Fally Ipupa

Fally Ipupa N'simba (born 14 December 1977), known professionally as Fally Ipupa, is a Congolese musician and dancer. Often referred to as the "Prince of Rumba", he is known for his tenor vocals and his fusion of contemporary and traditional Congolese music genres, including Congolese rumba, soukous, and ndombolo. His lyrics often explore themes of romance, suffering, and joy.

Born to a Mongo family in Kinshasa, Ipupa made his public musical debut in 1997, at the age of 20, with the Kinshasa-based band Talent Latent. In 1999, he joined Koffi Olomide's Quartier Latin International, and in 2006, he signed a record deal with Obouo Productions for his debut solo studio album, '' Droit Chemin'', which achieved gold status after selling over 100,000 copies within a month. In 2007, he won the Césaire de la Musique prize for Best Male Performer. In April 2008, Ipupa won the Kundé d'Or for Best Central African Artist. His second studio album, '' Arsenal de Belles Melodies'', included chart-toppers such as " Chaise Électrique" (featuring Olivia) and "Sexy Dance", which became some of his signature songs. The album quickly sold over 100,000 copies. Ipupa subsequently won two consecutive 2010 MTV Africa Music Awards for Best Francophone Artist and Best Video for "Sexy Dance". His third studio album, '' Power "Kosa Leka"'', which spawned the breakout singles " La vie est belle", " Ndoki", and "Service", sold over 30,000 copies in a month.

In 2013, Ipupa won the Trace Urban Music Award for Best African Artist and was signed to the French record label AZ by Julien Creuzard. Following Creuzard's departure from AZ to establish Elektra France in May 2016, Ipupa joined the new label. His fourth studio album, '' Tokooos'', yielded his highest commercial success and was certified platinum by SNEP, making him one of the first Kinshasa-based Congolese solo artists to achieve that honor. ''Tokooos'' also peaked at number five on the French iTunes chart. His fifth studio album, ''Control'', released in November 2018, debuted at No. 10 on the French iTunes chart, while the single "Canne à sucre" became the first Congolese song by a Kinshasa-based artist to enter SNEP's top 200 most downloaded singles in France, reaching No. 91. Ipupa released his sixth studio album, ''Tokooos II'', in December 2020, followed by ''Tokooos II Gold'' on 25 February 2022. On 16 December that year, he published his seventh studio album, ''Formule 7'', which amassed over three million streams on Spotify within 24 hours and was certified gold by SNEP.

In 2014, ''Forbes'' ranked Ipupa as the sixth richest African musician, and ''Jeune Afrique'' named him one of the fifty most influential African artists in 2018. He is the most-streamed French-speaking artist on Boomplay and the most-followed Congolese artist on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Ipupa is also known for his humanitarian work: he is the founder of the Fally Ipupa Foundation, which provides aid to marginalized groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including victims of sexual violence and disease, as well as orphans.

Early life and career

1977–1996: Early life and music debut

Fally Ipupa was born Fally Ipupa N'simba to Mongo parents on 14 December 1977, in Kinshasa, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo), to Monique Bolutuli Mbo and Faustin Ebombo Ipupa. He has a brother and two sisters. Ipupa grew up in the Bandalungwa commune, surrounded by nightclubs, bars, and the headquarters of Wenge Musica, which ignited his interest in music. He was particularly drawn to drums and also sang in a Catholic church with his mother. He recounted to ''Le Point'': "I played congas, tried a bit of guitar, my sister dabbled in gospel, my late mother sang in church, my father liked to listen to music". He later performed music in the streets with improvised instruments, along with his friends Atele Kunianga, Pitshou Luzolo, and Sankara de Kunta. Although his parents hoped for him to pursue a medical career given his aptitude for science, Ipupa remained committed to music. He collaborated with various orchestras and groups, such as Flash Succes, Fraternité Musica, New City de la Bogania, and Kibinda Nkoy, ultimately contributing to the formation of Nouvelle Alliance. He gained a reputation as a singer, dancer, and atalaku, and his proficiency developed as he gained experience with conventional instruments.

