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Alpha Blondy in concert on the main stage during the Fête de l’Humanité 2014. photo by Thesupermat Wikimedia

Top 1o Most Famous Singers from Côte d’Ivoire

A wide list of Ivory Coast musicians from Cote d’Ivoire have established themselves as excellent musicians in the country. It is a unique country that has been historically famous for being the world leading producer of cocoa. Cote d’Ivoire is a home to one of Africa’s most promising cities of Abidjan. The country’s beauty often attracts tourists from across the globe.

 There has been a long tradition of successful singers and musicians from the Ivory Coast. However, with Afrobeat or Afropop becoming more and more popular around the world, the world is finally getting to see another side of Africa. The Ivory Coast has much to offer the movement, from Josey to Kaaris to Ariel Sheney to more than a dozen more prominent Ivory Coast musicians and singers.

Here are the Top 10 Most Famous singers from Cote d’Ivoire

1. Fatoumata Diawara

Fatoumata Diawara in concert on the Kermarrec stage at Festival du Bout du Monde in Crozon in Brittany (France). Photo by Thesupermat

Diawara  was born in 1982 Ivory Coast. She has been a Malian singer, songwriter and actress who is currently living in France. Fatoumata Diawara began her career as an actress in theatre and in film. They include Genesis (1999), Sia, The Dream of the Python(2001) and Timbuktu (2014).

Later, she began a career in music, working with many other musicians and releasing three studio albums, starting with her debut Fatou in 2011. International and traditional styles are incorporated into Diawara’s music.

 At the 61st Annual Grammy Awards, she was nominated twice: for Best World Music Album for her album Fenfo and for Best Dance Recording for “Ultimatum,” in which she collaborated with the English band Disclosure.

2. Tiken Jah Fakoly

Doumbia Moussa Fakoly, known by his stage nameTiken Jah Fakoly was born in 1968. He is an Ivorian reggae singer and songwriter. Fakoly  discovered reggae at an early age assembling his first groups Djelys.

Music  played by Tiken Jah Fakoly “to awaken the consciences.” His song calls for pan-Africanism and an African economic, political, and cultural renaissance while also addressing the numerous injustices committed against the citizens of his nation and Africans in general.

As a result, Fakoly’s lyrics resonate strongly with many African listeners since they represent the downtrodden. This link has contributed to Tiken Jah Fakoly’s international popularity as a performer.

3. Dobet Gnahore

Dobet Gnahoré at the “over the voices” festival, Â鶹APP, January 2015 Photo by Nicolas BARET

Gnahore is a singer from Cote d’Ivoire who was born in 1982. She is the daughter of percussionist Boni Gnahore who performs with her and the sister of Kiff No Beat band member Black K. Dobet plays with the group Na Afriki that consist mainly of French and Tunisian Musicians. They accompany her with guitar, sanza, the Balafon, the calebasse and bongos.

Gnahoré released her debut album, Ano Neko, in 2004. She was a contender for the World Music Newcomer award at the BBC Radio 3 Awards in 2006.  She and India received the Best Urban/Alternative Performance honor in 2010. Arie attended the 52nd Grammys.

4. Alpha Blondy

Seydou Kone, often known as Alpha Blondy, is an actor. He has been  a well-known international recording artist and Ivorian reggae artist. The majority of his songs have political and social undertones. And he sings them in both his native French and English, Dyula. Despite the fact that he occasionally speaks Arabic or Hebrew.

Europe caught wind of Alpha Blondy’s renown. After the popularity of an EP called Rasta Poué, he traveled to Â鶹APP in 1984 to record his second album, Cocody Rock, for the Pathe Marconi label. The “Bob Marley of Africa” visited Jamaica and collaborated with Marley’s backing band, The Wailers, to create the album’s title track.

5. Dj Kerozen

 Yobo Constant Joel  who is known as Dj Kerozen has been a singer and songwriter from Ivory coast. He was born in Siporex which is the largest town in Abidjan Yopougon. Dj Kerozen began his career in show business as a member of the Boulevard Dj group. He chose coupe`- decale a music style. Though it is very particular because it conveys a very clear message. It is not like the coupe-decale of the other Djs.

6. Serge Beynaud

An image by Ivorian coupé-décalé artist Serge Beynaud photo by Yroland

Serge is a singer, composer, and music producer from Ivory Coast who is known for his love of coupe-decale and loko loko styles. His birth year was 1987. Bey has been a renowned for his fashionable and dapper sense of attire. He is also among the most well-known characters in the Coupé-Décalé scene. His ancestry originates with the Bété people.

Beynaud is referred to as a “heavyweight act” and a “Ivorian sensation” by the website AllAfrica.com. He topped the Star Africa Top 10 in 2015 with his song Fouinta Fouinte.

7. Shado chris

Fale’ Christian Djerianeme, often known as Shado Chris, was born in the village of Cocody in 1987. Chris started playing the piano when he was eight years old since his parents wanted him to focus more on his schoolwork.

His accomplishments include nominations for the 2016 Ivorian Music Oscars’ Best Male Artist and Best Music Video categories. And they include the Gold Kundé Award for Best Artist in West Africa, the Afrima Award for Best Beatmaker, and the RapIvoire Award for Best Beatmaker.

He has also won the Gold Kundé Award and the Afrima Award. He has also received additional honors. In 2017, he established the music company Aura Corp, which has produced well-known artists like Kadia and D14, to mention a few.

8. Nayanka Bell

The Ivorian singer Nayanka Bell was born in Agboville in 1963. She has published a number of albums, the first of which was between 1982 and 1984.

Bell sings in English even though her native tongue is French, and several of her earlier compositions were inspired by the Francophone Caribbean. Her first album, Amio, included funk, disco, and ballads. It became available in 1983. The band’s second album, If You Came To Go, released in 1986, had a stronger Antillean influence. One of the best female vocalists from the Ivory Coast is Bell.

In 2000, she collaborated with Congolese singer Koffi Olomidé to record a cover of Serge Gainsbourg’s “Je t’aime… moi non-plus,” which she then played in front of 17,000 audience members at the Palais Omnisports de Â鶹APP-Bercy.

9 . Teeyah

Teeyah has been a Franco- Ivorian singer,dancer and actress who was born in Boundiall in the Savanes region. She met music producer Kaysha with whom she collaborated on the title on dit quoi. A single which made her popular.

In 2006, she released I Want to Live, her second studio album, which produced the singles On va won, Micka, and C’est ça l’amour, Dans la peau. At the RTI Music Awards for the year 2006, the album won first place Best Diaspora Music Album. Compared to Teeyah’s first two albums, her third studio album, Mise à nue, which was released in 2009, was a huge hit. In spite of you and Bye Bye in a duet with Fally Ipupa are included.

10. Dj Kedjevara

A photo of Ivorian artist DJ Kedjevara photo by Aristidek5maya

Dj Kedjevara  whose real name is Yao Parfait has been an Ivorian singer. He was born in 1992 in Abidjan.  Dj Kedjevara is the son of the Ivorian singer-songwriter Antoinette Allany.

In 2012, DJ Kedjevara performed live for the first time at the ANOUMABO hall of the Palais de la culture in Treichville. He then performed again there in 2015 on the esplanade. He performed to packed houses and released a number of singles between 2012 and 2015, including “Tchingui-tchingui” (with Bana C4), “Poutou banier,” and “Allo-allo.” The top songs include Stir the bottle, Mboy, and Sakana, to mention a few.