The Most Famous
SINGERS from Democratic Republic of the Congo
This page contains a list of the greatest Congolese Singers. The pantheon dataset contains 4,381 Singers, 7 of which were born in Democratic Republic of the Congo. This makes Democratic Republic of the Congo the birth place of the 73rd most number of Singers behind Philippines, and Uzbekistan.
Top 8
The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the most legendary Congolese Singers of all time. This list of famous Congolese Singers is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography's online popularity.
1. Papa Wemba (1949 - 2016)
With an HPI of 61.42, Papa Wemba is the most famous Congolese Singer. His biography has been translated into 29 different languages on wikipedia.
Jules Shungu Wembadio Pene Kikumba (14 June 1949 – 24 April 2016), known professionally as Papa Wemba (French pronunciation: [papa wɛmba]), was a Congolese singer and musician who played Congolese rumba, soukous, and ndombolo. Dubbed the "King of Rumba Rock", he was one of the most popular musicians of his time in Africa and played an important role in world music. He was also a fashion icon who popularized the Sape look and style through his musical group Viva la Musica, with whom he performed on stages throughout the world.
2. Marie Myriam (b. 1957)
With an HPI of 57.22, Marie Myriam is the 2nd most famous Congolese Singer. Her biography has been translated into 33 different languages.
Marie Myriam (born Myriam Lopes Elmosninos, 8 May 1957, Luluabourg, Belgian Congo, (now Democratic Republic of the Congo) is a French singer.
3. Koffi Olomide (b. 1956)
With an HPI of 54.61, Koffi Olomide is the 3rd most famous Congolese Singer. His biography has been translated into 19 different languages.
Antoine Christophe Agbepa Mumba (born 13 July 1956), known professionally as Koffi Olomidé, is a Congolese singer-songwriter, dancer, producer, and founder of Quartier Latin International. Often referred to as the "King of Ndombolo", he is noted for his explosive high notes, deep, throaty baritone, and offbeat voice. Agbepa is considered one of the most significant figures in 20th-century Congolese and African popular music. His lyrics often explore themes of love, politics, technology, success, infidelity, religion, chicanery, and disillusionment. Through his music and stage performances, he introduced the slower style of soukous known as tcha tcho and popularized a flamboyant fashion subculture called La Sape, alongside Papa Wemba. Emerging as a ghostwriter for various artists in the Zairean music industry, he gained prominence in 1977 with the song "Princesse ya Synza", which featured Papa Wemba and King Kester Emeneya. In 1986, he established the group Quartier Latin International, which accompanied him onstage and on his albums since 1992, serving as a launching pad for emerging artists, including Fally Ipupa, Jipson Butukondolo, Deo Brondo, Montana Kamenga, Bouro Mpela, Ferré Gola, Marie-Paul Kambulu, Eldorado Claude, Djuna Fa Makengele, Soleil Wanga, Laudy Demingongo Plus-Plus, Éric Tutsi, among others. His career experienced a resurgence in 1990, when he signed a record deal with SonoDisc. With a nearly five-decade-long career, he is the first African artist to sell out the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy, and one of twelve African artists whose work has been featured in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Throughout his forty-year career, Agbepa has recorded 32 studio albums, including seven under the Latin Quarter banner, one in collaboration with Papa Wemba, as well as 18 live albums, amounting to a repertoire of over 300 songs. He has won six Kora Awards, four of which in the 2002 edition, for his album Effrakata. Forbes has named him among Africa's 40 most influential celebrities. In 2013, he founded his own recording label, Koffi Central. On 13 October 2015, he released 13ième apôtre, a quadruple album comprising 39 songs, which he proclaimed to be his last, before later resurfacing with Nyataquance (2017), Légende Éd. Diamond (2022), Platinium (alternatively titled Platinum) in 2024, and GOAT Intemporel, Vol. 1 (2025). In July 2025, Agbepa secured the second spot on Billboard France's 2025 ranking of the most-streamed Congolese artists in France, highlighting those who began their careers in either the DRC or the Republic of the Congo.
4. Maître Gims (b. 1986)
With an HPI of 50.82, Maître Gims is the 4th most famous Congolese Singer. Her biography has been translated into 33 different languages.