1997–1998: Talent Latent

In 1997, Ipupa joined Talent Latent, a music group formed by Mosain Malanda and Faustin Djata, and became the band's conductor. Opting to abandon formal schooling to fully commit to his musical aspirations, he was accompanied by his childhood friends Atele Kunianga and Pitshou Luzolo as well as the ''atalakus'' Lisimo Gentamicine and Cellulaire Yankobo. The band released their debut album, ''A l'oeuvre on connait l'artiste'', in January 1999. It gained national recognition and made a few appearances on the Congolese national television channel RTNC, where Ipupa performed the song "Courte joie". While ''A l'oeuvre on connait l'artiste'' received some recognition, Ipupa began working on the band's second studio album but faced a significant setback as several key members left to establish the group Quartier Latin Académia in Paris, leading to Talent Latent's gradual dissolution.

Faustin Djata, a staff member in Koffi Olomidé's ensemble, introduced Ipupa to Olomidé, who invited him to join his orchestra, earning Ipupa the sobriquet "Anelka" as the "most expensive transfer", an allusion to the high-profile transfer of Nicolas Anelka to Real Madrid.

Quartier Latin International: 1999–2006

Ipupa joined Quartier Latin International in May 1999. During his audition, he sang and danced, leading to his integration into the group as a songwriter, composer, and band conductor. The same year, he also contributed to Koffi Olomidé's solo album ''Attentat'', recorded in South Africa, where his voice featured on such songs as "Victoire", "Caméléon", "Malanda-Ngombé", "Number One", "Nul n'est parfait", and "Kamutshima".

Ipupa included his composition "Éternellement" to Quartier Latin International's fifth studio album, ''Force de Frappe''. He also collaborated with Koffi Olomidé on his 2001 album, ''Effrakata'', including on the track "Effervescent". In 2003, he contributed a song to Quartier Latin International's double album ''Affaire d'Etat''. In 2004, Koffi Olomidé released the album ''Monde Arabe'', which also featured vocals by Ipupa. In a 2009 interview with Radio France Internationale, referring to Koffi Olomidé, Ipupa stated, "At his side, I learned a lot. He is a professional musician artist, very serious in his work. With him, we worked like crazy".

Ipupa left Quartier Latin International in 2006, but in 2016, he took part in a project commemorating the band's 30th anniversary.

Solo career

2006–2008: Debut solo album

While still with Quartier Latin, Ipupa signed a record deal with Obouo Productions for a solo album, titled '' Droit Chemin''. Due to Koffi Olomide's "political controversy", he had no control over Ipupa's record and was absent from its creation. Despite numerous attempts to dissuade him from going solo, including by fellow Quartier Latin musicians, Ipupa entered the studio alongside select Quartier Latin musicians and the arranger Maïka Munan and recorded fifteen songs, twelve of which were selected for the album. At the same time, Ipupa worked on Quartier Latin's next record, ''Danger de Mort''. His solo album was released on 10 June 2006 and included collaborations with Barbara Kanam, Maïka Munan, Krys, Mokobé, and Benji. ''Droit Chemin'' received positive reviews and sold over 100,000 copies, earning Ipupa a gold record. South Africa's TVSA described the album as "trials and tribulations of love". Buoyed by the album's success, Ipupa left Quartier Latin shortly after.

On 7 April 2007, Ipupa sold out the Olympia Hall in Paris, becoming the first Congolese solo artist to do so since Tabu Ley Rochereau in 1970, Abeti Masikini in 1973, and Koffi Olomide in 1998. He was joined onstage by artists like Krys, Benji, and Lokua Kanza. Louise Colcombet, writing for ''Le Parisien'', likened the concert to a messianic arrival and extolled Ipupa as "the rising star of Zairean music". The performance was recorded and released as a DVD, titled ''Live a L'Olympia''.

On 13 July, he joined the African Rhythms event, jointly organized by Radio France Internationale, the Paris City Hall, and the International Organization of La Francophonie, hosted at the Place de la Bastille, with other prominent African musical artists. After his European tour, he performed at the Culture Palace of Abidjan in Ivory Coast, and later returned to Paris for a performance at the Casino de Paris, where he was honored as the Best Male Performer at the Césaire de la Musique awards on 22 October. On 27 October, he participated in an international music festival titled 1st Movicel Live Fest at the Estádio da Cidadela in Luanda, Angola. To round off the year, he received two awards at the Pan-African Music Festival Black Music Awards in Benin.

In 2008, he held a series of concerts in France, Belgium, Germany, the United States, and Cameroon. His increasing recognition in Africa was also acknowledged in Burkina Faso, where he won a Kundé d'Or for Best Central African Artist on 25 April.

