Lokua Kanza was born Pascal Lokua Kanza in 1958 in Bukavu, in the province of Kivu, in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. He is the eldest of eight children, with a Mongo father and a Tutsi mother from Rwanda. In 1964, the family went to live in Kinshasa (Congo's capital) in a middle class area, until the day when Pascal's father, a ship's captain, died. His mother then moved to a much poorer area of the city, and Lokua, the eldest, had to work to feed the family. He therefore went to school part time, and took odd jobs, as well as singing in churches. Lokua Kanza sings in French, Lingala, and English.
Be Yourself
Lokua Kanza Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Kolanda te oyo balobi wana se mopepe ya pamba dit
Mabe tokosalaka na baninga
Ekofutamaka awa na nse
Ata soki okweyi na nzela
Maboko na yo ezala se peto na miso ya nzambe
Be Yourself no matter what they say
Fungola ni matoyi boyaka
Fungola miso na yo
Be Yourself no matter what they say
Kozanga eza lisumu te
Ndeko na ngai yoka
Baye bazuwa pe bazanga
Wana se ye ye mokili mokili
Kasi kobosanaka te oh
Mayele na yo nde bomoyi na yo
Ata soki okweyi na nzela
Maboko na yo ezala se peto na miso ya nzambe
Be Yourself no matter what they say
Be Yourself no matter what they say
Ah na miso ya nzambe
Be Yourself no matter what they say
Fungola miso na yo
No matter what they say
Be Yourself no matter what they say
Mokili yango mbongwana mbongwana mbongwana
mbongwana mbongwana mbongwana ye ye
mbongwana mbongwana
la la la la
Open your mind
Open your mind - mbongwana mbongwana mbongwana
Mame mame ye
Mame mame oh
mbongwana mbongwana mbongwana
The song "Be Yourself" by Lokua Kanza is a beautifully gentle and uplifting reminder that we must always stay true to ourselves, no matter what society or others may say. The lyrics are filled with encouragement to have faith in oneself and to not let the opinions of others dictate one's decisions. The importance of inner strength and self-assurance is highlighted through the repeated lines of "Be Yourself no matter what they say". The singer continues to use African imagery by mentioning "maboko na yo", which means "your hands" in Lingala, and "miso ya nzambe", which means "the eyes of God", highlighting the spiritual thread throughout the song. Kanza also mentions "Fungola ni matoyi boyaka" which means "open your mind", emphasizing the importance of self-exploration and finding one's true purpose.
The song's unifying message is supported by its instrumentation, which features gentle guitar strums and a steady drumbeat, reminiscent of the traditional Congolese rumba music. The song's chorus is memorable, with Lokua Kanza's soothing voice singing "Be Yourself no matter what they say" multiple times. The use of Mbongwana, meaning "crazy" in Lingala, and "Mame", which means "Mother" in the same language, is a nod to the Congolese culture and the significance of their language.
Line by Line Meaning
Bomoyi na yo eza maboko na yo, moko
Your life is in your own hands, only you can control it
Kolanda te oyo balobi wana se mopepe ya pamba dit
Do not follow what everybody tells you, they might be wrong
Mabe tokosalaka na baninga
Chances are missed by many people
Ekofutamaka awa na nse
Regret comes from hesitating
Ata soki okweyi na nzela
Even if you are lost in the road
Maboko na yo ezala se peto na miso ya nzambe
Your hands are like God's eyes and can lead you to the right direction
Be Yourself no matter what they say
It is important to be true to yourself
Fungola ni matoyi boyaka
Open your eyes to see the truth
Fungola miso na yo
Open your eyes
Kozanga eza lisumu te
Don't be afraid to speak out
Ndeko na ngai yoka
Listen to me, my friend
Baye bazuwa pe bazanga
People will talk about you, no matter what
Wana se ye ye mokili mokili
This world, oh this world
Kasi kobosanaka te oh
But it doesn't matter
Mayele na yo nde bomoyi na yo
Your passions are what make your life worth living
Ah na miso ya nzambe
Ah, with God's eyes
No matter what they say
Others' opinions are not relevant to your life
Mokili yango mbongwana mbongwana mbongwana
This world, full of surprises and challenges
mbongwana mbongwana mbongwana ye ye
Surprises and challenges, oh oh
la la la la
N/A
Open your mind
Be open to new ideas and perspectives
- mbongwana mbongwana mbongwana
surprises and challenges
Mame mame ye
N/A
Mame mame oh
N/A
mbongwana mbongwana mbongwana
N/A
Writer(s): Lokua Kanza Copyright: Chrysalis Music Ltd.
Contributed by Nora L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
amalinze le chat
Great Song from one of the most talented artists in Africa
kinshasa 166
Très belle chanson 🙏🏾🙏🏾🇨🇩🇨🇩🎤🎤🧡💜🧡💜
Rebecka Kisoka
HE'S THE BEST ! GOD BLESS YOU PAPA ! THIS IS REAL MUSIC !
Elisabeth Oga
Wahouuuuu!!! Tu es vraiment le meilleur. Trop au ange quand je t'écoute.
First Lady
Ma chanson 🎵 👌🏾🇨🇩💃🏻 always be yourself no matter what they say. 💝
willi koeller
voici un grand morceau de lokua kanza ! avec une superbe melodie!
Viviane Kamwa Aalto
Best of the best love you Lokua 💚
Dirceu Bastos
LOVE THIS SONG IT THE BEST
Dr. Mimi
merci beaucoup pour les lyrics
Mayasi M.
Merci papa lokua 😙😗