In “Oniokolanga”, Doudou Nganga turns pain into rhythm. The Valencia-based artist, born in Kinshasa, writes in Lingala and French, his voice rising over percussion and horns that tie Congolese rhythm patterns to jazz phrasing. The song appears on his album Tokororo, released digitally on 27 September.

The title means “You batter me” in Lingala. Across the lyrics, Nganga speaks as a son addressing his mother through lines of confrontation and love — describing daily labour, humiliation, and devotion that coexist inside the same bond. The repeated “Niokola ngai” marks each verse as a direct cry of pain and attachment, echoing through the beat as both language and pattern.

Ibu Gueye drives the track on sabar and djembe, with Ales Cesarini on bass and Eric Simone on keys and production. Guitars cut brief, syncopated lines as Yersi Pérez’s trumpet threads through the call-and-response of Doudou’s chant. Recorded in Valencia at Sharkestudios and Jazztone Studios, the ensemble brings musicians from Spain, Senegal, and Cuba together in one session.

A graduate of Kinshasa’s Academy of Fine Arts, Nganga has built a two-decade path in Spain through projects such as Muinda, Brut, and Lokuta. Tokororo — named after Cuba’s national bird, which cannot live in captivity — reflects his idea of freedom through creation and movement. Released digitally on 27 September 2025 with the help of Verkami patrons, the record completes that story: Afro-jazz shaped by migration, language, and lived collaboration.

Hear Doudou Nganga’s “Oniokolanga” from the album Tokororo HERE