2009–2012: ''Arsenal de Belles Melodies'', "Hands Across the World"

Ipupa began working on his second studio album, '' Arsenal de Belles Melodies'', in early 2008. In May 2009, he represented the album to a crowd of 90,000 people at the Creole Night event hosted at Stade de France in Paris by Kassav', to celebrate their 30th anniversary. ''Arsenal de Belles Melodies'' was released in June 2009, three years after ''Droit Chemin''. Consisting of 16 tracks and co-produced by Obouo Productions and Because Music, the album featured American singer Olivia Longott on the single " Chaise Électrique", as well as dancehall artist Krys on "Sexy Dance". ''Arsenal de Belles Melodies'' sold over 100,000 copies, including 40,000 in just one week. That same year, Ipupa won the Trophées des Arts Afro-Caribéens as well as a gold record. He went on to perform at the Zenith de Paris on 2 January 2010. To further support his album, Ipupa delivered a performance in Germany, followed by a concert at the Accor Arena in Paris in July, alongside Papa Wemba and Koffi Olomide. He subsequently performed in Belgium, Switzerland, and the US. Other concerts were called off due to threats emanating from the Combattants, a dissident faction critical of then-Congolese president Joseph Kabila, and Congolese artists who were aligned with him. ''Arsenal de Belles Melodies'' won three Ndule Awards in Kinshasa, including Best Album of the Year, Best Music Video, and Best Song.

On 10 November, Ipupa was featured on "Hands Across the World", a song composed and produced by American singer R. Kelly. The track served as the debut release by the African supergroup One 8, which consisted of Amani, Ali Kiba, Navio, 2face Idibia, JK, 4x4, and Movaizhaleine. On 14 December, Ipupa won two consecutive MTV Africa Music Awards for Best Video for "Sexy Dance" and Best Francophone Artist.

He was slated to perform again at the Zénith de Paris on 1 January 2011, but the concert was postponed to 12 March 2011, due to challenges in obtaining a travel visa. '' Le Potentiel'' reported that Maison Schengen, a visa consultancy agency, had denied European visas to multiple artists based in Kinshasa. The verdict sparked public reactions, with demonstrators protesting in front of the DRC's Ministry of the Interior and Security. Despite the visa challenges, Ipupa sold out the venue and was nominated for Best International African Artist at the BET Awards, which he followed with a sold-out performance at Stade de France in June 2011 during the Nuit Africaine event, alongside other African artists like Werrason, Jessy Matador, Patience Dabany, Coumba Gawlo, Oumou Sangaré, Sekouba Bambino, Petit Pays, Meiway, Magic System, Passi, Mokobé, Baaba Maal, Alpha Blondy, Manu Dibango, and Mory Kanté. In September 2011, he won four Afrotainment Museke Online Music Awards and two Okapi Awards. In June 2012, he performed at the Sauti za Busara festival in Zanzibar, alongside Extra Musica, JB Mpiana, and Werrason.

2013: ''Power "Kosa Leka"'' and "Kitoko"

In February 2013, Ipupa revealed on Trace Urban's show ''Guest Star'' that his third studio album, '' Power "Kosa Leka"'', would feature "different nationalities" as well as a track titled "Sex'plosif" with American rapper Eve. The record, released on 5 April 2013, was a blend of Congolese rumba, ndombolo, and hip hop. Critic Claudy Siar, reviewing the album for RFI, called it "one of the best productions on the Afro musical planet". However, shortly after its debut, "Sex'plosif" was not included in the tracklist. Jointly produced by Obouo Productions and Because Music, ''Power "Kosa Leka"'' was supported by the singles "Emeraude", "1000% Mawa", "Anissa", "Skype", " Ndoki", " La vie est belle", "Amour Assassin", "Double Clic", "Kosa Leka", "Service", "Hustler Is Back", "Nourrisson", and "Stop à la Guerre". The music video for "Ndoki" amassed over 150,000 views on YouTube within a week. To promote the album, Ipupa embarked on a Pan-African tour, with live shows in Ivory Coast, Angola, Cameroon, Gabon, the DRC, the Republic of the Congo, as well as the UAE.

On 11 April, a week after the album's debut, Ipupa was signed by Julien Creuzard to the AZ label, a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, for the production of three international albums. On 14 May 2013, he won the Trace Urban Music Awards for Best African Artist. On 18 May 2013, he performed at the MTV Africa All Stars concert at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, South Africa, alongside Snoop Dogg, 2Face Idibia, and Flavour. On 23 June, Ipupa released the single "Kitoko", featuring Youssoupha, followed by a music video in September. The track was initially slated for inclusion on the international album but was ultimately released as a standalone single.

