Kinshasa, December 16th, 2025 (CPA), – A tribute concert dedicated to the late singer François Matumona, known by his stage name ‘General Defao,’ an iconic figure of Congolese rumba, is scheduled for December 27th in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, has announced one of the musicians from the band ‘Generation Defao’ to CPA on Tuesday.
« We are pleased to announce that the tribute concert to General Defao will be held on December 27th at Espace Kimpwanza in the municipality of Kasa-Vubu. This is an opportunity for all lovers of Congolese rumba to come together and celebrate the legacy of a legendary artist,‘ has declared the musician Theo Mbala, frontman of the band Generation Defao. ‘This concert aims to honour the memory and artistic legacy of General Defao, recognised for his major contribution to modern Congolese music and for his lasting influence on several generations of musicians and also in the world of fashion,,’ he has added.
A range of expected guests
According to him, several Congolese artists, from the group ‘Big Stars’ and others from different generations, are set to revisit the repertoire of the illustrious deceased, in a spirit of recognition and cultural transmission.
The event is also intended to be a gathering for music lovers, music professionals and the general public. Through this tribute concert, his musicians intend not only to perpetuate the memory of General Defao, but also to highlight Congolese rumba, listed as part of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity, as a powerful symbol of the cultural identity of the Democratic Republic of Congo and to recall the lasting mark he left on the history of Congolese music.
A career marked by Congolese rumba
Born Lulendo Matumona on December 31st, 1958, in Kinshasa, General Defao was a singer, composer and conductor who established himself as one of the leading figures of modern Congolese rumba. After making his name with the group Choc Stars, he went on to found his own orchestra, Big Stars, with which he enjoyed resounding popular success in the 1990s and 2000s. Author of hit songs such as ‘Famille Kikuta’, ‘Amour scolaire’ and ‘Sala noki’, General Defao stood out for the richness of his lyrics and his unique style. He passed away on December 27th, 2021, in Douala, Cameroon, leaving behind a major musical legacy in Congolese culture. CPA/