A portrait of the artist.
Camille Sauvayre/Pitch Good PR
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Camille Sauvayre/Pitch Good PR
A portrait of the artist.
Camille Sauvayre/Pitch Good PR
Who’s he? Pierre Kwenders is a Congolese-Canadian singer, songwriter and DJ.
- Hailing from Democratic Republic of Congo, Kwenders immigrated to Canada together with his mom as a teen, bringing a love of music and celebration with him.
- After settling in Montreal, Kwenders joined the Afrika Intshiyetu Choir, an area African church choir that he credit with aligning him together with his path as a musician.
- Kwenders’ newest album, José Louis and the Paradox of Love, was launched final yr. It was awarded the 2022 Polaris Music Prize, an annual award for the yr’s finest Canadian album.
What is the huge deal? Kwenders’ fourth studio album has been re-released in a deluxe version, with a number of new tracks.
- For Kwenders, the album is an exploration of affection, life and his personal id. He says he’s sharing the story of “that younger child who left Congo at a really younger age – I used to be 15, 16 years previous – after which I arrived right here and I nonetheless have this concept of what life is meant to be, and all the things else that everyone is telling me round me and all that’s linked with love.”
- Love extends to the journey of his understanding of his personal sexuality. Kwenders got here out as homosexual three years in the past, and particulars the expertise within the observe “Your Dream,” the place he reassures his mom and thanks her supporting him on his journey.
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What’s he saying? Kwenders spoke with NPR’s Kira Wakeam concerning the undertaking, and the way it encapsulates the entire distinctive elements of his id.
On his musical origins:
My uncles all the time performed guitar round or there was all the time a guitar round and there have been all the time individuals singing. And my mother and aunties dancing round.
Singing was all the time a part of each gathering, and the music that we might play could be over late at evening. Some [would be] previous Congolese rhumba songs at events with issues, and more often than not we have been additionally singing at funerals.
I keep in mind when my great-grandmother died, my uncle wrote a music that each one of us, the nice grandkids, needed to sing on the funeral. And it was some of the lovely reminiscences of my youthful age. And I feel that is simply one thing that was in me. And it took me some time to lastly understand it. And I feel it was that second after I joined the choir that was sort of the start of me realizing that that was the trail for me.
On his seamless switching between languages:
Once I began singing, it simply felt proper for me to sort of transfer in between these languages and it is also one thing quite common within the Congolese choir as a result of there are over 250 tribes in Congo, so think about what number of tribes there are. So whenever you go to church, we may begin the mass in French, with one music in French, and the second music might be in Lingala and the [next] music might be in Swahili and Kikongo after which a music that mixes all of these.
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On the re-release of the album:
Effectively, among the songs I had already had. For some motive, it did not really feel proper to place them out on the identical time [as] when the album got here out. And for some motive additionally, It did not really feel proper to carry on to them for the subsequent undertaking as a result of I really feel like I am already elsewhere.
I’ve one other story to inform now. And it simply made sense. I used to be like, nicely, let’s give these songs as a result of that is additionally a part of the story. And I need to give it to the individuals, by the best way, for the subsequent undertaking. And it is sort of just a little present. And I actually, actually needed individuals additionally to take heed to “Vibraçao,” which is one other model of “Heartbeat” that’s that includes Sarah Kalume, a younger artist from Congo.
So, what now?
- When he isn’t within the studio, Kwenders is DJ-ing underground dance events for a whole lot in Montreal.
- He says: “The album is known as José Louis and the Paradox of Love since you ask your self so many questions on who you might be, about who you’re keen on, about [how] to like your self, and in addition with a purpose to love individuals which might be round you higher.”
- Kwenders can also be gearing as much as launch his subsequent undertaking: “I feel I have already got the subsequent album completed. Hopefully by the tip of subsequent yr, it will be the brand new album and hopefully early subsequent yr, new singles.”
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