She was good and articulate on stage during her heydays, a perfection that catapulted her to fame and professional acclaim.
Having nurtured her talent while still young in Eastern Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo or DRC), her expertise steadily grew, and she found herself towering in European cities thousands of miles away from home.
Her songs were equally attractive, full of sweet lyrics and melodies. Most of them were sung in her native Lingala dialect or in French.
Today, the 65-year-old Congolese rhumba star Nana Akumu continues to wow her fans in European capitals while permanently based in Brussels, Belgium, where she exercises her full potential.
Akumu has sung her heart out to audiences in these European cities in a career spanning five decades, juggling family life with her demanding job.
The mother of six remains a hot favourite among audiences in Francophone, Anglophone and Lusophone-speaking countries in the developed world.
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When her name is mentioned, DRC comes into sharp focus as the home of musical legends, particularly talented female songstresses such as Mbilia Bel, Tshala Mwana, Faya Tess, Banielli, Abeti Maskini and Mpongo Love, some of whom have since died.
It is also the home of legendary musical institutions and musicians such as Franco Luambo Luanzo Makiadi of TP OK Jazz Band and Tabu Ley of Afrisa International, who trained the aforementioned songstresses.
Akumu is celebrated for her powerful vocal contributions to hits such as Les On-Dit and Haraka Haina Baraka during her tenure with TP OK Jazz Band.
She recently released a nostalgic 2025 album featuring tracks such as Usiniudhi, Mon Foyer and Ndoki.
She says she is happy to have contributed to marketing her country abroad despite its internal conflicts.
“Our country has been blessed with talented artistes besides the God-given natural minerals. We are here to continue growing and passing these talents from one generation to the other in the fight for top honours,” Akumu told The Standard from Brussels, Belgium, where she permanently resides.
Besides singing, she is a family woman.
Akumu takes care of her family’s needs, she has six children — a daughter and five sons — with the last-born aged 20.
“It has not been easy, but I have always been there for them whether I’m working at home or abroad,” said Akumu, who speaks fluent Kiswahili, having lived in Kenya for some years in the mid-1970s during her time with Congolese singer Baba Gaston.
One of her sons, the 31-year-old Prince Eyengo, is a rapper who performs in French while based in Brussels. Occasionally, Eyengo travels home to entertain his countrymen.
Her first-born son, Mambo ‘Scorti’ Lusenje, was born at Pumwani Maternity Hospital in Nairobi in 1979. Lusenje lives in Kinshasa.
Akumu says she finds time to teach her children her mother tongue.
“It’s always healthy when a child speaks and understands the mother tongue. That’s why I must teach mine the same,” she said.
Akumu, who was married for 33 years after wedding former Zaiko Langa Langa Orchestra bass guitarist Djo Mali Bolenge in a church ceremony in Brussels in 1993, says she is proud of her family.
She divorced her husband six years ago (in 2020) over what she termed irreconcilable differences. She says she does not regret the decision.
Bolenge later joined Viva La Musica, led by Papa Wemba, who had started his career at Zaiko Langa in 1969. He still lives in Brussels.
At home, Akumu loves cooking and is a fan of ugali with nyama choma and sukuma wiki (kales), a diet she grew accustomed to while living in Kenya. She also enjoys fish served with cassava or ugali, and ugali with beans.
Occasionally, she returns home to check on her relatives and family properties.
“Returning home is compulsory. Checking on the extended family is equally important. That is where our original roots are,” she said.
Having lived in Brussels since 1993 — a city where Franco lived most of his life until his death in 1989 — Akumu qualified for Belgian citizenship and now holds that passport.
On the prospects of her work, she says a musical career is more lucrative in Europe compared to Africa.
“Africa has more problems. Here in Brussels, we have health insurance cover for all citizens,” said Akumu, who drew her musical inspiration from TP OK Jazz Band.
Asked why most DRC musicians prefer residing in Brussels, she said the living standards are more affordable compared to Paris and other neighbouring cities.
“House rent in Brussels is affordable and rooms are bigger compared to those in Paris, which are smaller and expensive. Prices of food are also affordable in Brussels,” she said.
However, she said, Paris is more lucrative for her work.
“Paris has more musical business contracts than other cities. It’s a place where most Congolese musicians come to perform most of their shows,” she said.
The singer has released 17 albums in her career after going solo following Franco’s death 36 years ago. Ten of them are collaborations, while the rest are solo projects.
Akumu works in partnership with singers Malaiz (formerly of TP OK Jazz) and Inge, solo guitarist Dia Pazzi, bass guitarist Pappi and drummer Dino.