Emmanuel Eboa Lottin is one of the major artistic figures in the history of Cameroon music. Born August 6, 1942 in Douala, son of the famous Pastor Adolphe Lotin, known as the one who renovated the Baptist Church and composer of more than 400 religious songs. Eboa lotin loses both parents at the age of 3 years and following an injection of quinine he becomes disabled.
He began learning Music at the age of 8. But it is in 1962 at the age of 20 that he will record his first song 'Mulema Mwam'. Later, on the occasion of Radio Cameroon's birthday, he composed Elimb'a Dikalo, to pay tribute to the radio station. It is in 1967 that his international career takes off thanks to the succes of his song "Mbemb'a Mot'a Sawa" that he presented at the Vick's Vedette Competition before a jury composed of Duke Ellington and Myriam Makeba. This performance earned him a recording contract with Philips.
♫ 1962 Muléma Mwam
♫ 1967 Elimb’a Dikalo
♫ 1977 Bésombé (Les jeunes)
♫ 1980 Tata Coco (Amours lucifériennes)
He visits Paris for new recordings and then goes on tour. In 1970 he made a tour through Central Africa, where he was particularly successful in Gabon and Zaire. In the second half of the 70s he records two LPs for the SATEL record company in Benin. On the first album he is accompanied by the legendary Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou.
Despite his limited formal musical education, his lyrics and compositions have always garnered a great deal of appreciation from fellow artists, Despite his limited formal musical education, his lyrics and compositions have always received much appreciation from fellow artists, and he has been a source of inspiration for later artists such as Henry Njoh, Tom Yoms, Henry Dikongue, X-maleya etc.
It is therefore no surprise that a popular former lead singer from the Congolese band Wenge Musica Maison Mere throws a glance with the stage name Eboa Lottin. And it is Koffi Olomide who declared during an interview that the texts of Eboa Lotin are a major inspiration for him.
Unfortunately, the versatile and impressive musical career of Eboa Lotin ends way too early, when he dies in hospital after a sick bed on October 6, 1997.
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