Innoss'B

Congolese Afro-beat singer, rapper, and songwriter Innoss'b rose to popularity at a young age when in 2010, he won the inaugural season of the Vodacom Superstars talent contest, whose prize was a collaborative single with R&B legend Akon. Just 12 years old at the time, he went on to build a successful recording career, releasing three solo albums over the next decade, collaborating with Congolese legends like Werrason and Koffi Olomide, and notching hit singles with songs like "Yo Pe" and "Mon Boulot. Born Innocent Didace Balume on May 5, 1997, in the city of Goma, he developed a love of music from his parents and learned to sing as a child. He sang publicly in the church choir, while at home studying the music of one of his idols, Michael Jackson, and learning to play the djembe drum. When he was seven, Balume joined up with his older brothers as Maisha Soul, and the group earned some regional notoriety by winning first prize at a talent contest during the Goma Tourism Fair. His talent even as a boy was apparent, and when American-Senegalese R&B star Akon launched an American Idol-style talent search in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Balume's parents signed him up. The 12-year-old was a crowd favorite and went on to win the first and only Vodacom Superstars contest and the chance to record a single, "Up and Away," with Akon. He also joined Akon on-stage at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The following year, he earned a Ndule Special Jury Award and by 2013 had signed with Interglobe Music to release his debut album as Innoss'b, titled Innocent. Two more albums, Cha Cha and Turn on the Radio, followed in 2016. By the decade's end, Innoss'b had landed several hits, most notably 2019's "Yo Pe," and worked with African icons like Werrason and Koffi Olomide as well as contemporary stars like Diamond Platnumz. He released his fourth album, Achour, in 2020. ~ Timothy Monger