Wanlov the Kubolor

 

Born Emmanuel Owusu-Bonsu in Romania to a Romanian mother and Ghanaian father, Wanlov moved to Ghana where he grew up. His pitch to translate his dual-cultural experiences into an album beat hundreds of applicants from around the world to a coveted VPC (Visa Pour Creation) residency at Cites Des Arts in Paris, sponsored by Pidgen Music, Institut Francais & the French Embassy.

 

Demonstrating genuine empathy in his music, Wanlov has not only won the hearts of tens of thousands of fans globally, but also earned the role of ambassador for top philanthropic organizations such as Orphan Aid, Invisible Children & World Food Programme. His song “Human Being - Just Like You ft Aaron Bebe”, winner of the WCS International Song Contest in 2006, is featured on Amnesty International's PEACE compilation and was used by UNICEF’s anti-child trafficking campaign in Ghana. Wanlov and Little Angels Charity donate every year to the Korle-Bu Children’s Ward in Accra.

 

Wanlov is also one half of the most relevant Afropop duos in the world, the GUBA Award winning FOKN Bois. Together with his partner M3NSA, they wrote and star in the world’s first and second Pidgen Musicals “Coz Ov Moni I&II” and have supported acts like Snoop Dogg, Gentleman and the Gorillaz.

 

With the 5-man Afrogypsy band in tow, Wanlov the Kubolor caravans the planet carrying his "Brown Card" – a statement record in which he celebrates his identity and approaches a new musical frontier with renewed vim: “Chale, I am rapping and singing on traditional African drums blended with Transylvanian violins and it feels bloody good…Dracula and Idi Amin would both be proud.”