[2][3] He became the singer for Orchestra Belle Mambo in 1973,[3] developing a sound influenced by Tabu Ley.
[4] His solo career only started to take off after he moved in 1979 to Paris, where his music started to incorporate elements of then-vibrant zouk music popularized by Kassav (originating in the French West Indies).
The previous approach was to sing several verses and have one guitar solo at the end of the song.
Kanda Bongo Man revolutionized soukous by encouraging guitar solos after every verse and even sometimes at the beginning of the song.
He has performed several times at the Africa Oyé Festival in Liverpool, most recently in June 2022.