The Cameroonian singer, songwriter and dancer Lornoar was born and raised in the capital Yaoundé. She is part of the Eton people, belonging to the famous Bantu warriors of the Beti, who were hunted as slaves during the German colonial period and sold to work on the cocoa plantations.

Lornoar started performing as a singer at a young age and quickly became one of Cameroon’s best kept secrets thanks to her impressive stage presence. Tours through Africa, Europe and America soon followed. She was asked to sing her song Pupuma (Freedom) at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on December 10, 2014 to officially launch the International Decade for People of African Descent.

Lornoar writes strong and beautiful lyrics inspired by everyday life: the need for comfort and love, the struggle of women against violence and oppression, against intolerance and child abuse. Together with her two musicians, the artist draws on rhythms: from bikutsi to bossa nova, makossa, batanga, ekank, ekomot, mbalax,…

Each of their concerts builds on the oral heritage of their Eton culture: “I sing to celebrate my mother tongue, my culture and my country. I am proud to be an African woman and try my best to be as pure as gold and as black as Africa. I compose, sing and dance to save these treasures from the perversions that today threaten our culture, which is part of the heritage of humanity.”

Musicians:

• Lornoar: vocals
• Michel Mbarga: guitar, Mvett Oyeng, balafon, tam-tam
• Salomon Martin Badjang Ba Nken: percussion