2014–2015: F'Victeam, ''Libre Parcours''

In 2006, Ipupa formed a backing band, called F'Victeam, which also functioned as his own record label. The band consisted of guitarists, percussionists, drummers, keyboardists, singers, and atalakus. On 5 May 2014, Ipupa released the ndombolo-infused single "Original" on Facebook and YouTube to promote F'Victeam. The music video featured zouk vocalists Lynnsha and Fanny J and NBA player Serge Ibaka dancing to the song. It also included scenes from several of Ipupa's previous live shows. "Original" revived ndombolo, which had seen a decline partly due to the migration of Congolese artists to Europe; it amassed over two million views within six months on YouTube. While promoting his group, Ipupa won Best Artist in Central Africa at the African Muzik Magazine Awards, held in Dallas, Texas. He then toured Washington as part of a US-Africa Summit, to which President Barack Obama had invited 47 African leaders, in August 2014. A dozen African artists were selected to attend, with Ipupa being the sole representative from Central Africa.

A few months after "Original"'s launch, Ipupa announced that he would produce F'Victeam's debut album, ''Libre Parcours''. In October, he published the album cover on his Facebook page as well as a few videos of the recording sessions on Instagram. During an interview with ''Afropop Worldwide'', Ipupa clarified that ''Libre Parcours'' is not his fourth studio album but that of his collective, for which he served as producer and featured artist on select tracks. ''Libre Parcours'' was released in March 2015 as a double album and included seven tracks featuring Ipupa, one with Shella Mputu (ex-singer of Quartier Latin International) and another with Christy Lova, daughter of Ntesa Dalienst. It sold nearly 15,000 copies in one week, including 5,000 following its launch.

On 18 April 2015, Ipupa was invited to Washington by the World Bank to participate in Global Citizen Earth Day and delivered a concert on the National Mall in front of 250,000 people. After his visit to the US, he took part in the Anoumabo Urban Music Festival in Abidjan, an event organized by the Ivorian band Magic System. Ipupa was honored with the Special Prize for African Integration by the Ministry of African Integration and Ivorians Abroad. On 28 June, he received a nomination for Best International Act at the BET Awards. He also performed at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, singing the songs "La vie est belle", "Original", and "Libre Parcours 2". In September, he gave two performances, at Hotel Palm Camayenne and Esplanade of the People's Palace in Conakry, Guinea, in promotion of African music. On 21 August, he played at the People's Convention Center in Dallas, followed by a concert in Houston on 28 August. He presented his previous album, ''Power "Kosa Leka"'', on 29 August in Portland, followed by concerts in Atlanta on 30 August and Minneapolis on 4 September. On 5 September, Ipupa performed in Washington, concluding his American tour with a concert in New York on 6 September. He later returned to Dallas to participate in the AFRIMMA ceremony, where he was nominated for Best Central Africa Artist and Best African Artist. In Africa, he performed in Lubumbashi, Kolwezi, and Likasi, and was summoned by President José Eduardo dos Santos to be part of the observance of Angola's Independence Day on 11 November.

2016–2017: ''Tokooos'' album and tours

Following his record deal with the AZ label in 2013, Ipupa began recording his first international album, '' Tokooos'', in October 2015. He teamed up with Nigerian singer Wizkid in Paris to record a single, which came out on 6 October. In March 2016, he issued the single "Hymne Coca-Cola" on YouTube for a Coca-Cola campaign in the DRC. The next month, he was featured on the eponymous debut album by French rapper MHD, on the track "Ma vie". In May 2016, Julien Creuzard departed from AZ to establish the new label Elektra France, with Ipupa now under its banner. At the same time, he organized an American tour with F'Victeam and approached R. Kelly for collaboration on ''Tokooos''. In late November 2016, he announced via Instagram a collaboration with French rapper Booba. Their single, "Kiname" (a contraction of Kinshasa and Paname, the latter being an etymologically unclear reference to the city of Paris), was released on 7 December, and the music video was made available on 14 December. "Kiname" was certified gold on 16 May 2017 by SNEP. Ipupa went on to release the single "Eloko Oyo" on 7 April, a traditional song of the Mongo people. On 16 June, Ipupa released "Bad Boy", featuring Aya Nakamura, a track that contains a sample of a guitar riff played by Simaro Lutumba in his 1983 song "Faute ya Commerçant".

