Makoma
Makoma is a Congolese Christian musical band composed of members of the Makoma family. It consisted of lead and backing vocalists Nathalie, Annie, and Pengani, alongside Duma, Martin, and Tutala, who also performed rap, and they were later joined in the late 1990s by non-family member Patrick Badine as a rapper and backing vocalist. Performing in Lingala, English, French, Dutch, and German, they are regarded as one of the most prominent gospel acts in Africa and among the African diaspora. Their musical style blends elements of Congolese rumba, soukous, ndombolo, pop, soul, contemporary R&B, hip-hop, and reggae.
The band was founded in 1993 by Tutala and began performing publicly in 1995 under the name Nouveau Testament ("New Testament"). After the family emigrated to Germany in 1985 and subsequently relocated to the Netherlands in 1995, they adopted the name Makoma, which derived from their surname, and released their debut studio album, Nzambe Na Bomoyi, in 1999 through Tutala's Westcoast Studios in Rotterdam. The album sold over one million copies and was supported by the lead single "Napesi", and brought them widespread acclaim across the continent. Their second studio album, Mokonzi Na Bakonzi, was released in 2002 by the Cameroonian label JPS Production and supported by its title track, and in 2004, they underwent a significant transition following Nathalie's departure, who left to pursue a solo career. Nevertheless, she contributed to the third studio album, Na Nzambe Te, Bomoyi Te, which premiered in 2006 through Westcoast Music Production and distributed by Sonima Music.
Their fourth and final studio album, Evolution, was released on 28 January 2012 under BC3 Media Limited. After an extended hiatus, Makoma initially announced a reunion in 2023; however, internal disagreements, particularly Nathalie's reluctance to participate, delayed the effort. On 1 March 2025, the band officially reunited, including all original members.
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