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. M'bilia continues to wear her crown as Queen of Congolese rumba.
Keyna
Mbilia Bel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nayebi te likambo mobali asali nga na nzoto
Asala moshedebede po nakanisa ye tango nioso
Nalala te bandeko, misu eko tela ngai tongosa
Eloko eningana moke na libanda, noki nalamuki
Folie ya bolingo ebandi kokotela ngai petit à petit
Ah Keyna yoka tina ngai nako bondo
Ah Keyna, motindo oyo nakoya kobela
Bolingo eleki, eleki kin'o eko bomisa nga
Ah Keyna tina nini osali nga boye
Photo ya elongi na yo olobaka na ngai natala
Photo elobaka te, eninganaka te, nasala n'ango nini?
Nayebi se boye,
Mobali abali ngai, aza se ya nga
Naboyi nayoka akomi na mwasi mosusu en dehors na nga
Nayebi ezali modèle mibali bakoma na basi, na basi
Mais ya ngai motema ezali mokuse, nakoya ko kufa
Ah Keyna, yoka tina ngai nako banga
Okomisi motema na ngai esika eleki ngai
Ah Keyna, yoka tina naza kobela
Omesanisa ngai pembeni na yo butu mpe na moyi
Ah Keyna zongisa façon tobandaki
Folie ya bolingo, namema te, nzoka boye
Naboya mbetu, nakoma kolala na divan soki ozali te
Opesi ngai nioso ekoki na la vie ya mwasi ya lelo
Kasi vide monene ekoma pene na ngai soki ozali te
Na bailler télévision, nalembi vidéo, nabwaki ba romans
Nalingi se mobimba na yo evandelaka to sololaka
Ah Keyna, nako kufa oza kotala
Eloko nini balesi yo po okipe ngai te
Ah Keyna, oyebi que naza fidèle
Sala nioso, sala nioso po ngai na changer te
Ah Keyna, yebaka nazali se mwana
Mibali mingi batiaka nga misu, nalingaka te
Ah Keyna, yebaka okoya kozanga nga
La vie na bisengo ezalaka na tina soki y'ozali
Okomi kozanga ngai mokolo mobimba kin'o na tongo
Ozwi mwasi ya sika,
Nakoki kondima ye soki olobi
Kasi nayokaka na minoko ya batu, ekoswa ngai, chéri
Ake na bolingo,
Je t'aime à la folie, je t'aime à la mort
Yokaka lokito, mobali aza kolela mwasi na ye
Ah Keyna, zonga ndaku naza kokufa
Sala nioso, sala mbangu po ngai nasepela
Ah Keyna, yeba nazali se mwana
Ba pasi nioso ya motema ekoki kobalola ngai
Ah Keyna, sala nioso ngai na vivre...
Eloko ba benga bolingo, esilisa bato na tina
Nakangami lelo likolo ya étape ya nzete
Nako kita ndenge nini, motema etingami
Nako loba ndenge nini, mobali a jouer nga
Ah Keyna, moi, je t'aime à la folie
Ah Keyna, je te jure, je suis fidèle
La la la la la...
Liboma ya bolingo ekoti ngai motema nako kamwa
Nasala bipale na mibali mais lelo oyo nasuki
Nako boya ndenge nini motema elingi ye
Lelo nakabola ye na mbanda, la vie ou la mort
Ah Keyna, moi, je t'aime à la folie
Ah Keyna, nasala nini po na vivre
La la la la la...
Eloko ba benga bolingo, esilisa bato na tina
Nakangami lelo likolo ya étape ya nzete
Nako kita ndenge nini, motema etingami
Nako loba ndenge nini, mobali a jouer nga
Ah Keyna, moi, je t'aime à la folie
Ah Keyna, je te jure, je suis fidèle
La la la la la...
Liboma ya bolingo ekoti ngai motema nako kamwa
Nasala bipale na mibali mais lelo oyo nasuki
Nako boya ndenge nini motema elingi ye
Lelo nakabola ye na mbanda, la vie ou la mort
Ah Keyna, moi, je t'aime à la folie
Ah Keyna, nasala nini po na vivre
La la la la la...
The lyrics of Mbilia Bel's song Keyna are about the intensity of love and the overwhelming feelings that come with it. The opening lines, "Folie ya bolingo ezalaka na tina nzoka boye" translate to "The madness of love was in my blood" and sets the tone for the rest of the song. The singer talks about being unable to resist the pull of the person they love, even though they know it might not end well. They express their devotion by saying "Je t'aime à la folie" which means "I love you madly" and "Je te jure, je suis fidèle" which means "I swear, I am faithful".
In the second verse, the singer mentions a photo of the person they love and how it affects them. They say they know that their lover has someone else in their life, but they still can't help how they feel. The song continues with the singer expressing their desire to be with their lover and asking them to reciprocate their feelings. They talk about how much they are willing to sacrifice for love, even if it means choosing between life and death.
Overall, the lyrics of Keyna are a passionate declaration of love, filled with emotion and intensity. The singer's vocals perfectly convey the longing, desire, and heartache that come with being in love.
