Wendo Kolosoy

Antoine Wendo Kolosoy, better known as Papa Wendo, Wendo Sor, or mononymously Wendo, was a Congolese singer-songwriter, guitarist, and bandleader. Often called by some contemporaries as the "father of Congolese rumba", Wendo pioneered a musical idiom distinguished by his self-accompaniment on guitar, whether as a soloist or in the company of a small ensemble, before drawing in 1943 upon the pioneering example of his contemporary Paul Kamba. His stardom was so pervasive that the music of his era became known colloquially as Tango ya ba Wendo. He sang in Nkundo, Lingala, and Swahili, with lyrics that often explored themes of travel, solitude, youthful nostalgia, lost loves, and feminine beauty. His style was distinctive for its raspy, resonant voice, playful use of onomatopoeia, high-pitched inflections, and cooing embellishments.