Pierre Kwenders. Photo by Daniele Fummo.
Since his 2014 debut LP Le Dernier Empereur Bantou, Pierre Kwenders has been an invaluable force in Canadian music with his experimental and playful approach to Congolese rumba. Today, Kwenders is announcing his third album José Louis and the Paradox of Love, due out on April 29 via Arts & Crafts, and today you can hear its lead single "Papa Wemba."
The new song is a tribute to the legendary Congolese musician that brought rumba to the world, an accomplishment that has informed Kwenders' own work. "In my opinion, music has no boundaries," Kwenders said when we spoke in 2017 before the release of his excellent second album MAKANDA at the End of Space, the Beginning of Time. "Papa Wemba" is a continuation of that philosophy, tossing rumba's addictive, funky sound in Kwenders' own unique gumbo of influences.
The best way to experience "Papa Wemba" for the first time is in its music video, directed by Daniel Amoakoh. Kwenders and his entourage look like catwalk stars in the making as they groove for a fish-eye lens in front of what could be a backdrop for a Vogue photoshoot. Watch below:
"He’s been called the king of Congolese Rumba, Papa Wemba has also been one of my idols and biggest inspirations," Kwenders said in a statement. "He’s paved the way for so many artists and has brought congolese rumba to another extent. His passing in 2016 was devastating for all rumba lovers. I knew from that day that I wanted to pay homage to him. This video is a clin d’oeil to his essence and elegance. Being one of the founding fathers of la Sape, I wanted this video to showcase beauty and swag as Papa Wemba would. Teaming up with Daniel Amoakoh was a dream come true. I knew he would bring the vision to life.”
