Elisabeth Finant, known professionally as Abeti Fina-Masikini or simply Abeti Masikini, was a Congolese singer, composer, bandleader, and philanthropist.
31 Facts About Abeti Masikini
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Abeti Masikini's band, Les Redoutables, was a launching pad for numerous female artists.
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Over her three-decade career, Abeti Masikini recorded over twenty studio albums for a variety of record labels including Les Disques Pierre Cardin, Pathe Records, Aziza, RCA Records, Polygram Records, among others.
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Abeti Masikini died of uterine cancer on 28 September 1994, in Villejuif, Paris.
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Abeti Masikini was born on 9 November 1954, into a Finant family, an upper-middle-class Congolese family of eight children in Stanleyville, Belgian Congo.
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Abeti Masikini's mother, Marie Masikini, was a church's choir-leading vocalist at College du Sacre-Coeur.
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Abeti Masikini began singing as a chorister in her mother's church at an early age.
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Pursuant to the Authenticite doctrine promulgated by President Mobutu Sese Seko, Abeti Masikini moved to West Africa to advance her upcoming album, embarking on tours in Benin, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Togo, Niger, Guinea, Ghana, and Nigeria.
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Abeti Masikini subsequently performed at Olympia Hall alongside Mireille Mathieu and Hugues Aufray, becoming the first African artist to do so since Tabu Ley Rochereau in 1970.
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Abeti Masikini became one of the "few female African vocalists" to have performed in the US, following Miriam Makeba and her protegee, Letta Mbulu.
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Abeti Masikini was dubbed "the tigress with the golden claws" due to numerous rings adorning her fingers, and performed at Stade de Lome later that year.
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Abeti Masikini subsequently took the stage in Amsterdam in 1977 and performed at the Cinema Vog in Brazzaville the same year.
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Adult fans who favored her alternative rhythms rallied behind her, leading to the establishment of the fan club Les Amis d'Abeti Masikini, led by Antho Alves.
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Abeti Masikini offers her gratitude to her fanbase in the track "Ngblimbo" and pays homage to her hometown Kisangani with the track "Singa Mwambe".
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Abeti Masikini performed at Estadio da Cidadela in 1978 and later took the stage at the Royal Albert Hall in London in 1979.
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In 1980, Abeti Masikini released her sixth studio album, Mokomboso, an eclectic mix of disco, pop, and African rhythms.
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In 1981, to commemorate her ten-year career, Abeti Masikini debuted her eleventh studio album, Dixieme anniversaire, which was arranged by Sammy Massamba and released by Dragon Phenix.
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Abeti Masikini earned her a gold record, selling over 300,000 copies in Africa.
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In spring 1986, Abeti Masikini relocated to Paris and premiered the album Je suis fachee in France through a Parisian label Bade Stars Music.
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Abeti Masikini later performed at the Wembley Arena and participated in the Mama Africa Festival in Utrecht.
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In 1987, Abeti Masikini released her album En colere, which was produced by Gerard Akueson and distributed by Bade Stars Music.
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Abeti Masikini collaborated with Lokassa Ya M'Bongo and Georges Seba on the arrangement, with backing vocals by Ballou Canta, Dada Hekimian, Georges Seba, and Marylou Seba.
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Abeti Masikini promoted the album at Ouagadougou Stadium and appeared on the Champs alizes show in Martinique, where she received Maracas d'Or for En colere.
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In 1988, with the support of her international fan club led by Berthrand Nguyen Matoko, Abeti Masikini performed at the Zenith de Paris in front of 5,000 people on 24 September.
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In 1989, Abeti Masikini toured China, delivering 17 galas alongside Zhu Mingying in the country's major cities.
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Abeti Masikini later performed at the Apollo Theater in Harlem.
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Abeti Masikini performed in Kinshasa at Palais du Peuple on 15 December 1990.
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Abeti Masikini was diagnosed with uterine cancer while working on her final album, which eventually progressed during her time in Paris.
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Abeti Masikini died on 28 September 1994, in Villejuif, France, due to the progression of uterine cancer.
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Abeti Masikini is one of the most prominent figures in contemporary African music.
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Abeti Masikini is one of the Congolese female artists who carved a professional niche in the male-dominated music scene.