Fally Ipupa receives DRC’s top honour: “A victory for congolese music”
Congolese superstar Fally Ipupa has been made a knight of the National Order of the Leopard, one of the DRC’s highest distinctions. The 48-year-old singer, who rose from working with Koffi Olomidé to global fame, was hailed by a government spokeswoman as a “worthy son of the nation” on state TV.
The award recognises his role in promoting Congolese rumba and culture worldwide. “This path has never been mine alone. It belongs to an entire people,” Ipupa said on social media, urging Congolese youth to persevere.
The honour caps a landmark year: his album XX hit number one in France, and he became the first francophone African artist to sell out Paris’s Stade de France for two consecutive nights. He is set to perform at London’s O2 Arena later in 2026.
Despite past tragedy an 11‑dead concert crush in Kinshasa and controversy over paid name-drops in songs (libanga), Ipupa insists his mission is unity. “This distinction celebrates our identity, the force that unites us beyond borders.”
