Afro-pop guitarist and singer N'Guessan Kouakou Hugues was born on December 27, 1951 in Bouaké, Côte d'Ivoire. Passionate about music from an early age, he was swept away by the fever of yé-yé, pop and rock in his youth. His nickname Santa comes from Carlos Santana, whom he particularly admired. He also proved to be a guitar virtuoso, joining Bailly Spinto in the 70s in the group New System Pop. In 1982, the artist released his first solo album, Fa Mi Kô, tinged with funk. A second, eponymous album was released in 1983, featuring the unforgettable "Lala foué nou". Santa accompanies many artists and groups on guitar (Les Fétiches, Les Soul Guys, Jimmy Hyacinthe). Nicknamed the "studio shark", he has arranged around 100 albums, adapting to Côte d'Ivoire, coupé-décalé and Zouglou fashions and adding his own touch. In the early 90s, he joined the Afro-pop group Les Woody. As a solo artist, he released a number of outstanding tracks, such as "Djasso Djasso" and "Anoumakan", which are featured on his Best-Of album released in 2013. N'Guessan Santa passed away on August 23, 2018 following an illness.
