Dena Mwana is a Congolese singer, songwriter, and worship leader, born in Kinshasa and based between the United States and the DR Congo. She sings in French, Lingala, and English. Signed to Motown Gospel Africa since 2019, she is known for “Si la mer se déchaîne,” “Maintenant Seigneur” with Dan Luiten, and the album “Souffle.”
Dena Mwana grew up in Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. At thirteen, she joined the Notre-Dame de Grâce choir, and five years later she became its music director. In 2006, she settled in Virginia, in the United States, and has split her life between America and the DR Congo since 2008. Her first album, “Hosanna,” recorded between Kinshasa and Virginia, came out in 2011 and laid the groundwork for a repertoire in French and Lingala.
She followed it with “Monene” in June 2016 in Kinshasa, then “Souffle” in 2020, released under license by Motown Gospel Africa, a label of Universal Music Group. She sings in French, Lingala, and English, and has worked with Dan Luiten, the Soweto Gospel Choir, and Nigerian singer Ada Ehi. In 2019, she was honored in London at the African Gospel Music & Media Awards, in the Central African artist category, and she released the EP “2Daddy” in 2024.
- Origin
- Kinshasa (DR Congo), split between the United States and the DR Congo since 2008
- Style
- Gospel and worship, in French, Lingala, and English
- Active since
- church choir at thirteen, first album in 2011
- Good to know
- signed to Motown Gospel Africa in 2019, honored at the African Gospel Music & Media Awards in London in 2019, EP “2Daddy” in 2024
How did Dena Mwana begin?
Born Denise Mwanakitata Muwayi in Kinshasa, Dena Mwana began singing in public at thirteen in the Notre-Dame de Grâce choir. She became its music director five years later, which gave her an early taste for writing and for leading a choir. A music teacher then encouraged her to form her own group, which she did in the mid-2000s.
In 2006, she moved to the United States, to Virginia. In 2009 she began recording her first album, “Hosanna,” released in 2011, and in 2012 she put out the single “L'Éternel est bon.” She recorded her first projects with the Happy People label, whose first artist she became in 2013.
What makes Dena Mwana distinctive?
Her music bridges Congolese worship and international gospel: she moves between French, Lingala, and English, and invites artists from very different backgrounds, from the South African Soweto Gospel Choir to Nigerian singer Ada Ehi (“Another Miracle,” 2023) and French worship leader Dan Luiten. Her signing with Motown Gospel Africa in 2019 placed her within the distribution network of Universal Music Africa, and her concerts, from Kinshasa to Abidjan, carry her songs well beyond the DR Congo.
Where should you start to discover Dena Mwana?
Start with “Maintenant Seigneur,” the 2020 duet with Dan Luiten, then listen to the remix of “Si la mer se déchaîne” with the Soweto Gospel Choir and to “Souffle,” which gives its name to the 2020 album. To go further back, “Monene” (2016) includes “Nzambe Monene,” “Elombe,” and “Emmanuel,” and the EP “2Daddy” (2024) shows her most recent work.
songs
Maintenant Seigneur
A 2020 duet with Dan Luiten: a French-language song of adoration.
Si la mer se déchaîne
A 2020 remix with the Soweto Gospel Choir of a song from the album “Hosanna.”
Souffle
A 2019 single centered on the Holy Spirit, which gives its name to the 2020 album “Souffle.”
Discography
- 20242Daddy· first EP
- 2020Souffle
- 2016Monene
- 2011Hosanna
Read also
Frequently asked questions
Who is Dena Mwana?
Dena Mwana is a Congolese singer, songwriter, and worship leader, born in Kinshasa. Based in the United States since 2006, she splits her life between America and the DR Congo and sings in French, Lingala, and English.
What is Dena Mwana's best-known song?
Two titles come up often: “Si la mer se déchaîne,” from the album “Hosanna,” which got a remix with the Soweto Gospel Choir in 2020, and “Maintenant Seigneur,” a duet with Dan Luiten.
What languages does Dena Mwana sing in?
She sings in French and Lingala, and also records in English, as on “Another Miracle” with Ada Ehi in 2023.
What is Dena Mwana's latest album?
Her latest album is “Souffle” (2020), released under license by Motown Gospel Africa. She followed it with the EP “2Daddy” in 2024.
Has Dena Mwana sung with Dan Luiten?
Yes: “Maintenant Seigneur,” released in 2020, is a duet between Dena Mwana and the French worship leader Dan Luiten.
Where can you listen to Dena Mwana?
Her videos and songs are on her official YouTube channel, and her music is available on the main streaming platforms such as Apple Music, Spotify, and Deezer.