Alicios Theluji (last name pronounced ''Ze-loo-gee''), (born in 1987), is a Congolese

recording artist A musician is someone who composes, conducts, or performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general term used to designate a person who follows music as a profession. Musicians include songwriters, ...

, based in

Nairobi Nairobi is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Kenya. The city lies in the south-central part of Kenya, at an elevation of . The name is derived from the Maasai language, Maasai phrase , which translates to 'place of cool waters', a ...

Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...

. She sings in both

Swahili Swahili may refer to: * Swahili language, a Bantu language officially used in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda and widely spoken in the African Great Lakes. * Swahili people, an ethnic group in East Africa. * Swahili culture, the culture of the Swahili p ...

and

Lingala Lingala (or Ngala, Lingala: ) is a Bantu languages, Bantu language spoken in the northwest of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the northern half of the Republic of the Congo, in their capitals, Kinshasa and Brazzaville, and to a lesser de ...

, but also fluent in

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

and

French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

Background and education

She was born in

Goma Goma is a city in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the North Kivu, North Kivu Province; it is located on the northern shore of Lake Kivu and shares borders with the Bukumu Chiefdo ...

, in the eastern part of the

Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), also known as the DR Congo, Congo-Kinshasa, or simply the Congo (the last ambiguously also referring to the neighbouring Republic of the Congo), is a country in Central Africa. By land area, it is t ...

in 1987, to "Jacky Kahara Laini" and a father who was a businessman. Her mother was a singer and tailor. Theluji's father died in an automobile accident when she was four years old. The family, which included Theluji, two siblings and their mother, relocated to

Kinshasa Kinshasa (; ; ), formerly named Léopoldville from 1881–1966 (), is the Capital city, capital and Cities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kinshasa is one of the world's fastest-grow ...

, the capital and largest city in DR Congo. In 1993, when she was six years old, the family visited Kenya, but they returned to DR Congo. In 1996, when the

First Congo War The First Congo War, also known as Africa's First World War, was a Civil war, civil and international military conflict that lasted from 24 October 1996 to 16 May 1997, primarily taking place in Zaire (which was renamed the Democratic Republi ...

that removed

Mobutu Sese Seko Mobutu Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa za Banga ( ; born Joseph-Désiré Mobutu; 14 October 1930 – 7 September 1997), often shortened to Mobutu Sese Seko or Mobutu and also known by his initials MSS, was a Congolese politician and military officer ...

from power broke out, the family took refugee in

. Alicios attended St. Mary's Academy, Nairobi for her high school education. She then left Kenya to attend

Blekinge Institute of Technology The Blekinge Institute of Technology (BTH; ) is a public, state funded Sweden, Swedish institute of technology in Blekinge with 5,900 students (part-time, full-time) and offers about 30 educational programmes in 11 departments at two campuses loca ...

, where she graduated with a

Bachelor of Science A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, B.S., B.Sc., SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree that is awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Scienc ...

Economics Economics () is a behavioral science that studies the Production (economics), production, distribution (economics), distribution, and Consumption (economics), consumption of goods and services. Economics focuses on the behaviour and interac ...

. She also holds a Master of Science in Business Management from an institution in

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...

Career

Alicios recorded her first song Mpita Njia, in 2011 and released it in 2012, when she was still an undergraduate. The song, was composed and written by herself, it featured vocals from the

Uganda Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the ...

n performing artist

Juliana Kanyomozi Juliana Kanyomozi (born 27 November 1980) is a Ugandan musician and actress . She is a multiple award-winning pop musician, R&B and Afro Beat Singer. She is one of Western Uganda's descent among other musicians including Angella Katatumba, Al ...

. Alicios maintains a successful solo-recording career, with collaboration from other leading East African artists on some of the records. She now spends lot of her time in

where her mother and step-sister also live. In 2017 Alicios signed a recording deal with Kenya's Biggest Record label Taurus Musik which is also a label for

Lady Jaydee Judith Wambura Mbibo (born 15 June 1979), known by her stage name Lady Jaydee also referred to as ''"Lady JayDee in town"'' or ''"Lady Jay Dee"'', is a Tanzanian singer. She specializes in the R&B, Zouk (musical movement), Zouk and Afro Pop genre ...

Alicios Theluji is the mother of one son called Kito, born circa 2015. His father is also DR Congolese, the two met when she was 13 years old.

References

External links

List of Alicios Theluji Videos At Youtube.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Theluji, Alicios Living people 1987 births 21st-century Democratic Republic of the Congo women singers Democratic Republic of the Congo songwriters Alumni of St. Mary's School, Nairobi

Background and education

Career

See also

References

External links