Ricardo Lemvo

Ricardo Lemvo, born on September 3, 1957, in Kimpese, Democratic Republic of the Congo, is a singer of Angolan descent. He grew up in Kinshasa and later moved to Los Angeles, California. At age 13 or 14, Lemvo joined his first band, Mira Mira. In 1990, he formed Makina Loca, blending African soukous, kizomba, samba, and Cuban salsa. His debut album Tata Masamba was released in 1996. Notable songs include the 1998 hit "Mambo Yo Yo", and "Curtição (A resposta)" (2015), which won Music D'Ouro at the Angola Music Awards. Lemvo performed at prestigious festivals worldwide, including the Roskilde Festival in Denmark (2000). Lemvo and Makina Loca appeared in the 1998 movie Dance With Me. In 1998, Lemvo was honored as Emerging Artist of the Year at the American World Music Awards. Other notable album releases include São Salvador (1999), Isabela (2007), and La Rumba SoYo (2014).