All Africa Music Awards on 22 July. On 28 July, he headlined the "QQJD Evening" in Brussels before returning to Kinshasa to perform at Espace Amaryllis in the Ngaliema commune and receiving a nomination at the HAPA Music Awards. Gola concluded his tour with performances in Abidjan and Kisangani, followed by a show in Hawaii on 1 January 2018.

2019–2022: COVID-19 response, Casino de Paris concert and Dynastie Volume 1
During the burgeoning exigency of the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa, Gola premiered an acoustic live set titled "Home Acoustique" on 5 May 2020 from his home to urge people to stay indoors. The performance garnered widespread acclaim, inspiring fellow Congolese artists to emulate the concept. He subsequently participated in a virtual concert, "Africa Together," organized by the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement in partnership with Facebook to counter COVID-19 misinformation and advocate sustained vigilance against the pandemic.

Gola was slated to perform at the Casino de Paris on 7 November 2021, but the concert was canceled one month before the rescheduled date without any explanation. In January 2021, Gola announced his upcoming double album, Dynastie Volume 1, which he said would feature his former bandmates from Wenge Musica Maison Mère, as well as several collaborations with Jet Set musicians. On 22 February 2021, he performed at the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. In March 2021, Gola went to Guadeloupe to film music videos for the album. On 11 March 2022, he released the album's single "Rumba Trap," which blended Congolese rumba and trap music. On 17 March of that year, Gola officially signed a record deal with the Sony Music Africa label based in South Africa for the release of Dynastie Volume 1,  which debuted on 25 March 2022, across various platforms including Spotify, Deezer, iTunes, and YouTube. It includes 17 tracks plus a bonus track with different music styles ranging from Congolese rumba, trap music, salsa, ndombolo, R&B, and hip-hop. The album features guest appearances by Josey, Innoss'B, and Chily. The songs on the album explore themes of love, disappointment, and social life. Within 21 days of its debut, Dynastie Volume 1 amassed over one million streams on Spotify and peaked at number-one in the top Best Sellers category on French Amazon Music.

Following the album's launch, Gola embarked on performances in Nigeria and Guinea to boost its promotion. However, his tour concluded in early June due to legal issues in Paris concerning his family. Gola spent two months in prison and was released in August 2022. In gratitude to his fan base, he released a song titled "Liberté", which garnered one million views on YouTube within three weeks. After a brief stint in Paris, Gola hosted a VIP live concert at the Sofitel Hôtel Ivoire in Ivory Coast before returning back to Kinshasa on 10 November 2022. He then performed at Kin Plaza Arjaan in Kinshasa, where he was joined onstage by Keblack and Chily. Towards the end of November of that year, Dynastie Volume 1 clinched the accolade for Best African Melody Album from Sony Music Entertainment Africa.

2023–present: Dynastie 2 Volume 1 and Dynastie 2 Volume 2
During an interview with musical pundits of Elengi Ya CongoTV on 30 November 2022, Gola revealed that the first volume of his sixth studio album, Dynastie 2, was almost finished and would include collaborations with South African amapiano artists and former Wenge Musica Maison Mère bandmates. To boost the album's promotion, Gola launched the single "Bizorbi" on 20 January 2023, which amassed one million views in six days. "Bizorbi" gained more widespread acclaim following his concert at Salle Elmas in Évreux, France on 11 February 2023, where he delivered a distinctive rendition of the song, triggering a trend on social media known as the "#Bizorbichallenge" on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, which was embraced by celebrities such as Cameroonian singer Blanche Bailly, Nigerian actress Ruth Kadiri, Nigerian singer Iyanya, and others. On 7 June, he organized an American tour with Jet Set for two concerts scheduled for June 10 and 11 at Lincoln Square Mall in Urbana, Illinois.

On 24 June, Gola achieved a sold-out performance at the Stade des Martyrs, attracting a crowd of over 100,000 to a venue with an 80,000-person capacity. Ivorian singer Willy Dumbo introduced him onstage, where Gola was joined by Kenyan singer Victoria Kimani. Werrason ranked the concert in the top three of the best performances ever made in the stadium. Congolese-French singer Gims extolled him as "the man of the stadiums". The Congolese digital news outlet Mbote.cd named the concert as the "Show of the Year".

On 6 August, he performed a quick playback at the closing ceremony of the 2023 Jeux de la Francophonie, offering an a cappella tribute to the victims of the ongoing Kivu conflicts in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Later that evening, he took the stage at the Esplanade Du Palais Du Peuple in Kinshasa for the penultimate day of the Nuits de la Francophonie event.

The first volume of Dynastie 2 was finally released on 13 October, comprising 20 tracks and characterized by a predominant blend of Congolese rumba, ndombolo, and soukous. It featured guest appearances by Soleil Wanga, Modogo, Serge Mabiala, Malage de Lugendo, Pikass Mbayambo, Baby Ndombe, and Miel De Son. Shortly after its debut, it experienced commercial success, peaking at the top of sales on major Congolese platforms such as iTunes, Spotify, and Deezer, as well as number one on African Amazon Music charts. It also peaked at number one on the French iTunes charts. A week later, Dynastie 2 Volume 1 reached 177th position on the Belgian Top 200 best-selling albums and 72nd on England's top 100 most downloaded albums on the Internet and digital platforms.

While promoting Dynastie 2 Volume 1 on 16 October, Gola announced the impending release of the second volume of Dynastie 2. Initially slated for release on 27 October, Dynastie 2 Volume 2 came out on 26 October, comprising 20 previously unreleased tracks. It includes guest appearances by JDT Mulopwe, Celeo Scram, Aimélia Lias, Papy Kakol, Deplick Pomba, Michel Basse, Charlie Solo, Thierry Finite, Buffalo, Eboa Lotin, Ali Mbonda, and Cappucino. Within 48 hours of its debut, the album reached number ten on the French iTunes charts.

To bolster album promotion, Gola announced a series of concerts in the United States, referred to as the "American tour". The tour kicked off on 4 November in Dallas and wrapped up on 24 March 2024 in Champaign, encompassing performances in cities like Washington, Cincinnati, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Charlotte.

On 20-21 April 2024, Gola performed two consecutive sold-out concerts with Jet 7 at the Porte de La Chapelle Arena in Paris. He was joined onstage by several guests, including Tiesco Le Sultan, Singuila, Barbara Pravi, Koffi Olomide, Hiro, and Chily. He thus became the second artist overall to perform there and the first African artist to do so.

Discography
Since the debut of his solo career, Gola released six full-length albums:


 * Sens Interdit (2006)
 * Qui Est Derrière Toi  (2009)
 * Avant Goût – EP (2011)
 * Boîte Noire (2013)
 * Dérangement – EP (2014)
 * QQJD (2017)
 * Dynastie Volume 1 (2022)
 * Dynastie 2 Volume 1 (2023)
 * Dynastie 2 Volume 2 (2023)

With WMMM

 * Force D'Intervention Rapide (1998)
 * Solola Bien (1999)
 * Terrain Eza Miné (2000)
 * Kibuisa Mpimpa (2001)
 * À La Queue Leu-Leu (2002)
 * Tindika Lokito (2003)

With Les Marquis

 * Miracles (2004)

With Quartier Latin

 * Boma Nga N'Elengi (2005)
 * Danger de Mort (2006)