Gandhi Alimasi Djuna (born 6 May 1986), known professionally as Maître Gims and more recently just Gims (stylized in all caps), is a Congolese singer, rapper, producer, and songwriter. Gims grew up in France and currently lives in France and Morocco. He rose to fame as a member of the hip hop group Sexion d'Assaut and pursued an individual career under the name Maître Gims in 2013. In 2006, he released an extended play, titled Ceux qui dorment les yeux ouverts. During his career he has worked with several international artists such as Sia, Pitbull, Lil Wayne, Stromae, Maluma, Sting, and others. He has sold over 5 million records, including 3 million albums since the start of his career. He started his solo career in 2013 with the release of his first album, Subliminal in May on Wati B and Monstre Marin Corporation, which sold over a million copies and peaked at number two on the French album charts. In December he released a reissue titled Subliminal la face cachée. The album contained songs such as "J'me tire", "Bella" and "Zombie". From its first week of operation, the album certified platinum and would end up being double diamond disc for over 1 million in sales. The album was a great success, charting high in France, Belgium, and Switzerland. In August 2015, Gims released his second album, Mon cœur avait raison. The album was divided into two parts: the red pill, which contains rap songs, and the blue pill, which contains pop-urban songs. The idea came from the movie The Matrix. A year later he released a re-release titled À contrecœur. The album contained some of the best songs in his career, such as: "Est-ce que tu m'aimes?", "Laissez passer", "Brisé", "Sapés comme jamais", "Tu vas me manquer", "Je te pardonne", "Ma beauté" and "Tout donner". The album was well received and after having sold nearly 85,800 records in its first week, it was certified platinum. At the end of 2018, more than 700,000 units had been sold in France and 581,000 units had been sold internationally. He released his third album in March 2018, titled Ceinture noire on the TF1 Group and Play Two labels. The album has been reissued several times: Transcendence reissue was released in April 2019 and an other reissue Décennie with 4 new titles was released in December 2019. The album entered pole position in Wallonia. 1st place remains for 7 consecutive weeks before dropping to 2nd place. The following week, he climbs back to first place. He entered Flanders 28th. The album contained songs such as "Caméléon", "Miami Vice", "Hola Señorita", "Reste", "10/10" and "Mi Gna". His song "La même" was the most played in France in 2018 and it helped Gims become the most played artist of 2018 on French television and radio, as well as the seventh most performed artist in the world on Deezer. During the COVID-19 pandemic confinement, Gims announces on a live Instagram a 100% rap album for the month of October 2020. According to some publications on his Instagram, Gims reveals that his album would be an 80% rap album contrary to what had been announced. On 4 December 2020, he released his fourth album titled Le fléau. In November 2020, In 2020, he won the International Artist of the Year in Distinctive International Arab Festivals Awards after his featuring in Mohamed Ramadan's song "Ya Habibi". On 17 September 2020, Netflix released a documentary about the last ten years of his career titled Gims: On the Record. A reissue entitled Les vestiges du fléau was published on 28 May 2021. A second reissue titled L'Empire de Méroé was released on 3 December 2021. The album contained songs such as "Yolo", "Immortel", "Jusqu'ici tout va bien", "Belle" and "Only You". On 5 October 2022, Gims revealed the new album's title, its release date and its cover. At the same time, the pre-order of the record was made available, accompanied by three tickets, gold, platinum and diamond to be won. In December 2022, he released his fifth album, Les dernières volontés de Mozart or LDVM (Symphony). The album is certified gold with more than 50,000 copies sold in June 2023. In July 2024, the album reached 100,000 copies sold and was certified platinum. The album will have finally had its small success, although it has sold less than his previous projects. In August 2022, he played the song "Arhbo" for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Official Soundtrack along with Ozuna, which they also performed during the closing ceremony. He has topped the French singles chart five times, including once as a featured artist, most recently in 2024 with "Spider", featuring Dystinct. On 13 September 2024, Gims released a second EP and his first since 2006, titled Le Nord se souvient containing the tracks "Spider", "Sois pas timide", "Terminal 2F" and "Vent du Nord" as well as three new tracks.
5. Mohombi (b. 1986)
With an HPI of 48.37, Mohombi is the 5th most famous Congolese Singer. His biography has been translated into 26 different languages.
Mohombi Nzasi Moupondo (born 17 October 1986) is a Congolese-Swedish musician, singer, composer and dancer. He grew up in Norsborg and Kista near Stockholm. Mohombi was RedOne's first signing to 2101 Records in joint venture with Universal Music Group. From 2000 to 2008, Mohombi was part of the Swedish hip hop group Avalon with his brother Djo Moupondo. Mohombi released his debut solo single "Bumpy Ride" in August 2010. The single became a worldwide hit, and charted in the top-ten in several countries, and was followed by his debut studio album MoveMeant in February 2011.
6. Fally Ipupa (b. 1977)
With an HPI of 46.96, Fally Ipupa is the 6th most famous Congolese Singer. His biography has been translated into 17 different languages.
Fally Ipupa Nsimba (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, and by May 2009, he ranked as the fifth most searched public figure on Yahoo France, before releasing his second studio album, Arsenal de Belles Mélodies, on 25 June of that year, which featured chart-toppers such as "Chaise Électrique" (featuring Olivia) and "Sexy Dance" (featuring Krys), 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. In July 2025, he topped Billboard France's ranking of the most-streamed Congolese artists whose careers originated in either the DRC or the Republic of the Congo. 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.
7. Claude (b. 2003)
With an HPI of 44.72, Claude is the 7th most famous Congolese Singer. His biography has been translated into 26 different languages.
Claude Kiambe (born 16 September 2003), known simply as Claude ( ; Dutch pronunciation: [klʌu̯t] ), is a Congolese-born Dutch singer-songwriter. His debut single "Ladada (Mon dernier mot)" topped the Dutch Singles Chart in 2022, followed by a further four charting singles. His debut album, Parler français, was released in 2024. He represented the Netherlands in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 with the song "C'est la vie".
8. Tusse (b. 2002)
With an HPI of 38.77, Tusse is the 8th most famous Congolese Singer. His biography has been translated into 28 different languages.
Toussaint Michael Chiza (born 1 January 2002), better known as Tusse, is a Congolese-Swedish singer who represented Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest 2021.
People
Pantheon has 8 people classified as Congolese singers born between 1949 and 2003. Of these 8, 7 (87.50%) of them are still alive today. The most famous living Congolese singers include Marie Myriam, Koffi Olomide, and Maître Gims. The most famous deceased Congolese singers include Papa Wemba. As of April 2024, 2 new Congolese singers have been added to Pantheon including Fally Ipupa, and Claude.
Living Congolese Singers
Go to all Rankings
Marie Myriam
1957 - Present
HPI: 57.22
Koffi Olomide
1956 - Present
HPI: 54.61
Maître Gims
1986 - Present
HPI: 50.82
Mohombi
1986 - Present
HPI: 48.37
Fally Ipupa
1977 - Present
HPI: 46.96
Claude
2003 - Present
HPI: 44.72
Tusse
2002 - Present
HPI: 38.77