On 22 June, Ipupa was scheduled to perform at La Cigale in Paris to present his forthcoming album. The proceeds from the concert were intended for donation to UNICEF to aid in the fight against chronic malnutrition among African youth. The show was canceled by the Paris Police Prefecture, however, due to concerns about potential "serious disturbances to public order" stemming from threats by the ''Combattants''.

''Tokooos'' was released on 7 July 2017 by Elektra France, a subsidiary of Warner Music France. It marked a departure from Ipupa's previous work, venturing into urban music. The album comprised 18 tracks, with a range of styles from Congolese rumba, French hip hop, R&B, and Afro-pop. The album's title derived its name from the Lingala word ''kitoko'', signifying something good and exuding a positive aura. Building on this concept, Ipupa coined the term "Tokooos music" to describe his new artistic style and musical philosophy. In an interview with a ''BET Buzz'' affiliate in France, Ipupa stated that, "On my fourth album, I wanted to create a bridge between Kinshasa and Paris; I have done it all in Africa, but I would like to win this French market." On ''Tokooos'', Ipupa experimented by singing some tracks entirely in French, whereas his previous material had mostly been sung in Lingala. The album included guest artists such as R. Kelly, Booba, MHD, Naza, KeBlack, Wizkid, Aya Nakamura, and Shay. As part of its promotion, he was invited to Frédéric Musa's urban show '' Planète Rap'' on Skyrock from 10 to 14 July.

Two tours were organized for ''Tokooos'', collectively known as the Tokooos Tour, with approximately fifty concerts held in various international cities. The first leg commenced on 2 September 2017 in Lomé, Togo, and concluded on 19 February 2018 in Los Angeles. Ipupa capped off 2017 by winning the title of "Best International Artist of the Year" in the Skyrock 2017 awards. The second leg of the tour, held from March to August 2018, included concerts and showcases across African countries and Europe.

2018–2019: ''Control'' and Accor Arena concert

Recorded simultaneously with ''Tokooos'' since the end of 2016 and in preparation for his return to Congolese rumba, Ipupa released three promotional singles from his forthcoming fifth album, ''Control'': "École", on 25 July 2018, "Canne à sucre" on 31 August 2018, and "Aime-moi" on 26 October 2018. ''Control'' was published on 2 November 2018. The album was mainly recorded in Ipupa's own studio, Tokooos Studio, and Studio Ndiaye in Kinshasa, with some finishing touches done in Parisian studios. It consisted of 31 songs, including the three previously released singles. Ipupa presented the record on the program ''Journal Afrique'' on TV5Monde a week after its release and announced a concert in Kinshasa on 30 November 2018. ''Control'' was a commercial success, debuting at No. 10 on the French iTunes chart and ranking No. 10 in the most downloaded albums in France, No. 105 in physical sales, and No. 74 in combined sales. "Canne à sucre" became the first Congolese song for a Kinshasa-based artist to enter SNEP's top 200 of the most downloaded singles in France, reaching No. 91. It also topped ''Music in Africa'''s list of "Top 5 Best Rumba Songs in 2018".

As had been his practice since 2015, Ipupa announced a summer world tour in 2019, which would cover the US, Zambia, South Africa, the Republic of the Congo, the DRC, and Australia. On 28 February 2020, Ipupa performed at the Accor Arena in Paris in front of 20,000 people. Due to the prohibition of several Congolese concerts on French territory arising from the specter of "serious disturbances to public order" precipitated by the belligerent ''Combatants'', Didier Lallement, the prefect of Paris, passed a decree on 26 February 2020, banning all demonstrations in the vicinity of the arena, and established a security cordon around the venue. A few hours before the start of the concert, violence erupted around the Gare de Lyon by people accusing Ipupa of being too closely associated with the Congolese regime. Despite threats against Ipupa and the event, the concert sold out on the same day.

