A Canada-based Congolese artiste is on a mission to help foster international co-operation in music promotion.
Christ Miyalou-Louvouelo plans to link up Canadian and Kenyan artistes through a cultural exchange programme. The artiste, who is also known as Christ Walk, is a composer-performer, cultural entrepreneur and writer whose roots are in Congo-Brazzaville.
Canada has in recent years been home to some well-known Congolese musicians, including guitarist Shiko Mawatu and former top Zaiko Langa Langa band singer and composer JP Buse.
Speaking to the Saturday Nation, Christ Miyalou revealed his plans to visit Kenya soon to initiate the cultural exchange programme.
“One of my priorities is to create a Kenyan-Canadian Arts Festival. We hope to develop a partnership with the Canadian Embassy in Nairobi, the Kenyan Ministry of Culture, socio-cultural organisations and local promoters," he said.
Through his organisation, Les Gens D'Arture, the artiste said he hopes to promote other artistes from Canada – especially those from his adopted home province of Quebec – by arranging visits to Nairobi and other towns.
He is also seeking to boost collaboration between artistes through multi-disciplinary workshops and short residences.
The mission of his Les Gens D'Arture is to promote the arts in all forms to contribute to development as well as to bring together the various immigrant communities of Quebec as a way of promoting multiculturalism.
Canada-based Congolese artiste Christ Miyalou-Louvouelo.
Photo credit: Courtesy
Born in Pointe-Noire in the Republic of Congo, Christ Miyalou moved to Canada in 2005. His interest in music from his childhood was inspired by classical Rhumba and Soukous from the two neigbouring capitals of Congolese music – Kinshasa and Brazzaville.
This inspired progress that has gone beyond Congolese Rhumba and Soukous to funk, hip-hop, dancehall, reggae and other genres in Canada.
Christ Miyalou sings in French, English, Spanish and Lingala, which is more of the national language of the two Congos.
In Canada, he now has the advantage of entertaining a variety of audiences with varied multinational backgrounds in the immigrant communities.
His partners in his venture, include The Desjardins Bank, and The Canadian Ministry of Culture and Communications. He also teams up with Julie Vignola (a Member of Parliament).
Christ Miyalou is currently writing his first book titled, Sagesse Humanoïde – a critical, political and philosophical narration of global issues. He looks forward to popularising the book through his Les Gens D'Arture organisation.
Last November, Christ Miyalou and his Magic Band performed in Quebec City's Limoilou neighbourhood at the Roc-Amadour Community Centre.
Christ Miyalou was also among the two winners of the 2024 Yvan Caron Prize. The honorary scholarship awarded by the Caisse Desjardins-Limoilou seeks to highlight the remarkable achievements of volunteers like him in the community.
In future, he plans to take part in charitable and humanitarian activities in Congo-Brazzaville and other parts of Africa.
