RELEASED VIA WARNER MUSIC FRANCE, STAR-STUDDED ALBUM FEATURES COLLABORATIONS WITH WIZKID, ANGÉLIQUE KIDJO AND DJ MAPHORISA
Congolese superstar and the Prince of Rumba himself FALLY IPUPA returns with his glorious new album XX celebrating two decades of excellence, creativity and influence, and ushering in a major new chapter in one of African music’s most prolific careers so far. Led by priority track ‘Jam’ featuring afrobeats legend Wizkid and the previously released hit single ‘Cinéma’, the highly anticipated album comes with a heavyweight cast of international collaborators including GRAMMY Award-winning world music icon Angélique Kidjo, Haitian rising star Joé Dwèt Filé, South African amapiano pioneer DJ Maphorisa, São Toméan pop duo Calema, and French rap tour de force KeBlack. Fally Ipupa has also linked up with revered producers Trésor Riziki (Drake, Tems, Popcaan), Dany Synthé (Shakira, MDH) and Seysey (Aya Nakamura, Dadju) to bring the expansive 19-track offering to life sonically.
Set for release on April 17 via Warner Music France and arriving on the heels of his Gold-certified Formule 7 album, XX sees Fally Ipupa placing himself at a compelling crossroads, bringing together the global pop dynamism that defined his best-selling Tokoos era with the richer, more traditional instrumentation that has long anchored his artistry. Contemporary yet deeply rooted, the XX project reflects his enduring gift for bridging generations, geographies, and musical worlds. As with all his previous work, Congolese rumba sits at the heart of the musical language on this album, with Fally continuing to modernise its guitar-led emotionally rich foundations with elements of pop, R&B and afrobeats. XX is primed to extend that legacy with confidence, revealing an artist who continues to evolve without abandoning the cultural pulse that made him Fally Ipupa, the Prince of Rumba.
With over three billion global streams, more than 2.5 billion views on YouTube, and 30 million social media followers, Fally Ipupa has built a truly global career while remaining firmly driven by his Congolese musical heritage. In recent years, the four-time BET Award nominee for Best International Act has made history in some of Europe’s biggest stages, selling out Paris La Défense Arena, OVO Arena Wembley, ING Arena Brussels and Uber Eats Music Hall Berlin just to mention a few, while also selling out some of the largest stadiums across Africa. His Paris La Défense Arena triumph in November 2023 was especially landmark, as he became the first African solo artist to sell out Europe’s largest indoor venue, adding yet another milestone to a live music and touring legacy that has already helped pave the way for African artists on the world’s biggest stages.
Following the release of the highly anticipated XX album in April, Fally Ipupa will also be making history once again with two landmark concerts at Stade de France in Paris on May 2 and 3 to celebrate 20 years in music and the XX album, underlining the scale of his global influence and the rise of African music on the world stage. Later this year, the Congolese legend is also expected to embark on a major international tour across the UK, Europe and North America. Beyond the music, Fally Ipupa’s impact continues through his work as a national ambassador with UNESCO, the United Nations and UNICEF. With XX, Fally Ipupa reasserts not only his musical authority, but his place as one of Africa’s most important musical and cultural figures, an artist whose voice continues to resonate far beyond the stage.
MORE ABOUT FALLY IPUPA
For over two decades, Fally Ipupa has stood as one of the most influential voices in modern Congolese rumba and African pop, helping carry the sound of Congo to the world while never losing sight of where it comes from. From Kinshasa to the global stage, he has built a career defined by elegance, consistency, and reinvention, amassing more than 3 billion streams worldwide, 2.5 billion views on YouTube, over 30 million combined social media followers, and four BET Award nominations for Best International Act along the way. His music occupies a rare space: unmistakably rooted in Congolese identity, yet expansive enough to resonate across continents, generations, and genres.
Fally Ipupa has continuously modernised the rich, guitar-led tradition of Congolese rumba, blending its emotional and rhythmic depth with pop, R&B, afropop, and the broader international influences that shape his self-defined musical universe of ‘Tokooos’. His relenting work in preserving and reinventing Congolese rumba led to the genre being officially inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list in 2021. This ability to preserve and reframe heritage has made him a standard-bearer for an entire era of African music. Projects such as his platinum-selling Tokoos album and his latest album, the Gold-certified Formule 7, have only reinforced his status as an artist who can honour tradition while pushing it forward with unmistakable style, excellence, and ambition.
On stage, Fally Ipupa’s stature is equally historic and powerful. He has delivered landmark performances at Paris La Défense Arena, OVO Arena Wembley, ING Arena Brussels, Uber Eats Music Hall Berlin, and major stadiums across Africa, most notably becoming the first African solo artist to sell out Paris La Défense Arena, Europe’s largest indoor venue, after previously selling out the Accor Arena in Paris. Beyond music, he remains deeply committed to social impact through his ambassadorial work with UNESCO, UNICEF, and the United Nations Development Programme. As he enters the XX era, Fally Ipupa continues to embody the full weight of a global icon: artist, showman, cultural ambassador, and one of the defining architects of African music’s international rise.
