Since I am really busy these last weeks, I hadn't time to write about it. So wrote everything based on memory. I have probably forgot many points, couldn't also do any research since that skyblog doesn't exist anymore and Congomikili also having closed his website for years.
Two days ago marked 15 years since Werrason performed at the Zenith de Paris.
After the huge success of the EP Techno Malewa, which was released in August 2009, fans were eagerly awaiting the long-anticipated Double Olympia event, originally scheduled for July 2009. However, it was postponed to wait for the release of Techno Malewa. Then, suddenly, in January 2010, to everyone's surprise, an announcement was made that Werrason would perform at Zenith de Paris in March 2010.
Around the same time, Werrason revealed that he would also invite comedians and actors as his guests for the show at Zenith de Paris. At that time, Congolese movies were gaining immense popularity among the Congolese diaspora in Europe, South Africa, Canada, and Angola. When explaining to the press why he chose to perform at Zenith again instead of Double Olympia, he stated that Zenith was larger than Olympia. Additionally, the concert promoter from his 2008 Zenith performance had offered him a new contract for 2010. He also wanted to deliver a better show compared to 2008, which had not been that great by stress due to tensions with the combattants and logistical issues.
In the weeks leading up to the event, actors and comedians such as Vue de Loin, La Duchesse, José de Londres, Sai Sai, and Esobé were introduced at Zamba Playa. Shortly afterward, a DVD titled Sur la Route de Zenith was released, showcasing the preparations at La Zamba Playa and introducing the new dance Le Le Le Le. The DVD sold like hotcakes, and in no time, the Le Le Le Le dance was embraced by music fans everywhere.
For context, in the autumn of 2009, Congolese football club TP Mazembe won the African Champions League and invited Wenge Maison Mère to Lubumbashi to celebrate. During the trip, atalaku Brigade picked up the cri Le Le Le Le from a traditional song. Upon returning to Kinshasa, they used it in a commercial for the Bravo product, which became a massive hit in Kinshasa. Executive producer Diego Music later decided to use the same commercial as part of the ad and soundtrack of the Sur la Route de Zenith DVD.
The trip towards also created some drama. Eboa Lotin was once again left behind in Kinshasa and the admin of Wenge Maison Mère, claimed that he was blacklisted by Maison Schengen, but they would short that problem out one day. Actor/Comedian José de Londres was really awaited by people in Europe, but he was also left behind, since that his request for a visa got rejected by Maison Schengen. During the show some fans were surprised to not see dancer Chouchouna among the dancers (Mondongo, Brunel and Vanessa), while she took the attention of many men, because of her way of dancing Le Le Le Le in the Sur la Route du Zenith-DVD.
The show at Zenith de Paris a huge succes. But detractors would say that Werrason just profited from the succes his guests (Vue de Loin, La Duchesse, Sai Sai and Esobe), which would continue through the Europe-tour, since that they were part in some shows. Also that Zenith wasn't sold out, because of some red chairs being visible. Spokemen Sankara would reply to them, saying that Werrason hasn't anything to prove anymore, since that he already performed several times at Zenith and that some artists performed several times at Zenith, but had done mpiaka (alluding to Koffi), some using Zenith to celebrate New Year Eve (alluding to Fally) and just sold it out, because of that reason. But Werrason not needing to use New Year Eve to sell Zenith out and that he invited comedians/actors to his show, to give them some honour.
After the show, fans eagerly waiting for the release of the concert DVD. However, it took a long time to hit the market, leading some to wonder why, since at that time, DVDs of huge events were often released within a month. Then, in August, an announcement was made on Facebook and Skyblog that the DVDs of Ferre Gola - Live at Zenith and Werrason - Zenith de Paris would be released on the same day, September 10th at the Diego Music shop. This created some polemic and in the end, the release of Ferre Gola’s DVD was delayed by a few days, while Werrason’s DVD came out as planned.
Werrason’s Zenith de Paris DVD became one of the best-selling Congolese concert DVDs of 2010, alongside Koffi Chante Tabu Ley, JB Mpiana - Mpunda live à Kinshasa, Ferre Gola - Zenith de Paris, Werrason - Sur la Route du Zenith, Fally - Zenith de Paris, Cindy Chante Koffi and JB Mpiana - Dock Eiffel
With succes of Zenith de Paris, fans were now waiting for the annouced release of the album Techno Malewa volume 2 (Suite et Fin), the event Double Olympia (which would never come) and the gold record for Techno Malewa volume 1 (since that Diego Music claimed that the album was about to become gold and would get presented at the upcoming big event of Werrason in Paris). In meantime, Werrason was enjoying his succes in Congo by multiple public concerts in the different areas of Kinshasa and also some cities of Congo such as Lubumbashi, Matadi, Bukavu, Goma and Kisangani. Them also looking for a dance/cri that could counter the new dance Mpunda of their rival Wenge BCBG.
