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Héritier Bondongo Kabeya (born 29 August 1982), known professionally as Héritier Watanabe or simply Héritier Wata, is a Congolese singer, songwriter, dancer, producer, and bandleader.[1][2][3][4] He is the founder of the Kinshasa-based orchestra Team Wata.[5][6][7] An influential figure in fifth-generation Congolese rumba, Bondongo began singing at the age of 10 and soon joined JB Mpiana's Wenge BCBG for practice and public appearances, seeking admittance but was eventually rejected.[8][9][10][11]

Bondongo gained widespread recognition after joining Werrason's Wenge Musica Maison Mère in 2001, where he co-wrote and sang on several of the band's most breakout songs, including "J'en ai assez" (2002), "Nostalgie" (2002), "Demi-Tour" (2005), "Simeon" (2006), "Confession Intime" (2008), "Sol De Mi Amor" (2008), "Par Amour" (2009), "Remise et reprise" (2011), "Le prince de la ville" (2011), "Amour vrai" (2014), and "Kimberny meilleur choix" (2014).[11]

In 2015, Bondongo signed with Obouo Music and Because Music for his debut solo studio album, Carrière d'honneur - Retirada, which premiered the following year.[12][13][14] His second album, Mi-ange mi-démon, released as a double-disc set, debuted with Tout simplement moi (Mi-Ange) on 18 December 2020,[15][16][17] followed by Tout simplement moi (Mi-démon) on 26 February 2021.[18][19][20] Bondongo's third album, Chemin de la gloire, came out on 15 March 2024, garnering 31,000 streams on Boomplay and climbing to 38th place on iTunes France's Top 50 albums.[21]

Early life and career
1982–1998: Childhood, education and Wenge BCBG
Héritier Bondongo Kabeya was born on 29 August 1982 in Kinshasa, Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo).[22][23] He was raised by his mother, Mariam, in Bandalungwa and had no contact with his father due to family internal disputes.[24][25] In a Radio France Internationale interview, Bondongo remarked, "I grew up between two working-class, somewhat ghetto neighborhoods in the Congolese capital: Bandal, the birthplace of rumba, and Kintambo, the birthplace of traditional music, two styles that have guided my steps".[26] His nickname "Watanabe" is a tribute to the famous Japanese fashion designer Junya Watanabe, who designed for the Comme des Garçons label.[23]

He has cites Debaba, Papa Wemba, JB Mpiana, Franco Luambo, Tabu Ley Rochereau, King Kester Emeneya, and Madilu System as his early musical influences.[27][28] Watanabe began singing in a choir at Saint François Parish of Kintambo at age 10, along with future actor and producer Fiston Sai Sai and soloist Patou Solo.[24] At the age of 14, he met Papy Kakol and Fila Basele, and they would often attend rehearsals of the Kinshasa-based band Kibinda Nkoy alongside Fally Ipupa, Seguin Mignon, and Blanchard Mosaka.[24] In 1998, Watanabe was spotted by Alain Mpela, a staff member in JB Mpiana's band Wenge BCBG, who subsequently introduced him to JB Mpiana.[24] During his audition, he sang JB Mpiana's critically acclaimed hits "Mulolo" and "Nazareth". Kabeya then participated in Wenge BCBG rehearsals and concerts, guided by Alain Mpela and Jules Kibens.[24] However, his official induction into the band was deferred until he earned his diploma.[24]

1999–2014: Wenge Musica Maison Mère
In 1999, while Wenge BCBG and JB Mpiana were performing at the Zénith de Paris, Watanabe, who had stayed behind in Kinshasa, was fortuitously spotted by Sankara de Kunta, a companion of Werrason, who had emerged as JB Mpiana's rival following Wenge Musica's disbandment in 1997.[24] Sankara introduced Watanabe to Werrason, who, after testing him on various songs, decided to visit his family to request permission to mentor him in Wenge Musica Maison Mère and ensure that he continued his education as his mother insisted on his completion of the baccalaureate.[24] Alternating with his studies, he was gradually trained vocally to further mature his voice in preparation for becoming a full band member.[24] In 2000, Wenge Musica Maison Mère was slated to perform at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy on 16 September 2000.[24][29][30][31] However, during the trip, Watanabe was stranded with guitarist Patient Kusangila during a stop in Brazzaville.[24] Upon the band's return to Kinshasa, he was involved in the preparation for Werrason's 2001 debut album Kibuisa Mpimpa, though he could not join the recordings in Europe because of his exams at the Institut Superieur d'Informatique, Programmation et Analyse (ISIPA).[24] His vocals were instead performed by other singers. Nonetheless, he gained popularity through the band's interview recordings sold in European countries like France, Belgium, and the UK.[24] The same year, Watanabe earned his baccalaureate in commerce and information technology and decided to devote himself entirely to music.[24]