Bonga was the first African artist to win a gold and platinum record in Portugal. In this episode of ‘High Definition’, he recalls the childhood in Angola that shaped his music and led him to international success. He says that sound was part of his daily life — at home, with his father playing the accordion and concertina, or in the streets, where joy spread through improvised drumming. “If it’s not us putting on music, it’s the neighbor. We even ask to turn it up. Unlike what happens here in Europe, where they call the police”, he says at the beginning of the interview.
The lack of music was not the only thing that Bonga found strange about “Europes”. “When I arrived in Portugal, I wanted to leave the next day. I felt like it was everyone for themselves, people didn’t talk, no one greeted each other on the street”, he says. Throughout the conversation with Daniel Oliveira, the musician shares several confidences about the hardness of being an immigrant. He was also in Holland, where he washed dishes and did odd jobs, and in France, where he finally began to record his first songs with recognition.
Bonga also talks about the strength of family ties, the search for social justice and the pride in being a father and grandfather. “The most important thing we can pass on to our children is a true experience, with discipline. But it is not the rule of school, church, politics or addiction. It is that swingwhat you feel”, he guarantees. Regarding his younger partner, with whom he recently had twins, he reinforces that, for him, more than age, “what matters is respect and affection”.
At the end of the program, after revisiting his entire life story, he leaves a request for when his time comes: “We, Africans, celebrate everything. When you die, why not celebrate? Sing my songs, the songs of the singer of joy.” Discover his story here with the podcast version of the program ‘High Definition’.
This episode was broadcast on November 8th on SIC and the synopsis was created with the support of AI. Find out more about the application of Artificial Intelligence in Press Newsrooms.
Intimate interviews conducted by Daniel Oliveira. Every week a new guest on ‘Alta Definição’, a SIC program. Listen to more episodes: