Born and brought up in the Democratic Republic of the Congo M'bilia Bel became successful in the mid-1980s when she recorded and toured with Tabu Ley Rochereau, and made her own solo albums. The birth of her first child prompted her to take a break from performing, however, and after a last album with Ley in 1987, she moved to Paris. There she started working with guitarist Rigo Star, and between 1989 and 1990 she went on to tour the United States, the United Kingdom, and West Africa.
She has released 4 albums since 1990. Her most recent, Belissimo, was released in 2004. M'bilia continues to wear her crown as Queen of Congolese rumba.
Faux Pas
M'bilia Bel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nayoki sango oko tuna tuna epai navandaka
Batindaka yo nde miseno mbanda ah
Bosana lelo mobali na nga ah
Naboyi bitumba nasomba fete na nzoto eh
Nabandi koyoka sango na yo mingi mama
Zonga na sima epayi yo owutiii
Mingi bayeba matata na nga
Zonga na sima epayi yo owutiii
Mingi bayeba matata na nga
Nakomi koyoka sango nayo mwa mingi eeh
Bipai biso nakoleka bakotuna nga ah
Yoka ozali toma* ya mbanda aah
Boni yo selesele na mobali, aah
Kanga motema nzoto ya mbilia aah
Ya nga lolendo ewuta na famille
Nakobanga nani Eeh? mama aah
Mobali nayebi azali se wa nga ah
Mbanda moko ameka ata koloba te eh
Mosali avoye ya mbanda na nga keba nayo oh
Okomi kopesa commandement nga na rêver
Mbanda asali faux pas na laaa vie
Moto atindaka bakomi nde mbanda aah
Mbanda asali faux pas na laaa vie
Mondo wa mobesu na ndambwadabwa aah
Okomi kosalela mbanda baa fausse mission
Nabandi koyoka sango yango mwa mingi eh
Yeba mobali azali nde waaa nga
Moninga na nga azali se moleki tinda
Bayina nga makasi ya kotunda ah
Kasi monoko na nga Mbilia ya kozwana nga ah
Mama ahhhh
Sika naloba pe nini nga kolo ya moto oh
Oyo akomi kongala kuna pe ye nani eeh
Nabebi nzoto eh, nasambwe nzoto eh, oh nga Mbilia eh
Mabala oyo tokokotaka nzoka ya makambo eh
Olamuka na tongo oyoki bazweli yo mbanda eh
Okomi zoba eh, osili mayele eh, oh yo moto eh
Bombanda na tongo na biso ekomi lisano mama ah
Bombanda bakoko ezalaki likambo ya bozomiii
Tokomi wapi eh? Tokei wapi oh? Ooh nga Mbilia eh
Bombanda ezali nde likambo ya pasi na motema ah
Outi epai mosusu oya kotungisa libala na ngai
Nateki molimo eh
Nakoluka nasukisa yo, oh moto eh
Mbanda asali se mbandaki camarade ya nini eeh
Eboyi mosala yo kolinga kosala moninga te eh
Ezali pasi eh, ekozwa na motema eh, oyo moto eh
Sika naloba mpe nini nga kolo ya moto oh
Oyo akomi kongala kuna pe ya nani ye
Nabebi nzoto eh, nasambwe nzoto eh, oh nga Mbilia eh
Mabala oyo tokokotaka nzoka ya makambo eh
Olamuka na tongo oyoki bazweli yo mbanda eh
Okomi zoba eh, osili mayele eh, oh yo moto eh
Bombanda na tongo na biso ekomi lisano mama aah
Bombanda bakoko ezalaki likambo ya bozomi
Tokomi wapi eh? Tokei wapi? Ooh Mbilia eh
Bombanda ezali nde likambo ya mpasi na motema ah
Outi epai mosusu oya kotungisa libala na ngai
Nateki molimo eh
Nakoluka nasukisa yo oh, oh nga moto eh
Mbanda asali se mbandaki camarade ya nini eeh
Eboyi mosala yo kolinga kozala moninga te eh
Ezali pasi eh, ekozwa na motema eh, oh nga moto eh
Sika naloba pe nini nga kolo ya moto oh
Oyo akomi kongala kuna pe ye nani eeh
Nabebi nzoto eh, nasambwe nzoto, oh nga Mbilia eh
Mabala oyo tokokotaka nzoka ya makambo eh
Olamuka na tongo oyoki bazweli yo mbanda eh
Okomi zoba eh, osili mayele oh yo moto eh
Bombanda na tongo na biso ekomi lisano mama ah
Bombanda bakoko ezalaki likambo ya bozomii
Tokomi wapi? Tokei wapi? Ooh nga Mbilia eh
Bombanda ezali nde likambo ya pasi na motema ah
Outi epai mosusu oya kotungisa libala na ngai
Nateki molimo eh
Nakoluka nasukisa yo oh nga moto eh
Mbanda asali se mbandaki camarade ya nini eeh
Eboyi mosala yo kolinga kozala moninga te eh
Ezali pasi eh, ekozwa na motema eh, oh nga moto eh
The lyrics of M'bilia Bel's song Faux Pas mostly revolve around issues of infidelity and deception in relationships. The song talks about a woman who is cheated on by her partner, who she calls Mbanda, and discovers that he has another woman in his life. The artist tries to explain her emotional turmoil and her fight to move on from this terrible experience. She uses various metaphors to describe the different aspects of her life and relationship, such as ozali changer ya ba mission ya ba rivale (you are like a player in a game of rivals) and sika naloba pe nini nga kolo ya moto (I wonder what the reason was for your betrayal).
