Culture

Fans mourn as Congo-Brazzaville iconic guitarist, Passy Mermans, passes on

Published

2 years ago

January 2, 2023

One of Africa’s and Congo-Brazzavile iconic guitarists, Passy Mermans, has died at the age of 80, a member of his orchestra group, Bantous de la Capitale, Kosmos Moutouari, confirmed on Monday.

Passy Mermans, who was popularly known as Mermans 1st, was the founder of the Bantous de la Capitale, the first ever Congolese orchestra which was created in 1959.

The death of the guitarist of one of the oldest orchestras in Africa comes after those of his colleagues Henri Gilbert Adampot, and Ricky Simeon Malonga, Moutouari said.

“It’s difficult, you lose at the same time, first Richy followed by the death of Adampot, and a few days later the old Mermans. It makes you think at the end “but what’s going on.”

“Mermans was a good guy, a sound artist and in life, he was a man who dealt with everyone, and he loved his job,” he added.

An entertainment journalist in the country, Cédric Lyonnel Sehossolo, who spoke on the demise of Mermans, said the orchestra, which today is gradually emptying of its living legends, had fortunately prepared the succession for several years.

“However, the elders draw the younger generation’s attention to humbly follow in the footsteps of their predecessors in order to preserve the soul of this mythical group of the Congolese rumba,” he said.

“This series of disappearances of the fathers of Congolese rumba reopens the debate on the succession, the preservation of the musical heritage of the orchestra and the redistribution of their copyright.

“These founding fathers did not have the time to solve the problem of the earnings of their music generated by international distribution platforms whereas today we have local platforms that secure the sale of these songs,” he concluded.

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Culture

Chidimma Adetshina makes history as she emerges first runner-up for Miss Universe 2024

Published

1 day ago

November 17, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Chidimma Adetshina, Nigeria’s representative at the 73rd Miss Universe Competition held in Mexico, made history as she finished as the first runner-up at the pageant.

The reigning Miss Universe Nigeria finished on the podium of the event held at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City on Sunday morning after an electrifying final face-off between Nigeria and Denmark, as the two women looked poised to claim the crown.

Adetshina, who competed against over 120 contestants from around the world, delivered Nigeria’s best-ever performance in the prestigious competition.

The competition, which was described as one of the most thrilling in recent years, celebrated the talents, intelligence, and elegance of women from around the globe.

A post by the pageant organizers on Instagram said:

“The final two! Nigeria and Denmark, two incredible women, one unforgettable moment.

“Miss Denmark, Victoria Kjaer Theilvig, ultimately won the crown taking over from Miss Universe 2023, Sheynnis Palacios of Nicaragua.”

The top five were rounded out by Miss Mexico, María Fernanda Beltrán Figueroa, in third place, along with contestants from Thailand and Venezuela.

This year’s pageant was celebrated as one of the most inclusive in Miss Universe history, featuring first-time entries from Iran and Somalia and an expanded lineup of 30 semifinalists, showcasing greater diversity and global representation.

Chidimma’s path to the Miss Universe Nigeria was controversial at best as she had previously entered the Miss South Africa pageant but withdrew following criticism of her nationality and allegations from South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs concerning her mother’s documents.

She was later invited to participate in Miss Universe Nigeria and emerged as the winner of the beauty pageant ahead of 24 other contestants.

Culture

Tyla set to drop new single ‘Tears’ on November 20

Published

4 days ago

November 14, 2024

Isaac Dachen

South African “Ampiona” crooner, Tyla, is set to thrill her fans to her new single titled, “Tears’, which is set to drop on November 20.

According to a statement by her management team, Tyla’s fans should expect something different from the “Water” singer as she is set to release a brand-new single in collaboration with Coke Studio.

“This exciting partnership follows her announcement as part of the Coke Studio 2024 line-up alongside R&B star Usher Raymond in September,” the statement said.

Tyla who is fondly called the “Pretty girl from Joburg,” also took to her Instagram page to share the news with her fans.

Posting a snippet of the video on her Instagram story with the caption, “‘Tears’ coming November 20th! A song in partnership with @CocaCola”, confirming the November release date, she urged her fans to look forward to something different from what they are used to.

The brand has also shared on its social media platforms that Tyla will be performing this highly-anticipated single when she returns to Johannesburg, South Africa, at a special Coke Studio live event.

In an interview with Coke Studio, the 22-year-old singer shared how she breaks away from her original sound with “Tears”.

“I feel like in a lot of my songs, I’m dancing a lot. I really wanted a song where I could just sing, be more raw with people, and showcase my voice this time,” she said.

Snippets from the new single has showcases Tyla’s enchanting vocals, revealing a more vulnerable side that is different from her previous work.

“Breaking away from the amapiano and pop sound she’s best known for, Tyla embarks on an exciting new journey with this project,” one of the reviews said.

“Through “Tears”, she wants to connect with listeners in a raw, captivating way as she partners with Coke Studio to bring this new sound to life.’