Fally Ipupa N'simba (born December 14, 1977), better known mononymously by his stage name Fally Ipupa, is a Congolese singer-songwriter, dancer, philanthropist, guitarist, producer, and the UNICEF National Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He is known for his melancholic soft tenor voice, emphatic and emotive dance moves, as well as his unique blend of contemporary and traditional Congolese music genres, including Congolese rumba, soukous, and ndombolo.Over the course of his two-decade-long career, Fally Ipupa has earned numerous awards and accolades and is regarded as one of Africa's most celebrated and influential musicians. From 1999 to 2006, he was a member of the critically acclaimed Congolese band, Quartier Latin International, led by the prolific musician Koffi Olomide.He rose to prominence after releasing his debut solo album Droit Chemin in 2006, collaborating with Krys, Mokobé, and Benji. The album features songs like "Liputa," "Orgasy," and "Sopeka." It went gold, selling more than 100,000 copies in one month. In 2007, Ipupa won the Kora Awards for Best Artist or Group from Central Africa. In the same year, Ipupa became the first Congolese artist to perform to a full house at the legendary Olympia stage in Paris. In 2008, he performed in various countries, including France, Belgium, Germany, the United States, and Cameroon. In April of the same year, he won the Kundé for Best Artist in Central Africa in Burkina Faso. His album Arsenal de Belles Mélodies, released on April 8, 2009, featured successful singles like Chaise électrique and "Sexy Dance," becoming massive hits and some of Ipupa's signature songs. The album sold over 100,000 copies in less than a month, including 40,000 sales in a week. He later won the MTV Africa Music Awards 2010 for Best Video for "Sexy Dance" and Best Francophone Artist. In 2011, he performed at several leading European festivals, as well as in Nigeria, and finished off the year with a performance in Ivory Coast.Power "Kosa Leka released on April 13, 2013, and its lead single Sweet Life (La vie est belle), Ndoki, and "Service" sold over 30,000 copies in a month. On May 14, 2013, he won the trophy for "Best African Artist" at the first edition of Trace Urban Music Awards. On May 18, 2013, he participated in the MTV Africa All Stars event alongside other artists like Snoop Dogg, 2Face Idibia, and Flavour in front of approximately 15,000 spectators at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. In the same year, he collaborated with the French-Congolese rapper Passi on the song "Full Option" in the album Ere d'Afrique. Ipupa also released the single "Kitoko," featuring Youssoupha, one of the children of Tabu Ley Rochereau, which broke away from his previous productions and seemed to announce a new register more tailored for the French market. He was invited on stage at Accor Arena, one of the largest venues in Paris, during the Grand Ball of Senegalese star Youssou N'Dour. He then toured in Ivory Coast in November and Equatorial Guinea in Malabo.In June 2014, he was nominated in the Best Live Act category at the MTV Africa Music Awards 2014. He gave three concerts in Gabon, returned to perform in Abidjan, celebrated the Fête de la Musique in Niamey in Niger, took part in the Francofolies de Kinshasa in DRC, and ended the year in Benin after being invited by the authorities. The following year, in 2015, Ipupa performed in Cameroon, Guinea in Conakry on the esplanade of the People's Palace, and Bamako in Mali. He also performed at the FEMUA (Festival de musique urbaine d'Anoumabo) in Ivory Coast and crossed the Atlantic Ocean to perform in Houston, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C.The song "Mannequin" from his 2017 album Tokooos also gained immense popularity and became a staple in Ipupa's live performances. The album's track, "Juste une danse," create soulful ballads, further endearing him to audiences worldwide. "École" from the album "Control" in 2018 struck a chord with its powerful message about education.Through his successful music career, album sales, concerts, and endorsements, Ipupa has amassed considerable wealth. In 2014, the Huffington Post ranked him as the 6th richest African musician. On October 10, 2022, Ipupa's album Tokooos was certified Gold by SNEP in France, five years after its release.
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