Fiston Mbuyi is a Congolese afro-gospel singer and songwriter, born in Mbuji-Mayi in 1987. A finalist on the reality show Vodacom Superstars in 2010, he then turned to gospel. He is known for “Surpris,” from the album “Amour unique” (2019), for the double EP “Différent” (2023), and for the album “SOLD OUT” (2026).
Fiston Mbuyi was born in 1987 in Mbuji-Mayi, in the former Kasaï-Oriental province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He became known in 2010 by taking part in the first edition of Vodacom Superstars, a music reality show in which he was among the favorites and lost the final to Innoss'B. He then moved from secular music to gospel, with a style described as afro-gospel that he plays notably on guitar. The Congolese press ranks him among the figures of the new generation of gospel in the DR Congo.
His first album, “Amour unique,” came out on August 27, 2019 with 15 tracks, including “Surpris.” He then released the double EP “Différent” in April 2023, followed by two live albums in 2024, “Unique Time” and “Concert Unique Time Kinshasa.” His album “SOLD OUT” appeared in 2026. His songs, in Lingala and French, are distributed notably by Unique Records. The single “Ami Éternel,” a duet with Jonathan C. Gambela, came out in July 2024.
- Origin
- Mbuji-Mayi (Kasaï-Oriental, DR Congo), born in 1987
- Style
- Congolese afro-gospel, in Lingala and French
- Active since
- 2010 as a singer (Vodacom Superstars), first gospel album in 2019
- Good to know
- “Surpris” taken up by contestants on the talent show Maajabu Gospel, live concerts in Lubumbashi (2021), London (2022), and Kinshasa (2024)
How did Fiston Mbuyi begin?
Fiston Mbuyi became known to the wider public in 2010, during the first edition of the reality show Vodacom Superstars in the DR Congo. He was among the favorites and lost only in the final, to Innoss'B. That television exposure opened the Congolese music scene to him, at first in a secular register.
He then turned to Christian music and says he was mentored by the singer Henri-Papa Mulaja, whom he regards as his “father” in ministry. On July 1, 2018, he performed at the second edition of the Festival international de la rumba et de l'élégance, on the “Rumba na Yesu” day, and announced a first album, which came out in August 2019 under the title “Amour unique.”
What makes Fiston Mbuyi distinctive?
“Surpris,” from “Amour unique,” has become a song that young gospel singers like to cover: several contestants on the talent show Maajabu Gospel, widely followed by the Congolese diaspora, have performed it, and it accompanies times of adoration in church services in Kinshasa. Fiston Mbuyi has carried it on stage, from the “Surpris” concert in Lubumbashi in 2021 to the one in London in 2022. With “Différent” (2023), he puts forward one message: God's love toward us is different from the love of people.
Where should you start to discover Fiston Mbuyi?
Start with “Surpris,” in its live version from the Lubumbashi concert, then listen to “Ami Éternel,” the 2024 duet with Jonathan C. Gambela, which blends Congolese rumba and R&B. “Yahweh Kumama” (2023) illustrates his “Différent” period. To go further, “Amour unique” (2019) remains his first record, and “Unique Time” (2024) gathers live versions.
songs
Surpris
From the album “Amour unique” (2019), here in the live version from the Lubumbashi concert (2021).
Yahweh Kumama
A 2023 single, available on Fiston Mbuyi's VEVO channel.
Ami Éternel
A 2024 duet with Jonathan C. Gambela, blending Congolese rumba and R&B, about God's kindness.
Discography
- 2026SOLD OUT· 9 tracks
- 2024Concert Unique Time Kinshasa (Live)
- 2024Unique Time (Live)
- 2023Différent 2· second part of the double EP
- 2023Différent 1· first part of the double EP
- 2022Surpris (Live in London)
- 2019Amour unique· first album, 15 tracks
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Frequently asked questions
Who is Fiston Mbuyi?
Fiston Mbuyi is a Congolese afro-gospel singer and songwriter, born in Mbuji-Mayi in 1987. Revealed by the reality show Vodacom Superstars in 2010, he then turned to gospel and sings in Lingala and French.
What is Fiston Mbuyi's best-known song?
“Surpris,” from the album “Amour unique” (2019), is his most-cited title: it has been covered by several contestants on the talent show Maajabu Gospel and sung in many church services in Kinshasa.
What languages does Fiston Mbuyi sing in?
He sings in Lingala and French, with afro-gospel music that also borrows from Congolese rumba and R&B, as on “Ami Éternel” in 2024.
What is Fiston Mbuyi's latest album?
His latest album is “SOLD OUT,” released in 2026 with 9 tracks. It follows the double EP “Différent” (2023) and two live albums released in 2024.
What is Fiston Mbuyi's “Différent 1 and 2”?
It is a double EP released in April 2023, with 14 tracks in all. Its central message: God's love toward us is different from the love of people.
Where can you listen to Fiston Mbuyi?
His videos and live recordings are on his official YouTube channel, and his music is available on the main streaming platforms such as Apple Music and Spotify.