Frank Bessem's Musiques d'Afrique: Barbara Akabla

Frank Bessem's
Musiques d'Afrique:

Barbara Akabla
(Côte d'Ivoire)

Musiques d'Afrique
Musiques de Côte d'Ivoire

Barbara Akabla has been involved in music since the 1980s. Very soon, she recorded a first album, « Séhizou », that was produced by Paul Nemlin, who recorded a few albums of his own, and who participated later in the a capella group NIPA (1996). Barbara was still at in college when Paul Nemlin proposed to record an album with her. Barbara continued developing her singing capacities in Abidjan and started singing in bars and nightclubs in Abidjan.

In the late 1990s, she arrived in Paris where she continued to sing in bars. She performed as opening act for concerts of Papa Wemba and Koffi Olomide in the Zenith venue in Paris. She recorded a second album « Tu pense qu'à ça », an album that was released in 1999. The album was well received but had limited success due to lack of promotion. In 2006, Barbara Akabla returns with a new album with the funny title « Boum Boum Bam », produced by French producer François Cousin. The style of this album is called Afro World, which is in fact a mix of RnB and zouk with local Ivorian rhythms.

On her web site you can listen to some audio clips: [link]

Born:
Style: RnB, zouk, aloucou, digba, gbégbé

Discography:

Title	Year	Label	Remarks
Boum Boum Bam	2005	12 Courage Productions 060406/1 / Bolibana BIP522	Buy this album here: www.fnac.com
Tu pense qu'à ça	1999	Pool Music 304406-2	Buy this album here: www.sternsmusic.com
Séhizou	1985	Cassette