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Hoïgen Ekwalla (1949-2008)
(Cameroon)
Biography
Hoïgen Ekwalla has become famous during the 1980s with his up-tempo makossa.
He was raised by his mother and elder sister, as he lost his father when he was 5 years old,
and became a mecanic and electrician. He has worked for various big companies, with his earned saving he managed to
travel to Paris in 1980.
Back in Cameroon, he started to sing, with the help of Kotti François. He developed a particular talent for the guitar, and on his albums, he played guitar himself. He became a close friend of fellow makossa singer Djene Djento and with his velvet voice and elegant appearance, Hoigen made several successful albums. Hits such as « Chat botté », « Longue di titi nika » and « Mon amie vérité » remain in your head a long time after listening through their sweet melodies and dancable rhythms. The 1994 album resulted in the Artist of the Year title in Cameroon.
Hoigen Ekwalla composed several songs for a new album due early 2009, but was stopped by health problems, and on 23 October 2008, he died after a 2 weeks stay in the Laquintinie Hospital in Douala. He leaves behind his mother, his elder sister and two children.
Born: 13 June 1949, as Ekwalla Mpouli Eugène
Style: makossa
Back in Cameroon, he started to sing, with the help of Kotti François. He developed a particular talent for the guitar, and on his albums, he played guitar himself. He became a close friend of fellow makossa singer Djene Djento and with his velvet voice and elegant appearance, Hoigen made several successful albums. Hits such as « Chat botté », « Longue di titi nika » and « Mon amie vérité » remain in your head a long time after listening through their sweet melodies and dancable rhythms. The 1994 album resulted in the Artist of the Year title in Cameroon.
Hoigen Ekwalla composed several songs for a new album due early 2009, but was stopped by health problems, and on 23 October 2008, he died after a 2 weeks stay in the Laquintinie Hospital in Douala. He leaves behind his mother, his elder sister and two children.
Born: 13 June 1949, as Ekwalla Mpouli Eugène
Style: makossa
Hoigen Ekwalla: album cover 'Longue di titi nika'
Discography
| Title | Year | Label | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Tendresse: Aimer Mwen | 2000 | JPS Production CDJPS 113 | CD |
| La joie | 1998 | Sonodisc CD 85905 | |
| The Best of Hoïgen Ekwalla | 1997 | TJR CDAT 174 | Compilation |
| Voyage (Londo) | 1995 | Sonodisc CD 81313 | |
| Mon amie vérité | 1994 | TJR CDAT 116 | |
| Longue di titi nika | 1991 | TJR CDAT 095 | |
| Femmes, il faut supporter ! | 1990 | TJR AT 085 | LP |
| Chat botté | 1988 | Koko's Records KMN 662 | LP |
| Minya / Jalousie | 1986 | Koko's Records MN 661 | LP |
| Ndutu / Bila O Diba | 1985 | Koko's Records MN 660 | LP |
| Ebol'a Ngosso | 1984 | NTJ 002 | LP |
| Ndo l'am / Makossa Party | 1983 | Disques Beny BENY 001 | LP |
Sources
Page added December 1998