2020–2022: ''Tokooos II'', ''Tokooos II Gold''

In an interview with ''Afropop Worldwide'' on 10 July 2019, Ipupa announced that his sixth studio album, ''Tokooos II'', was nearing completion. He later promoted the album with a concert at the Accor Arena in Paris on 28 February 2020. ''Tokooos II'' was released on 18 December 2020 by Elektra France. The digital edition contained 16 songs and the physical edition 22. The album features collaborations with Dadju, Naza, Ninho, and M. Pokora and fuses traditional Congolese rumba, soukous, ndombolo, contemporary R&B, and trap beats. Reviewing for ''Pan African Music'', Rémi Benchebra described the album as being "guided by love, a theme dear to rumbists", and "a voice which combines fragility with power". ''Tokooos II'' was well-received, especially in European markets. It entered SNEP's top 200 most downloaded albums in France, where it peaked at No. 80 for a week. The album also gained traction in Belgium, reaching No. 58 on Ultratop's Wallonia chart and No. 100 on Ultratop's Flanders chart. The Congolese rumba-tinged single "Amore", in which Ipupa conveys his sorrow and yearning for the return of a departed lover, achieved gold certification from SNEP and exceeded one million Spotify streams in four months. The soukous-influenced track "Likolo", featuring Ninho, garnered five million Spotify streams in four months, while its music video amassed seven million YouTube views in a month and earned gold certification from SNEP. "Un Coup", a fusion of Congolese rumba and contemporary R&B performed with Dadju, racked up ten million YouTube views in its first month, made it onto Music in Africa's "15 trending clips in Central Africa", and was certified gold in May 2025 after exceeding 15 million streams outside of France. On 26 December 2020, Ipupa sold out the Sofitel Abidjan Hôtel Ivoire in Ivory Coast and received the Best African Artist of the Year prize at the fourth edition of the African Talents Awards. In February 2021, he performed at the Yaoundé Multipurpose Sports Complex in Cameroon in front of 3,000 people, in celebration of president Paul Biya's 88th birthday. To promote the album further, he unveiled a lineup of multiple African concerts, referred to as the "Tokoos II Tour Part I". It kicked off on 9 October in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and concluded on 10 January 2022, in Bafoussam, Cameroon. It covered 19 countries, primarily in French-speaking regions, where Ipupa performed with F'Victeam.

On 26 September 2021, while playing in Kinshasa at ''Foire Internationale de Kinshasa'', Ipupa announced ''Tokooos II Gold'', a follow-up to ''Tokooos II'', with 15 additional tracks added to the original list. A few collaborations enrich ''Tokooos II Gold'', including with Niska on "Chérie coco", Leto & Guy2Bezbar on "Sugar Daddy", Youssoupha on "B.A.T", and Youssou N'Dour on the remix of "Migrant des rêves". He released the promotional single "Nzoto" on 12 November, which blended ndombolo and traditional Congolese rumba, overlaid with Mongo sounds. ''Tokooos II Gold'' was released on 25 February 2022. Prior to its launch, it achieved commercial anticipation, peaking at No. 3 on iTunes France's best-selling pre-orders by 15 February. The album's release followed a successful period for Ipupa, including his recognition as Best Francophone Male Artist at the 7th African Entertainment Awards USA on 26 December 2021 and a performance at the opening ceremony of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations at Olembe Stadium in Cameroon.

In mid-2022, five months after the album's debut, Ipupa launched the "Golden World Tour", performing in major cities across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, including stops in Luanda, Brazzaville, Amsterdam, Paris, London, Brussels, Porto, Spa, Cabinda, Dubai, Düsseldorf, Pointe-Noire, and Kinshasa.

2023–2024: ''Formule 7'', Macron-Ipupa diplomacy sparks

On 17 October 2022, during an interview with the French television channel France 24, Ipupa announced the release of his seventh studio album, ''Formule 7''. On 28 October, he posted three singles from the album on YouTube—"Bloqué" (composed with Alex Shua), "Science-Fiction", and "Se yo"—which garnered millions of views. ''Formule 7'' came out on 16 December on Elektra France. It consisted of thirty tracks, with a predominant blend of Congolese rumba. Ipupa told RFI, "With ''Formule 7'', I return to the source, to the basic structure of rumba, while bringing my personal touch with chords and arrangements". Cameroonian singer Charlotte Dipanda made a guest appearance on the track "Garde du cœur". The track "Afsana" fused Haitian kompa with Congolese rumba, inspired by a beat sent by a Congolese producer residing in Russia. Meanwhile, "Lady D" paid homage to Franco Luambo's 1985 hit "Mario" with a sampled rhythm and melody. ''Formule 7'' amassed over 3 million streams within 24 hours on Spotify and became one of the best-selling albums on the French iTunes, peaking at No. 25. ''Formule 7'' also entered SNEP's top 200 most downloaded albums in France, peaking at No. 85 for eight non-consecutive weeks and No. 134 in Belgium. On Boomplay, two years post-release, ''Formule 7'' exceeded 200 million streams, with "Mayday" being the platform's most-streamed track. On 5 January 2023, Ipupa appeared at the Sofitel Abidjan Hôtel Ivoire to promote the record. He won the All Africa Music Award for Best Male Artist in Central Africa and was nominated for Best Artiste in African Contemporary for the hit single "Bloqué".

