Koffi Olomide

Koffi Olomide launched his professional journey on guitar before taking a role as backing vocalist in Papa Wemba's Viva la Musica. He struck out alone during the mid-'80s, settling in Paris and drawing on soukous players from both the French capital and Cameroon, which yielded strong artistic payoffs. Some listeners view his signature "Tcha Tcho" beat as a fresh trajectory for a style that had begun to feel dated and uninspired.