There are today two main styles of music in Kinshasa: the popular music and the sacred music. Both enjoy an equal share of the music audience, as religion occupies an important place in the everyday life of the Congolese. It is initially as a representative of the religious perspective that Jean René was associated the project Rien que le Vérité.

Thirty-six years old, JR Balekita — alias Mosali ya Nzambe (Servant of God) — graduated from the National Institute of Arts of Kinshasa. His primary area of study was the traditional guitar, with secondary studies in piano and singing. Before progressing far in his studies, he had already put out a well-respected religious album, Heureux.

The album’s chorale components were performed by the irreproachable chorus-singers, Candy and Mamie. Jean René himself soars in Arabic-tinged vocal solos which lend a scent of exoticism to the Congolese religious songs.

Jean René’s talent opened to him the door of artistic director at Eben Ezer, the recording studio which produced his first album. It is here that he put his knowledge and talent at the service of Debaba, Carlito and the other well-known popular musicians who had embraced Christian music.

Jean René will soon release his second album entitled The Seventh Angel.