Wes (singer)

Wes
Birth name	Wes Madiko
Born	(1964-01-15) 15 January 1964
Origin	Motaba, Cameroon
Genres	World, ambient, electronic
Years active	1996–present
Labels	Sony BMG /Existence Music

Wes Madiko (born 15 January 1964), better known as Wes, is a Cameroonian musician. He is probably best known among Western audiences for "In Youpendi", a song from The Lion King II soundtrack, as well as work with Deep Forest and his own 1997 hit "Alane" produced by Michel Sanchez.

As of late 2010 until the present, he was working on a new project with electronic composer and producer Paul Kwitek.

Background

Wes Madiko's name means "The Roots of land of Ancestor". He was born in Mouataba, which lies some hundred miles away from the city of Douala, Cameroon. From the age of two, his grandfather taught him about music and how to play the Kalimba instrument. The pair soon became inseparable. His grandfather taught him his love of Bantu history and the wisdom of the elephant of animist bantou philosophy. This was responsible for an important part of his education: "it was in bush school and during night-time gatherings listening to the metallic beat of the kalimba that I learned the adventures of the father of all ancestors, E'kwa Mutu."

In 1974, at the age of ten, Madiko became the conductor of the group Kwa Kwassi, which means "think right". This musical formation brought together the most talented youngsters in the village, who received instruction together in history and art.

In 1987, once more, Wes started to enjoy musical nights at the Wouri riverbanks. He was impatient to get back in touch with the Mouataba spirit, to promote bafoun-bantou tradition and returned to the home of his ancestors. He revived the Kwa Kwassi orchestra and embarked on a tour in Bafoun country. A group of tourists turned up, and were all impressed by the music, including a young woman from Lille, France. And so Wes set off for Europe, with his kalimba under his arm.

Musical career

In 1988, the group Fakol with Benjamin Valfroy and Jo Sene was formed. Fakol played in the Netherlands and in other countries throughout Europe. Aside from his musical activity, Wes started to develop an involvement in social work. He visited schools in Lille, and worked with children. Wes took great pleasure in transmitting the wisdom of the elephants and the ancient history of Africa.

Two years after, Jacques, Wes's brother and a talented guitarist, died. Their father died a few months later, following a motorbike accident. These incidents led Wes to meditate on the fragility of the self, saying: "there comes a time when a feeling of uselessness invades you and threatens to break you, but you hang in there, convinced that there 's always a breath of life somewhere."

In 1992 Wes traveled to the US and released the album "Sun of Ancestors". During this tour, he gave concerts in Atlanta, Georgia. In this period Wes also met Michel Sanchez of Deep Forest with whom he formed an artistic collaboration, starting work on the album Welenga, which means "Universal Conscience". In 1996 Wes signed with Sony Music France to release Welenga. Thus Wes became one of the first stars of the group Deep Forest earning a Grammy Award.

He gave concerts in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, in Japan, Hungary, Poland, and Prague. The French TV channel TF1 called Alane the summer song of the year 1997. From 1997 on Wes performed a G7 concert with Deep Forest in Lyon, France, and is known as a multi-talented artist whose music enriches the world, as well for his humanity as an individual concerned with the plight of children and those less fortunate in the world. Wes is the first African artist with a recording going diamond. At the 10th Anniversary of the World Music Awards in Monaco, presided over by Prince Albert, Wes received the Award for best record sale of the year by an African artist (6 May 1998). In the same year he performed I love Football for the FIFA World Cup in France.

In 2002, Paramount Pictures invited Wes to perform in the movie The Wild Thornberry, and his song Awa Awa was on the soundtrack. This song was also included in the soundtrack for the episode Falsche Partner of the German series Ein Fall für zwei. Alane was used in the German films Zahn um Zahn and Aus heiterem Himmel. As of 2007, Wes is working on a new Biography and spiritual book. He is also about to release a new album.

At the end of 2010, Wes Madiko returned to his musical roots and joined forces with music producer Paul Kwitek. This project is a creation of an album that will be accompanied by a book written by Wes.

Discography

Studio albums

Title	Details	Peak chart positions
		AUT	BEL (Vl)	BEL (Wa)	FRA	NED	NZ	SWI	POR
Welenga	Release date: 30 June 1996 Label: Saint George Formats: CD	5	13	12	5	7	30	13	9
Sinami: The Memory	Release date: 2 October 2000 Label: Sony BMG Formats: CD, music download	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Melowe	Release date: 2010 Formats: CD	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Singles

Year	Single	Peak chart positions										Album
		AUT	BEL (Vl)	BEL (Wa)	FRA	GER	NED	NOR	SWE	SWI	UK
1997	"Alane"	1	1	1	1	2	1	20	19	4	11	Welenga
	"Awa Awa"	—	50	—	—	—	44	—	—	—	—
1998	"Midiwa Bôl" (I Love Football)"	—	—	—	94	71	72	—	—	49	75
1999	"Doutou"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	Non-album single
2000	"Keli Maye"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	Sinami - The Memory
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

External links

• Former official website