Congolese superstar and the Prince of Rumba himself FALLY IPUPA returns with his glorious new album XX celebrating two decades of excellence, creativity and influence, and ushering in a major new chapter in one of African music’s most prolific careers so far. Led by priority track ‘Jam’ featuring afrobeats legend Wizkid and the previously released hit single ‘Cinéma’, the highly anticipated album comes with a heavyweight cast of international collaborators including GRAMMY Award-winning world music icon Angélique Kidjo, Haitian rising star Joé Dwèt Filé, South African amapiano pioneer DJ Maphorisa, São Toméan pop duo Calema, and French rap tour de force KeBlack.
Fally Ipupa has also linked up with revered producers Trésor Riziki (Drake, Tems, Popcaan), Dany Synthé (Shakira, MDH) and Seysey (Aya Nakamura, Dadju) to bring the expansive 19-track offering to life sonically.
Set for release on April 17 via Warner Music France and arriving on the heels of his Gold-certified Formule 7 album, XX sees Fally Ipupa placing himself at a compelling crossroads, bringing together the global pop dynamism that defined his best-selling Tokoos era with the richer, more traditional instrumentation that has long anchored his artistry. Contemporary yet deeply rooted, the XX project reflects his enduring gift for bridging generations, geographies, and musical worlds.
As with all his previous work, Congolese rumba sits at the heart of the musical language on this album, with Fally
continuing to modernise its guitar-led emotionally rich foundations with elements of pop, R&B and afrobeats. XX is primed to extend that legacy with confidence, revealing an artist who continues to evolve without abandoning the cultural pulse that made him Fally Ipupa, the Prince of Rumba.
With over three billion global streams, more than 2.5 billion views on YouTube, and 30 million social media followers, Fally Ipupa has built a truly global career while remaining firmly driven by his Congolese musical heritage.
In recent years, the four-time BET Award nominee for Best International Act has made history in some of Europe’s biggest stages, selling out Paris La Défense Arena, OVO Arena Wembley, ING Arena Brussels and Uber Eats Music Hall Berlin just to mention a few, while also selling out some of the largest stadiums across Africa. His Paris La Défense Arena triumph in November 2023 was especially landmark, as he became the first African solo artist to sell out Europe’s largest indoor venue, adding yet another milestone to a live music and touring legacy that has already helped pave the way for African artists on the world’s biggest stages.
Following the release of the highly anticipated XX album in April, Fally Ipupa will also be making history once again with two landmark concerts at Stade de France in Paris on May 2 and 3 to celebrate 20 years in music and the XX album, underlining the scale of his global influence and the rise of African music on the world stage. Later this year, the Congolese legend is also expected to embark on a major international tour across the UK, Europe and North America.
Beyond the music, Fally Ipupa’s impact continues through his work as a national ambassador with UNESCO, the United Nations and UNICEF. With XX, Fally Ipupa reasserts not only his musical authority, but his place as
one of Africa’s most important musical and cultural figures, an artist whose voice continues to resonate
far beyond the stage.
