Oliver N'Goma

N'Goma grew up with the nickname "Noli." He was first exposed to music by his father, a teacher and harmonium player. N'Goma took his first music lessons at the age of eight, and began performing for audiences in 1971, after his family left Mayumba for the Gabonese capital, Libreville so that he could attend school. While taking classes in accounting, he joined the school band, called Capo Sound, with whom he learned to play guitar. The group performed at formal events, honing N'Goma's ability to perform on-stage. In 1988, N'Goma's love of film led him to a job with Gabon TV, where he worked in France as a cameraman.

In Paris, N'Goma completed his demo tapes, which he had recorded at home in Gabon. He shared this music with Manu Lima, a well-known record producer from Cape Verdean. Lima was impressed with N'Goma's music and handled the artistic direction of his first record, Bane.

The album enjoyed modest success until receiving heavy airplay in Africa. In particular, the title track rose in popularity in Africa, France, and the French West Indies, as a party anthem. The album is one of the best-selling African albums to date.

N'Goma released a second album, Adia in December 1995, again working with Manu Lima. Five years later, N'Goma released his third album, Seva, without the help of Lima. In 2006, the pair reunited for Saga. A greatest hits compilation, Best of Oliver N'Goma was released in 2004.

• Bane (1990)
• Adia (1995)
• Séva (2001)
• Saga (2006)

Oliver N’Goma died from kidney failure, which he had battled for the last two years of his life, on 7 June 2010 at Omar Bongo Hospital in Libreville, Gabon.[1]

• His song "Bane" was featured in the Claire Denis film Beau Travail.

• List of Soukous musicians

• Hanssen, Bjørn-Erik. "Oliver N'Goma". The Leopard Man's African Music Guide. Archived from the original on 3 May 2006. Retrieved 14 November 2006.