José Adelino Barceló de Carvalho, better known as Bonga, is an Angolan singer. He spent his childhood in neighbourhoods that fostered a deep appreciation and a need to preserve Angolan music and traditions, which were marginalised during the colonial era. The folklore of the musseques captivated him, prompting him to attend and participate in classes in typical Angolan neighbourhoods, where he began his musical journey. It was in the Marçal neighbourhood that he founded the group ‘Kissueia’. As a product of a resilient, marginalised generation that resists acculturation by honouring traditional Angolan music, Bonga boasts a career spanning over thirty years and has achieved record sales of 32 albums worldwide. In 2014, he was honoured with the title of ‘Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters’ by the French government.
Bonga
Singer
