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.
Yoka
Lokua Kanza Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Kala nalobi no yoka makambo nionso
Ngaï nalingaka te
Kanda na ngaï eza ya niama
Pasi elekeli ngaï mingi
Kolinga moninga ebomaka te
Oyo ya ngaï ekoma ngambo
Yokela ngaï tango nakoloba
Ndimela ngaï tango nakolela
Motema na ngaï ezali se yo
(bis)
Yokela ngaï motema na ngaï eh
Yokela ngaï tango ngaï na kolelaka yo
Yoka ah
Yokela ngaï ah eh tango ngaï na kolelaka yo
Yoka ngaï ndimbola na ngaï ya bolingo
Na koyembela yo
Na loyembo yo ebongi o yoka ngaï
Ye eh eh yokela ngaï ah tango ngaï
Na kolela moto andima ngaï te eh
Naza lokola moto nionso oh
Na zalaka pe na kanda na ngaï
Tango ngaï nalelaka yokela ngaï ah
Yokela ngaï tango ngaï na kolelaka yo
Yokela ngaï tango ngaï na kolelaka
Yokela ngaï napesi yo motema na ngaï
Yokela ngaï
The lyrics to Lokua Kanza's Yoka speak of a deep longing for someone or something that the singer cannot have. They repeat the phrase "kanda na ngaï eza ya niama" which translates to "my inseparable friend". The singer describes how they have tried to move on and let go, but they cannot seem to escape the hold that this friend has on them. They describe their heart as being "se yo", meaning "yours", indicating that they have given themselves completely to this friend. Despite this, the friend does not seem to reciprocate the same level of love and loyalty, causing the singer pain.
The chorus of the song is where the title comes in, with the repeated phrase "Yokela ngaï tango ngaï na kolelaka yo", which translates to "Come back to me, I beg you". The singer is pleading with their friend to return to them, to come back into their life and fulfill the void they have left. They are willing to forgive and forget, to move past whatever caused the separation and start anew. The final line of the song, "yokela ngaï napesi yo motema na ngaï", means "I give you my heart, come back to me", further emphasizing the depth of the singer's love and desire for this friend.
Line by Line Meaning
Kala nalobi no yoka makambo nionso
Although I speak, listen to everything I have to say
Ngaï nalingaka te
I don't feel good
Kanda na ngaï eza ya niama
My guitar is my life
Pasi elekeli ngaï mingi
I am greatly tired
Kolinga moninga ebomaka te
Friends are hard to find
Oyo ya ngaï ekoma ngambo
This is what I've been waiting for
Yokela ngaï tango nakoloba
Let me sing for you
Ndimela ngaï tango nakolela
Join me and let's sing together
Motema na ngaï ezali se yo
My heart belongs to you
Yokela ngaï motema na ngaï eh
Let me give you my heart
Yokela ngaï tango ngaï na kolelaka yo
Let me sing for you and make you happy
Yoka ah
Listen to me
Yokela ngaï ah eh tango ngaï na kolelaka yo
Let me sing for you and make you happy
Yoka ngaï ndimbola na ngaï ya bolingo
Listen to me and feel my love
Na koyembela yo
I am praying for you
Na loyembo yo ebongi o yoka ngaï
I sing for you with all my heart, listen to me
Ye eh eh yokela ngaï ah tango ngaï
Yes, let me sing for you and make you happy
Na kolela moto andima ngaï te eh
I will sing even if it hurts me
Naza lokola moto nionso oh
I am like any other person
Na zalaka pe na kanda na ngaï
I will always play my guitar
Tango ngaï nalelaka yokela ngaï ah
When I sing, I want to make you happy
Yokela ngaï tango ngaï na kolelaka yo
Let me sing for you and make you happy
Yokela ngaï tango ngaï na kolelaka
Let me sing for you and make you happy
Yokela ngaï napesi yo motema na ngaï
Let me give you my heart
Yokela ngaï
Let me sing for you
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: LOKUA KANZA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Adrix_ me
Eu amo essa canção... Lokua Kanza, I love u, 🇦🇴🇦🇴🇦🇴
Monica Nyenge
Thankyou Lokua!... What beautiful music! Tres trés bon!
alberto bila
Alguém pode traduzir está música em português por favor
christina ojamo
My favorite cd in 1995: Lokua Kanza "Wapi Yo"... Thanks!
Mvutu
Thanks for that sweet music big brother lokwa
Gabrielle Kabongo
Hisoka belle chanson que tu m'a suggéré 😍
João
🖤🔥