Artist description Didier Bilé is singer, author, and composer. Didier Bilé is one of the forerunners of Zouglou, a musical style born in the early 90s in the Ivory Coast. The Zouglou music is all the energy of urban African musicians added to an incredible gift for deriding and creating language.

Music Style Zouglou music: It's music from the Ivory Coast that makes you want to party--somewhere between rap, zouk and the rumba. The singers are there to create the atmosphere.

Musical Influences Between rap, zouk and the rumba, with traditional african influcences

Similar Artists Zouglou followers: Magic System, Les Poussins Chocs, Les Salopards. And also influences from Alpha Blondy, Gadji Celli, Reine Pelagie

Artist History In the early 90's, Zouglou takes traditional folklore from the Ivory Coast and modernizes the rhythm. The words are full of irony and punctuated with an expressive, jerky dance that underlines the message. In Baoulé, "O ti lê zouglou" means 'gathered up like garbage!" This very unflattering phrase described the life and working conditions of students. Very quickly, Zouglou became more than a style of music. It served as a catalyst for the student protest movements.Didier Bilé, then a student, met with immediate success. His group, Les Parents du Campus Ambiance, sold more than 90,000 copies of their first album throughout the Ivory Coast. Didier became a spearhead of the Zouglou phenomenon which rapidly spread to all the neighboring countries in west Africa. In 1994, Didier Bilé recorded the hit "Zouglou International" for Ivoir' Compil Number 1 with the arranger Bamba Yang.At the outset of 1999, Didier wanted to expand the horizons of Zouglou and make it accessible to Europeans and Americans. Again, he set to work with Bamba Yang, and they spent several months working on sound and arrangements before choosing the Harry Son studio in Pantin (Paris, France) to produce it's new album: "AFRICA"."Africa" was presented to the Ivory Coast press on January 21, 2000, three days before it came out under the Alpha Blondy Distribution label. Kudos have come from all sides. With one accord, the press acclaimed the musical maturity of the artist and the quality of the arrangements.

Group Members Didier BILE

Instruments keyboards, bass, guitare, Kora, jembe, drums

Albums AFRICA

Additional Info -

Location Abidjan, - - Ivory Coast

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