The rise of Rhumba queen Mbilia Bel

 Rhumba maestro Mbilia Bel shook the ground during her tour to Kenya last week. 

From the Raila Odinga campaign trail to a night of live performance at carnivore grounds, Mbilia Bel gave Rhumba lovers a taste of the Congolese dose.

In an Azimio la Umoja rally on Saturday, the Nakei Nairobi hit maker was seen showing Raila Odinga how to dance the Rhumba way.

Born in Congo in 1959, Mbilia Bel began her music career at the age of seventeen, when she was a backup dancer and singer for Abeti Masikini and later Sam Mangwana.

Her music career then blossomed in 1981 after she recorded a song and had a music tour with Rhumba legend Tabu Ley Rochereau, under the Afrisa International record.

At Afrisa, Mbilia Bel not only worked with Tabu Ley, but a love affair also brewed, leading to marriage and the birth of her first child- Melodie.

She released a song dubbed Mobali na ngai wana to praise her husband Tabu Ley.

After the baby’s arrival, the Rhumba queen took a break from music, leaving the Afrisa band in 1987 before moving to Paris.

However, her exit from Afrisa is said to have been influenced by the entry of Rhumba sensation Faya Tess.

At Paris, she started working with guitarist Rigo Star, culminating to a music tour in the USA, UK and West Africa.

As a solo artist, Mbilia Bel continued releasing hits until 2016 where she returned to Tabu Ley’s Afrisa International.

After her return, Mbilia Bel staged a concert in Brazzaville as a prelude to the third anniversary of Tabu Ley’s death.  

The Nakei Nairobi song is special to Kenya since it was composed to praise former president Daniel arap Moi and the Kenyan towns.

The song was meant to encourage cohesion between Kenyans and Congolese living in the country.