Madilu System

Jean De Dieu Bialu Makiese

May 28, 1950 - August 11, 2007

Published 7 years ago
Updated 5 years ago

Early Career

Madilu began his career at age 19. He debuted his career as a singer for the Orchestre Symba. He then successively joined Orchestre Bamboula, Les Etoiles, Festival the Maquisards and Fiesta Populaire.

In 1971, while since a teenager, he integrated the Orchestre Bakuba. After the band’s scission and alongside guitarist Yossa Taluki and a singer called Pires, Madilu created a band called Bakuba Mayopi in 1973. The Mayapi distinction came from the contraction of the founding members’ first name syllables.

They achieved moderate success but Madilu left after three years and created a band of his own. First called Orchestre Pamba-Pamba, the band was then rebaptized Madilu System, which was also the title of a song he composed. At that time, Madilu was mostly known as Bialu Madilu, and nicknamed himself “Pere Zilkapens”. The Madilu System band experience proved unsuccessful and Madilu joined Tabu Ley‘s Afrisa. The collaboration did not turn well either. In popular Congolese culture, there’s a story of Madilu left behind as Afrisa went for one of its major international tours. Madilu partly confirmed the story during interviews but emphasized that Tabu Ley, still was his idol and model.

After his band wandering, he finally landed in T.P. O.K. Jazz, where he later became a real revelation and achieved immense success. Franco also crystallized the nickname Madilu System, which became his official scene name.