On 26 February, French President Emmanuel Macron summoned Ipupa to the Élysée Palace as part of his approach to France–Africa relations. Afterward, Ipupa posted on his Twitter that he had discussed the ongoing Kivu conflict and the role of Congolese music among young people with Macron. On 6 March, the French president attended Ipupa's concert in Kinshasa, where they were spotted drinking beer and waving to the audience. Their meeting elicited mixed reactions, with some critics alleging that Macron was leveraging Ipupa's image for his benefit and insinuating French support for ongoing fighting between Rwandan-backed M23 rebels and Congolese government forces.

On 27 May, Ipupa sold out Stade Alphonse Massemba-Débat in the Republic of the Congo and subsequently performed at the opening ceremony of the 2023 Jeux de la Francophonie in Kinshasa, on 28 July. On 25 November 2023, Ipupa sold out Paris La Défense Arena, becoming the first African solo artist to do so. He brought a lineup of musicians to the stage, including Aya Nakamura, SDM, Mokobé, KeBlack, Naza, Dadju, Tayc, Singuila, Youssou N'Dour, RJ Kanierra, and Petit Fally. He was later awarded a gold plaque for selling 40,000 tickets to the show. N'Dour extolled Ipupa and the concert on his X, Instagram, and Facebook accounts, stating, "This evening I felt the DRC, Africa communing with you. What a beautiful show!" Tayc expressed his gratitude on Instagram, saying, "Big Brother, don't change anything, your people love you". On 8 December, Ipupa performed at Wembley Arena in London, in front of 12,500 people, becoming the first Congolese artist to achieve this feat since Abeti Masikini, in 1986. On 13 December, he sold out the ING Arena in Brussels, three days ahead of his scheduled concert. During preparations for the concert and in the company of the Brussels mayor, Philippe Close, Ipupa was awarded a commemorative plaque for the sold-out concert. He then performed at the LDLC Arena in Lyon on 6 July 2024, followed by a sold-out concert at Arkéa Arena in Floirac, France. On 14 July, Ipupa performed at the multi-day music festival Les Ardentes in Liège, Wallonia, before playing at the Neema Fest in Milan.

On 26 July, Ipupa released the single "207", a collaboration with fellow Mongo folk singer René Soso Pembé, which exalts Mongo cultural roots. The song is sung in Mongo and Lingala, with Ipupa, Pembé, and F'Victeam clad in traditional Mongo garments. Directed by Christ Kingombo and produced by Théo Tama, the track's arrangement centers around Anamongo rhythms infused with sebene. In a ''Jeune Afrique'' interview, Ipupa remarked, "we really have to go back to our roots, to our culture to make hits..." Within four days, "207" racked up over a million views on YouTube, taking No. 2 on Congo's YouTube weekly chart, with 402,000 views that July. The single also set off a viral trend of Mongo-style hip-swaying dancing across social media, inspiring numerous personalities to partake in dance challenges. On 4 October, Ipupa took part in the opening ceremony of the 19th International Organisation of La Francophonie summit, where he addressed the ongoing Kivu conflicts in the eastern DRC. The next day, he was invited by French President Macron to perform at the exclusive summit gala dinner held at the Élysée Palace, attended by heads of state and other distinguished guests. Ipupa concluded the summit with a private concert at the La Gaîté Lyrique hall in Paris, becoming the first Congolese musician to perform at the venue. He later sold out the Mitsubishi Electric Halle in Düsseldorf, Germany, on 12 December, and took the stage at the Mother Africa Festival in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on 27 December.

