Kinshasa, July 28th, 2025, (CPA). Congolese music and television production owes much of its growth to the late François Londala, head of Laudert Production, whose work propelled Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, to the rank of African cultural hub in the 1980s and 1990s, a cultural operator told CPA on Monday.
‘He was the one who made Kinshasa a benchmark for entertainment in Africa. He was a producer, builder and visionary,’ said Gilbert Munia, a former employee of Laudert Production. Founder of his company ‘Laudert Production,’ François Londala, born on May 31st, 1962, revitalized the music scene by supporting iconic groups such as Zaïko Langa Langa, while organising landmark events such as the historic concert by the group Kassav at the Tata Raphaël stadium, in front of a record crowd.
« In 1995, he created the Ngwomo Africa Pan-African Grand Prix, a first in the continent’s cultural landscape. This award was intended to pay tribute to the pioneers of African music. Among the Congolese winners of the first edition were icons such as Tabu Ley, Kester Emeneya, Verckys Kiamuangana and Lando Rossignol,‘ he said, adding: ’His influence also extended to the audiovisual sector. He launched popular programs such as Clip Inter and Galaxy, and promoted the broadcast of foreign series that were new at the time on RTNC, thus modernizing television programming in DRC. » François Londala died prematurely on March 23rd, 1996 at the age of 34, leaving a huge void. His legacy lives on in the collective memory, through the artists he discovered and the stages he brought to life.