Throughout the song, M'bilia Bel expresses her sadness and confusion at being cheated on, and seems to be struggling with feelings of anger, sadness, and even bitterness. The frustration and heartbreak in her voice are palpable, making the song an emotionally charged piece that resonates with many people who have experienced the betrayal of a loved one.
Line by Line Meaning
Suka se na epa′yo ozali
You're always on the move
Nayoki sango oko tuna tuna epai navandaka
I hear your steps ringing in my head
Batindaka yo nde miseno mbanda ah
I know you have many enemies
Bosana lelo mobali na nga ah
Looking at my man today
Naboyi bitumba nasomba fete na nzoto eh
I crumbled into tears for nothing
Nabandi koyoka sango na yo mingi mama
I can see so much of you in me
Ozali changer ya ba mission ya ba rivale
You're a game changer for your rivals and competitors
Zonga na sima epayi yo owutiii
Go wherever you want, it doesn't bother me
Mingi bayeba matata na nga
I know you're causing trouble for me
Nakomi koyoka sango nayo mwa mingi eeh
I feel the weight of your many enemies
Bipai biso nakoleka bakotuna nga ah
Give us a chance to discuss, my guy
Yoka ozali toma* ya mbanda aah
Look, you're the boss, my man
Boni yo selesele na mobali, aah
Ah, see how happy you make me, my guy
Kanga motema nzoto ya mbilia aah
Take care of the heart of Mbilia, ah
Ya nga lolendo ewuta na famille
You who always forget about your family
Nakobanga nani Eeh? mama aah
Who are you waiting for? Mama
Mobali nayebi azali se wa nga ah
My man, I know that he's mine
Mbanda moko ameka ata koloba te eh
One of your enemies doesn't want to talk
Mosali avoye ya mbanda na nga keba nayo oh
The wife of one of your enemies is bothering me
Okomi kopesa commandement nga na rêver
You're able to give me orders from afar
Mbanda asali faux pas na laaa vie
Your enemies make mistakes all the time
Moto atindaka bakomi nde mbanda aah
Those who oppose us will fail, my guy
Mondo wa mobesu na ndambwadabwa aah
My heart is closed in confusion, ah
Okomi kosalela mbanda baa fausse mission
You're supporting people with false missions
Nabandi koyoka sango yango mwa mingi eh
I feel the burden of your many enemies
Yeba mobali azali nde waaa nga
Know that my guy is mine alone
Moninga na nga azali se moleki tinda
My friend, you're acting like a child
Bayina nga makasi ya kotunda ah
They call me Mbilia of the strong legs, ah
Kasi monoko na nga Mbilia ya kozwana nga ah
'Monoko' is a nickname I'm called, Mbilia ya kozwana
Sika naloba pe nini nga kolo ya moto oh
What should I do with the warmth of a man's body?
Oyo akomi kongala kuna pe ye nani eeh
Who do you think you're deceiving with this?
Nabebi nzoto eh, nasambwe nzoto eh, oh nga Mbilia eh
I understand the heart, I feel the heart, oh Mbilia
Mabala oyo tokokotaka nzoka ya makambo eh
These scars are telling stories
Olamuka na tongo oyoki bazweli yo mbanda eh
It's clear to everyone that your enemies are asking about you
Okomi zoba eh, osili mayele eh, oh yo moto eh
You're acting foolish, pretending to be someone else, oh guy
Bombanda na tongo na biso ekomi lisano mama ah
Our conversation is recorded in this song, mama
Bombanda bakoko ezalaki likambo ya bozomiii
The chorus repeats the same words
Tokomi wapi eh? Tokei wapi oh? Ooh nga Mbilia eh
Where are we going? Oh, where exactly? Oh, Mbilia
Bombanda ezali nde likambo ya pasi na motema ah
The chorus is about the difficulties in the heart, ah
Outi epai mosusu oya kotungisa libala na ngai
Don't let anyone make me suffer again
Nateki molimo eh
I asked the messenger
Nakoluka nasukisa yo, oh moto eh
I face danger to make you happy, oh guy
Mbanda asali se mbandaki camarade ya nini eeh
Your enemy claims to be my comrade, but why?
Eboyi mosala yo kolinga kosala moninga te eh
You must stop this habit of trying to deceive me
Ezali pasi eh, ekozwa na motema eh, oyo moto eh
It's negative, it's felt in the heart, guy
Sika naloba mpe nini nga kolo ya moto oh
What do I do with the warmth of a man's body?
Oyo akomi kongala kuna pe ya nani ye
Who do you think you're deceiving with this?
Nakoluka nasukisa yo oh, oh nga moto eh
I face danger to make you happy, oh guy
Eboyi mosala yo kolinga kozala moninga te eh
You must stop this habit of trying to deceive me
Ezali pasi eh, ekozwa na motema eh, oh nga moto eh
It's negative, it's felt in the heart, oh, guy
Nabebi nzoto eh, nasambwe nzoto, oh nga Mbilia eh
I understand the heart, I feel the heart, oh Mbilia
Okomi zoba eh, osili mayele oh yo moto eh
You're acting foolish, pretending to be someone else, oh guy
Bombanda bakoko ezalaki likambo ya bozomii
The chorus repeats the same words
Tokomi wapi? Tokei wapi? Ooh nga Mbilia eh
Where are we going? Oh, where exactly? Oh, Mbilia
Nakoluka nasukisa yo oh nga moto eh
I face danger to make you happy, oh guy
Writer(s): Tabu Ley Rochereau
Contributed by Samuel Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.