Johanna Barry
Choir member, artist, singer, composer, Johanna Barry was born in 1976 in Abidjan (Ivory cost). She went to school like the girls of her age. As she didn't like it a lot, she abandoned school at the eleventh grade but her beautiful figure, her slenderness and her feeling are assets she will try to use by putting down her name at the beauty institute of Abidjan (IBA) where she will try to become a model. We thought we were discovering the talents of Johanna in the greats fashion shows and beauty competitions.
Art is a gift for the Barry. During her free time, Johanna accompanied her elder sister Maïmouna Barry who was chorus maker at the studio JBZ of Abidjan. It due to this that she began to love music. Anytime her sister was repeating, she was there, even in studio. Johanna Barry will cease her chance during the absence of a choir member at the studio during a recording.
She will come in front of the scene after a few hesitations and after a lot of encouragement from her sister. The adventure of the young artist looks promising with the meeting of Cheick Smith Chérif who will become her spiritual father. Johanna Barry will work hard during a few years under the watchful eye of this professional. She took part in the recording of several albums in the different studios of Abidjan (JBZ, Séquence, Néfertiti…).
An album with the Barry's and the second one "Mon Destin" (My destiny) will be released in June 2003 and distributed by Malik7 are the proofs of the artist maturity. Mon Destin (My destiny) , a very evocative title.

Papa Wemba granted parole.
The Congolese star, king of Afro pop and pope of pope of the well-dress Papa Wemba was released last Friday after three months of imprisonment. Nevertheless , he's granted parole:
-Obligatory bail of about 20 millions of F CFA
-Confiscation of the passport
- obligated to present before the Belgian court who has also launch an international warrant of arrest against him. If he cannot be tried twice for the same case, the pre-trial investigation of the case will be done in France.
Let's remind that Papa Wemba had been arrested last February by the French justice. He is accused of having helped hundreds of illegal emigrants to enter France and Belgium in return for 2 millions of FCFA (he recognised the facts).
We hope that the king of the Congolese rumba will take advantage of this temporary release to continue to make the fans of rumba dream.

The second marriage of Alou Sam
The young Gawlo has just married with Miss Salimata Sam called Sali. The girl is the daughter of Ina Dieng. The marriage was celebrated last Sunday at the town hall of Korofina-Nord. We wish them a happy wedding to the cousins and we hope that this union will give the necessary inspiration o the artist in order that he comes back to us quickly.

"Bomboï" breaks the suspense.
The suspense is at last broken. The new album of Rokia Traoré, awaited for June , the12 instead of the 5 of the same month will be named "Bomboï". This name remind the star of the Bélédougou a lot of memories because it is the title of a lullaby her mother use to sing for her. The fine rose draw her inspiration from her to manifest her attachment to her region and moreover, to pay tribute to all the poor parents who are striving to give the best to their children. The second event is that the album will be launched under a new label: "Tâma Production".
Tâma for the travel, the adventure… her husband and her don't like static things. They love moving and moving things with them. They love meeting people to exchange, learn and give.
"Bomboï" will be the first album of the new label Tâma Production" created by Thomas and Rokia Weil.

Bowboï
Kékéré-ké
So curt, so cruel, so hard, so merciless is the song of this bird,
This bird augurs badly, he tells the misfortune, the suffering
His voice augurs nothing good, it augurs the suffering of a child.
"armless mother, what do you have instead of praying?"
then she kneels but the Lord doesn't hear her prayers, the all mighty doesn't answer.
What to do, what to think as things are like that?
The suffering last, the father addresses to the Lord
"don't you see, don't you hear us, if the exit should be death , let her be rapid
why so much suffering?
What is this hole without exit?"
Kékéré-ké
The bird sings,
It augurs well
"this day is far but it will come, the end of suffering is long but will come"
Kékéré-ké
The song of hope