Henri Dikongué and Diklau, an artistic duo in search of universal songs
In the African musical landscape, it is sometimes rare to see an artistic couple collaborating together on a project. However, Henri Dikongué, famous Cameroonian singer and guitarist, decided to team up with his wife Diklau for his sixth album entitled “Derrière ton masque”. A true creative association which marks a new stage in the couple’s career.
The album, whose title calls out, leaves a question hanging: who is hiding behind the mask of Henri Dikongué? “It’s me,” replies straightforwardly and with a touch of humor Diklau, alias Laurence Dikongué, the singer’s long-time companion and collaborator. While she had already lent her voice to certain pieces by her husband, this is the first time that they have worked together on the entire creation, from musical composition to writing lyrics.
Diklau, a trained actress, had always participated behind the scenes in her husband’s songs, adapting them to make them more universal. But she had never revealed her own creations. It was by presenting Henri with the titles “Little Brother” and “Pass Time” that they realized it was time to formalize their artistic collaboration and develop this relationship throughout an album.
Behind your mask pays tribute to people who have marked their lives and their artistic journey. But Diklau’s objective was to give these songs a universal dimension, so that everyone can appropriate the texts according to their experiences. This is how we find refrains in Spanish or English, as well as varied musical influences, such as the invitation made to the rapper José Shungu on the title “Pass time”.
On a musical level, Henri Dikongué decided to put more emphasis on the piano, his favorite instrument, in this album. Each album has its own color, and for Behind Your Mask, the singer wanted to capture the energy and atmosphere of his live concerts. By having many musicians play together in the studio, he managed to restore this closeness and liveliness on the recording.
For Henri Dikongué, creating an album is a true artisanal process. He enjoys getting other musicians to express their creativity and achieve the goal he has in mind together. Sharing and the soul of each person are essential elements in the creation of his songs.
Ultimately, the artistic association between Henri Dikongué and Diklau on the album Behind your mask marks a new stage in the couple’s career. Their collaboration brings a universal dimension to the songs, while highlighting Henri Dikongué’s talents as a melodist and his love for the piano. An album to listen to to discover the multiple facets of this talented and inspiring duo.