Abeti Masikini was born on 9 November 1954, into a Finant family, an upper-middle-class Congolese family of eight children in
Stanleyville (now
Kisangani),
Belgian Congo. Abeti Masikini's mother, Marie Masikini, was a church's
choir-
leading vocalist at
Collège du Sacré-Coeur (now
Institut Maele). Abeti Masikini began singing as a chorister in her mother's church at an early age. The family went into exile in Kinshasa, where Masikini matriculated at the
Lycée Sacré-Cœur (now
Lycée Bosangani). After completing her secondary studies, she worked as a secretary in the office of the Minister of Culture, Pierre Mushete. "Fulani" narrated a more urbanized story of two young girls gossiping about prospective husbands. She subsequently performed at Olympia Hall alongside
Mireille Mathieu and
Hugues Aufray, becoming the first African artist to do so since
Tabu Ley Rochereau in 1970. However, according to British musicologist Gary Stewart, she was unwell during the performance and played discreetly.
1975–1979: Musical evolution Abeti Masikini and Abeti à Paris Masikini released her second self-titled debut album
Abeti Masikini in 1975, which was supported by eight singles "Likayabo", "Ngele Ngele", "Ngoyaye Bella Bellow", "Kiliki Bamba", "Yamba Yamba", "Naliku Penda", "Sungula", and "Acha Maivuno". Produced by
Pathé Records, a subsidiary of Pathé Marconi EMI, the album was distributed in various countries such as France and
Mozambique. It intricately encapsulated Zairean societal intricacies, cuisine, amorous entanglements, sexual turbulence, and women's emancipation. The track "Ngoyale Bella Bellow" paid tribute to
Bella Bellow, while "Kiliki Bamba" critiqued Mobutu's
Authenticité while championing the cause of young girls against
sexual predators. "Likayabo" praised the Zairean dish of
salted fish, vegetables, and regional seasonings, while "Yamba Yamba" lamented men's deceit juxtaposed with women's enduring love. She was dubbed "the tigress with the golden claws" due to numerous rings adorning her fingers, and performed at
Stade de Lomé later that year. The album was recorded and produced in Paris by Pathé and captures Masikini's musical journey and her connection to the city. Her African blues-folk style, previously well-received, drew criticism from some of her
fandom. In response to the critique, she released her self-titled fourth studio album,
Abeti, which included standout tracks arranged in a different style such as "Bilanda-Landa", "Kizungu-Zungu" (co-written with Zenge-Zenge), "Inquiétude" (co-written with
Ray Lema), "Banana", "Biso-Basi" (alternately titled "Nous Les Femmes"), and "Folie-D'Amour" (co-written with Jean Abumba Masikini). In 1978, she went to Paris for the album's production and teamed up with
Slim Pezin as the arranger and producer, with the album debuting in Parisian markets the same year. The album departed from her previous works as it incorporated
disco but maintained its Congolese rhythms with some select tracks sung entirely in Swahili,
Lingala, and French. During a promotional tour in West Africa, Masikini seized the attention of
Radio Netherlands and filmed
Abeti en Holland, which featured songs from
Visages in 1978. The breakout single "Chéri Badé" gained widespread national recognition and set a record for ten consecutive weeks at the top of the
OZRT (
Office Zaïrois de Radio-Télévision) chart. The album's hit single "I Love You", produced early in 1982 and enjoying immense popularity, eventually became a
sleeper hit in 1985.
Abeti earned her a gold record, selling over 300,000 copies in Africa. She collaborated with Lokassa Ya M'Bongo and Georges Seba on the arrangement, with backing vocals by Ballou Canta, Dada Hekimian, Georges Seba, and Marylou Seba. The performance featured several guest artists, including
Bernard Lavilliers,
Manu Dibango,
Nzongo Soul,
Pépé Kallé, Seba,
Aurlus Mabélé, and
François Lougah, and was broadcast live on
Radio France Internationale. Produced in France by Jimmy International Production and edited by Polygram, most of the tracks were solely written by Masikini, except for "Ousmane", co-written with
Mayaula Mayoni, and "Ma Lu", with Georges Seba. The album was arranged by Georges Seba and Lokassa Ya M'Bongo, with backing vocals from Dada Hekimian, Fédé Lawu, Georges Seba, Marylou Seba, Richard Lebrun, and Solo Sita.
La Reine du Soukous was supported by "Mupenzi", "Ousmane", "Bebe Matoko", "Ma Lu", and "Je Suis Occupée", and a cover of "Mwana Muke Wa Miss". In 1993, she took the stage at the LSC hall in
La Plaine Saint-Denis on
New Year's Eve. == Illness and death ==