Pierrette Adams (born 5 May 1962) is a singer, nicknamed "Mère Z", from the Republic of the Congo, who was based for many years in

Abidjan Abidjan ( , ; N'Ko script, N’ko: ߊߓߌߖߊ߲߬) is the economic capital of the Ivory Coast. As of the Demographics of Ivory Coast, 2021 census, Abidjan's population was 6.3 million, which is 21.5 percent of overall population of the country, ...

Côte d'Ivoire Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital is Yamoussoukro, in the centre of the country, while its largest city and economic centre is ...

, and since 2003, has been based in

Dakar Dakar ( ; ; wo, Ndakaaru) (from daqaar ''tamarind''), is the capital and largest city of Senegal. The city of Dakar proper has a population of 1,030,594, whereas the population of the Dakar metropolitan area is estimated at 3.94 million in ...

Senegal Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣� ...

. She has released seven albums since 1994, plus a greatest hits disc in 2004.

Early life

Pierrette Adams was born on 5 May 1962, in

Pointe-Noire Pointe-Noire (; kg, Njinji, french: Ndjindji with the letter d following French spelling standards) is the second largest city in the Republic of the Congo, following the capital of Brazzaville, and an autonomous department since 2004. Befor ...

, Republic of the Congo. Before she worked professionally as a singer, Adams was an air hostess for the now defunct pan-African airline

Air Afrique Air Afrique was a Pan-African airline, that was mainly owned by many West African countries for most of its history. It was established as the official transnational carrier for francophone West and Central Africa, because many of these countr ...

Career

Adams' career as a singer did not really succeed until she relocated to

, in

. With the assistance of Boncana Maïga, of

Africando Africando is a musical project formed in 1992 to unite New York-based salsa musicians with Senegalese vocalists. Musicians from other African countries were later included under the name Africando All Stars. Salsa has been a hugely popular style ...

, she was able to start her career as a singer and release her debut album ''Journal Intime'' in 1994. In 2003, she moved to

, because her husband had to move there for work. Her 2003 album ''Anesthésie'' was well-received and she was nominated for the 2003

Kora All Africa Music Awards The KORA All Africa Music Awards are music awards given annually for musical achievement in sub-Saharan Africa. The awards were founded in 1994 by Benin born businessman, Ernest Adjovi, after a discussion in Namibia with the country's President H ...

. She had a "difficult childhood", and her songs cover topics including child abuse, injustice and infidelity.

Discography

* ''Journal Intime'' (1994) * '' Mal de Mère (1996) * ''Je Vous Salue Maris (1999) * ''Absolument'' (2000) * ''Anesthésie'' (2003) * ''Best Of 10 Ans + Inédit "Nasuba"'' (2004) * ''Coma Profond '' (2007) * ''7e Jour '' (2012)

References

1962 births Living people Republic of the Congo musicians African feminists Republic of the Congo expatriates in Ivory Coast Republic of the Congo expatriates in Senegal {{RCongo-bio-stub