2025–present: performances and standalone releases

On 1 January 2025, at the request of Gabonese president Brice Oligui Nguema, Ipupa performed in Oyem's public square for New Year's celebrations, entertaining dignitaries and government officials. The following day, he gave an exclusive performance at the Palais du Bord de Mer in Libreville. On 4 January, Ipupa returned to the Sofitel Hôtel Ivoire in Abidjan, where he was joined onstage by fellow Congolese-French rapper Tiakola. After canceled New Year's concerts in Conakry on 31 December 2024 and 1 January 2025, he rescheduled and sold out two back-to-back performances. The first, a private affair, was held on 10 January at Chapiteau by Issa, followed by a public concert at Stade Petit Story on 11 January. On 29 March, Ipupa released the Congolese rumba-inspired single "Mayanga", along with its accompanying music video. Produced by Daniel Obasi for Vlisco Group and directed by Obasi, the video promotes African wax prints. The song is described by the brand as "an expression of admiration—a love letter to African women, their beauty, and the confidence they exude in Vlisco fabrics".

On 22 April, Ipupa, alongside co-headliners Youssoupha and Gims, led a sold-out benefit concert, ''Solidarité Congo'', at the Accor Arena. The event, featuring 30 artists, including prominent French rap acts and international and Congolese musicians, sought to raise funds for child victims affected by the M23 insurgency in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, with proceeds allocated to Dadju's Give Back Charity. The show, initially slated for 7 April, was postponed due to its overlap with the International Day of Remembrance of the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

2022 Stade des Martyrs crowd crush

On 1 March 2022, Ipupa announced a concert at Stade des Martyrs de la Pentecôte in Kinshasa, scheduled for 29 October. The event was part of his "Golden World Tour", from 4 June to 3 October. Though the venue could only accommodate 80,000 spectators, over 120,000 people showed up for the show. During the performance, Ipupa was joined onstage by Charlotte Dipanda, Gaz Mawete, Awilo Longomba, Mignon Abraham, DG Virus, Manon Loubaki, Pathy Nsaraza, Naty Lokole, Fiston Kolokey, Vany Morgane, Souley Kahuka, as well as his former bandmates from Quartier Latin International, Sam Tshintu, Modogo Abarambwa, Jipson Butukondolo, Champion Djicapela, Montana Kamenga, and Babia Ndonga Shokoro's son, Prince Babia. Producers Dany Synthé and Seysey were also in attendance. Claudy Siar and Juliette Fievet presented him with a gold record for his album ''Tokooos''. During the performance, a crowd crush occurred, and the ensuing pandemonium resulted in eleven deaths, including two police officers, according to the Minister of the Interior and Security, Decentralization, and Customary Affairs, Daniel Aselo.

Philanthropy

Fally Ipupa Foundation

In 2013, Ipupa established the Fally Ipupa Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides assistance to marginalized groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, such as victims of sexual violence, those afflicted with disease, and orphans.

UNICEF

In 2017, Ipupa partnered with UNICEF to fight malnutrition, which affects ten million children across the Democratic Republic of the Congo annually.

On 20 August 2021, he was appointed UNICEF National Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in connection with World Breastfeeding Week. During this time, he actively promoted the development, preservation, and reinforcement of feeding practices for infants and young children. On 22 February 2024, he renewed his position.

Charity football match

On 24 April 2024, Ipupa partook in a charity football match presided over by French First Lady Brigitte Macron, aimed at raising funds for hospitalized children and teenagers through her foundation, Opération Pièces jaunes. Organized by the Variétés Club de France, the match saw the involvement of President Emmanuel Macron, alongside professional football players such as Jens Lehmann, Laure Boulleau, Taye Taiwo, Laurent Blanc, Rudi Garcia, Didier Deschamps, Marcel Desailly, Robert Pirès, Eden Hazard, Didier Drogba, Johan Neeskens, Mamadou Niang, Christian Karembeu, Karl Olive, Bernard Mendy, Arsène Wenger, Daniel Van Buyten, Ciryl Gane, Sonny Anderson, Wilfrid Mbappé, Samuel Eto'o, Emmanuel Adebayor, El-Hadji Diouf, Alain Giresse, Redouane Bougheraba, Frédéric Piquionne, Pascal Feindouno, Souleymane Diawara, Océane Daniel, and Bruno Cheyrou. Following the match, a reception was hosted at the Élysée Palace by President Macron, which Ipupa attended.

Discography

Albums

Singles

As lead artist

As featured artist

Awards and nominations

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ipupa, Fally
1977 births
Living people
Democratic Republic of the Congo guitarists
Democratic Republic of the Congo songwriters
French-language singers of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Male singer-songwriters
Musicians from Kinshasa
Quartier Latin International
Soukous musicians
21st-century Democratic Republic of the Congo male singers
21st-century guitarists