Georgette Adjoavi Bellow (Tsévié, Togo, 1 January 1945 – 10 December 1973), better known as Bella Bellow, was a Togolese singer who created an international career and recorded several albums. She died at the age of 28 in a car accident in Togo.[citation needed]

Bella Bellow
Birth nameGeorgette Adjoavi Bellow
Born(1945-01-01)1 January 1945
Tsévié, Togo
Died10 December 1973(1973-12-10) (aged 28)
Lilikopé, Togo
Years active1960-1973

She was born in Tsévié, Togo, to a Togolese father of Nigerian descent and a Ghanaian-origin mother.[1] Bellow's first international performance was in 1966, when she represented Togo at the First World Festival of Negro Arts in Dakar, Senegal. Her first album, named Rockya, came out in 1969.[2] In the album, she was accompanied by Camerounian band made up of Manu Dibango, on saxophone, keyboards and arrangement, Jeannot Madingué on bass, Slim Pezin on the guitar and Ben's on drums

She performed at the Paris Olympia and recorded with Manu Dibango. Angélique Kidjo[1] and Afia Mala[3] have been influenced by Bella Bellow.

Discography

edit

Albums

edit
  • 1968: Rockia live in Paris
  • 1977: A compilation album of memories on Sonafric label, specializing in African music.[4]

Songs

edit

(Selective)

  • 1968: "Zelié"
  • 1968: "Bléwu" (Patience)
  • 1968: "Nye dzi" (My Heart)
  • 1968: "O senye" (My destiny)"
  • 1969: "Rockia"
  • 1969: "Bouyélé"
  • 1969: "Bem bem"
  • 1977: "Lafoulou"
  • 1977: "Denyigban" (Motherland)

References

edit
  1. ^ a b "Bella Bellow". discogs.
  2. ^ Gates, Professor Henry Louis Jr.; Akyeampong, Professor Emmanuel; Niven, Mr Steven J. (2 February 2012). Dictionary of African Biography. OUP USA. ISBN 9780195382075.
  3. ^ Afia Mala – Biography Archived 14 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ "Bella Bellow - Album Souvenir". www.discogs.com. Retrieved 3 August 2021.