Line by Line Meaning
Folie ya bolingo ezalaka na tina nzoka boye
The madness of love was deeply rooted in a poisonous tree
Nayebi te likambo mobali asali nga na nzoto
I don't know what the man told me in my ear
Asala moshedebede po nakanisa ye tango nioso
He whispered sweet nothings, trying to win me over completely
Nalala te bandeko, misu eko tela ngai tongosa
I didn't sleep, my friends, my tears soaked my pillow
Eloko eningana moke na libanda, noki nalamuki
The thought torments me in the courtyard as in the bedroom
Folie ya bolingo ebandi kokotela ngai petit à petit
The madness of love crept up on me little by little
Ah Keyna yoka tina ngai nako bondo
Oh Keyna, take my hand, let's go dance
Tango nioso, tango nioso ngai nako kanisa yo
Every moment, every moment, I will adore you
Ah Keyna, motindo oyo nakoya kobela
Oh Keyna, this feeling that I can't control
Bolingo eleki, eleki kin'o eko bomisa nga
Love exists, exists and it elevates me
Ah Keyna tina nini osali nga boye
Oh Keyna, what is it that you want from me?
Photo ya elongi na yo olobaka na ngai natala
Your smiling photo made me fall
Photo elobaka te, eninganaka te, nasala n'ango nini?
The photo doesn't talk, it doesn't move, what can I do with it?
Nayebi se boye, mobali abali ngai, aza se ya nga
I don't know, the man who abandoned me, is he still mine?
Naboyi nayoka akomi na mwasi mosusu en dehors na nga
I saw him with another woman outside of me
Nayebi ezali modèle mibali bakoma na basi, na basi
I know he has women lining up for him, one after the other
Mais ya ngai motema ezali mokuse, nakoya ko kufa
But my heart is weak, I'm dying of it
Ah Keyna, yoka tina ngai nako banga
Oh Keyna, take my hand, let's finish this
Okomisi motema na ngai esika eleki ngai
Bring my heart to a place where I can find it
Ah Keyna, yoka tina naza kobela
Oh Keyna, take my hand, I want to be baptized
Omesanisa ngai pembeni na yo butu mpe na moyi
You immerse me next to you with joy and pain
Ah Keyna zongisa façon tobandaki
Oh Keyna, show me how to dance
Folie ya bolingo, namema te, nzoka boye
The madness of love, I can't resist it anymore
Naboya mbetu, nakoma kolala na divan soki ozali te
I cried to myself, I went to bed if you weren't there
Opesi ngai nioso ekoki na la vie ya mwasi ya lelo
You offer me everything, I could live the life of today's woman
Kasi vide monene ekoma pene na ngai soki ozali te
But a great emptiness fills me if you're not there
Na bailler télévision, nalembi vidéo, nabwaki ba romans
I turn on the TV, I watch videos, I read romance novels
Nalingi se mobimba na yo evandelaka to sololaka
I love you very much and I want to talk to you
Ah Keyna, nako kufa oza kotala
Oh Keyna, I'm dying looking for you
Eloko nini balesi yo po okipe ngai te
What's keeping you from giving yourself to me?
Ah Keyna, oyebi que naza fidèle
Oh Keyna, you know that I'm faithful
Sala nioso, sala nioso po ngai na changer te
Believe me, believe me, I won't change
Ah Keyna, yebaka nazali se mwana
Oh Keyna, I admit I'm still a child
Mibali mingi batiaka nga misu, nalingaka te
Many men call me, but I don't respond
Ah Keyna, yebaka okoya kozanga nga
Oh Keyna, make me feel that I'm wanted
La vie na bisengo ezalaka na tina soki y'ozali
Life is full of surprises if you're there
Okomi kozanga ngai mokolo mobimba kin'o na tongo
You promise me a great future together
Ozwi mwasi ya sika, nakoki kondima ye soki olobi
You came to this modern woman, hoping to win me over
Kasi nayokaka na minoko ya batu, ekoswa ngai, chéri
But I get lost in people's words, making me confused, darling
Ake na bolingo, je t'aime à la folie, je t'aime à la mort
Take me in love, I love you madly, I love you to death
Yokaka lokito, mobali aza kolela mwasi na ye
He begs me, the man who has lost his woman
Ah Keyna, zonga ndaku naza kokufa
Oh Keyna, come back home, I'm dying
Sala nioso, sala mbangu po ngai nasepela
Believe me, believe me, even if I doubt myself
Ba pasi nioso ya motema ekoki kobalola ngai
All the keys to the heart can be found, but not for me
Ah Keyna, sala nioso ngai na vivre...
Oh Keyna, believe me, I want to live...
Eloko ba benga bolingo, esilisa bato na tina
People look for love, they look for lovers
Nakangami lelo likolo ya étape ya nzete
Today I grabbed the wheel of the next step
Nako kita ndenge nini, motema etingami
I don't know what I see, my heart is confused
Nako loba ndenge nini, mobali a jouer nga
I don't know what I'm saying, the man is playing me
Ah Keyna, moi, je t'aime à la folie
Oh Keyna, I love you madly
Ah Keyna, je te jure, je suis fidèle
Oh Keyna, I swear to you, I'm faithful
La la la la la...
Liboma ya bolingo ekoti ngai motema nako kamwa
The weakness of love seizes me, my heart beats faster
Nasala bipale na mibali mais lelo oyo nasuki
I asked for love, but today I'm alone
Nako boya ndenge nini motema elingi ye
I'm looking for what my heart desires
Lelo nakabola ye na mbanda, la vie ou la mort
Today I wrestled with it, between life and death
Ah Keyna, nasala nini po na vivre
Oh Keyna, what do I need to do to live
Writer(s): Pascal Rochereau, Bilia Mboyo
Contributed by Nathaniel C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
AM
on I yolela
Nice song...lyrics and translaton are missing.
AM
on I yolela
I have been looking lyrics and translation of this song for long time. I like music but I dont understand anything.
Ik Nzekwue
on Shauri Yako
Beautiful song
Joel
on Nadina - Lingala
We need English translation
Saka Lewis Kas
on Boya ye
beautiful!!