Celebrated for his velvety vocals and his mastery of the rumba style, Copa rose to fame as a pivotal member of the legendary Congolese group Extra Musica.
Over the years, he has transitioned into a successful solo artist and one of the finest vocalists in Congolese music, earning accolades for his career activities including his studio albums Échafaudage (2005), Independance Day (2007), Evolution (2010), Menu (2013), Posso (2016) and Loin des Barreaux (2019).
Known affectionately as "De Mi Amor", he has left an indelible mark on the music industry with his poignant lyrics and emotionally resonant compositions.
[1] From an early age, Copa admired Congolese rumba, listening to artists such as Pamelo Mounk'a, Madilu System, Youlou Mabiala, and much later Koffi Olomide.
For the first time, Copa contributed both as a vocalist and songwriter, giving his first composition for the band, "Écart", a melancholic song about a man's heartbreak and the unraveling of his marriage.
Doudou had toured the United States, Canada, France, Belgium and a large part of the African continent as a member of the band, notably participating to their infamous concert at the Zenith Paris in February 2001.
[8] Copa's second album, Independence Day, released in October 2007,[12] demonstrated his versatility by incorporating global music influences while retaining the essence of Congolese rumba.
In 2015, in partnership with the Family Health Department and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), he released "La Fistule Stop", a song aimed at raising awareness about obstetric fistula.
On February 15, 2019, Copa released his sixth studio album Loin des Barreaux, which included introspective songs such as the lead single "Cellule 128", written during his 2017 incarceration in France.
On December 14, 2017, Doudou Copa was sentenced to ten months in prison in the Maison d'arrêt de Seine-Saint-Denis, Villepinte for a domestic violence charge dating back to 2010.
[23] With the help of music-related personalities, he was released in June 2018, he issued a public apology during a press conference on July 19, 2018 after his return to Brazzaville, also announcing a stage production for August 11 dubbed Doudou Chante La Femme, and vowed to learn from his mistake.
[24] His subsequent album, Loin des Barreaux (2019), featured deeply personal tracks inspired by his time in incarceration, notably with the song "Cellule 128".