José Louis and the Paradox of Love, by Pierre Kwenders: when love makes you grow

If the title of Pierre Kwenders’ new album is taken from his real name, José Louis Modabi, it is no coincidence according to the artist who believes that it is probably his most intimate work.

It’s a very personal album where I really opened up and where I’m most vulnerable. I tell the story of José Louis, certainly through the voice of Pierre Kwenders, but it is indeed José Louis who lived all these love stories and these experiencesexplains the artist, joined by videoconference.

First a reflection on the contradictions of love, this new opus is also full of references to the past, whether in Montreal, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where the singer was born, or in one of the many countries he has visited. The question of the heritage – the one he received and the one he will leave – is once again central to the artist’s approach.

Remember that his stage name, Pierre Kwenders, is a tribute to his maternal grandfather of the same name. On his third album, he makes other nods to his family, as on Your Dreamwhich begins with a voicemail from his mother.

This is a message that my mother left me when I turned 34. I wanted to write a song for her, because sometimes our parents have doubts about our choices in life, they question who we really are.explains Kwenders, who left a comfortable job in accounting almost six years ago to devote himself entirely to his musical career. Through this song, I wanted to reassure her a bit and thank her at the same time for her love.

Love in all its forms has strongly influenced these 13 new titles. I grew up, I understood a lot of things. I will quote James A. Baldwin, who said: “Love is a battle, love is a war; love is a growing up”. It’s a little love that made me growsummarizes the singer.

The Congolese rumba as a pillar of an eclectic style

Since his first album, The last Bantu emperor (2014), the Congolese rumba occupies an important place in the musical universe of Pierre Kwenders. This is always the case on José Louis and the Paradox of Love.

The first single from the album, Papa Wembais also a tribute to the one who is nicknamed the king of Congolese rumba : Congolese singer and actor Papa Wemba. This artist, who died in 2016, was a major inspiration for Kwenders, who from a very young age saw him open the borders for artists from the DRC.

The Congolese rumba is really the guiding soul of the album, it’s really what rocks me when I compose, so it’s omnipresent in what I doexplains Kwenders. But we hear everything: rap, R’N’B, jazz.

These influences are woven together by electronic sounds imagined by Kwenders and his acolytes. Whether in terms of production, music or vocals, the album is full of collaborations, most of them with international artists such as Ngabo, Sônge, anaiis, Babel Bukasa, Uproot Andy and Branko.

What is important is collaboration. It’s what drives what I do. I would feel a little isolated working alone, but working with others enriches meexplains Pierre Kwenders.

Love never sleeps on the dance floor

LES (Freedom Equality Sagacity), the first track of the album which comes close to the 10-minute mark, sets the tone of the album. Pierre Kwenders chants the mantra over and over again liberty, equality, sagacity on an intoxicating electro frame signed King Britt. Win Butler and Régine Chassagne, co-founding couple of Arcade Fire, participate respectively in the voice and the synthesizers.

Pierre Kwenders met his friend Win Butler in New Orleans, Louisiana, where Arcade Fire recorded the music video for his new single, The Lightning I, II. This is one of the many places where the Kwenders album was recorded, between Lisbon in Portugal, Seattle in the United States, Santiago in Chile and Montreal.

Pierre Kwenders is back with his third album, recorded in different cities in French, English, Lingala, Tshiluba and Kikongo.

Photo: Bonsound/Kim Yang

Like the first two opuses of Kwenders, José Louis and the Paradox of Love is designed for the dance floor, while revealing the softer side of the artist. Pieces with a higher tempo (Papa Wemba, Cut, Kilimanjaro) alongside slower songs where the artist takes the time to set the mood (Your Dream, heart beat).

In parallel with the launch shows for his album, on May 4 in Toronto, at The Music Gallery, and on May 6 in Montreal, at the Phi Centre, Pierre Kwenders continues to make his Moonshine concept travel everywhere.

These musical evenings that he hosts as a DJ have indeed taken on a lot of importance since their beginnings in places underground from Montreal, with events in Lisbon, Paris, London, Los Angeles and more. In the words of José Louis Modabi, alias Pierre Kwenders, love never sleeps on the dance floor.