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.
Toyebi Te
Lokua Kanza Lyrics
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Everybody needs to go somewhere
But we don't know where we are going
Nayebi te epayi nakokende
Nkolo oh yaka kosunga ngaï
Everybody wants to be someone
But we don't know where we are going
In Lokua Kanza's song "Toyebi Te," the spoken voice at the beginning of the song highlights a common sentiment that most people in the world can relate to. Essentially, it refers to the fact that everyone wants to have a purpose in life and go somewhere, but we often don't know where we're headed. The lyrics that follow are repeated twice, and they are spoken in Lari (a Congolese language), followed by French. The first line translates to "I do not know where I am going," while the second line translates to "Oh Lord, hold me tight."
These lines convey a sense of insecurity, uncertainty, and vulnerability that many of us experience in life. The song expresses the idea that even though we may not know our destination, we aspire to be someone and make a meaningful impact on the world. The song's gentle melody, soothing harmonies, and calm tempo combine perfectly with the introspective lyrics to create a meditative musical experience.
Overall, Lokua Kanza's "Toyebi Te" is a beautiful and introspective song that touches on some of the most significant challenges we all face in life - finding a sense of purpose and direction when our paths ahead are unclear.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody wants to be someone
Everyone desires to be recognized as an important person
Everybody needs to go somewhere
Everybody has goals and dreams to achieve
But we don't know where we are going
Despite having aspirations, we are unsure of our ultimate direction in life
Nayebi te epayi nakokende
I do not know where I am going in this world
Nkolo oh yaka kosunga ngaï
My God, hold my hand and guide me through this journey
Writer(s): Anne Olga de Pass, Kanza Lokua
Contributed by Landon I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.