Singer/songwriter Lulendo grew up in the Angolan capital, Luanda. He fled his war-torn country in 1982. Despite more than 20 years in France, Lulendo says he thinks of himself as Angolan. This is reflected on his new CD..... "Angola."
One of the songs on the CD reveals Lulendo's longing for home. The song is in the African language Kikongo and Portuguese. He sings: "Angola, my land, my roots."
Lulendo also plays guitar. His grandfather taught him likembe, the Congolese thumb piano. He's incorporated other instruments on the CD as well. On another track, he plays with saxophonist John Helliwell, a former member of Supertramp. Other songs feature violinist Didier Lockwood and pedal steel player-slash-record producer Claude Samard. This gives the CD many different flavors.
The ballad "Maman" demonstrates Lulendo's remarkable vocal range. He grew up singing in church choirs. Then later, in Paris, he performed in stage shows and was a studio musician. Lulendo was also a back-up singer for Papa Wemba, the influential Congolese musician.