Tresor in his own words

Tresor talks about bridging African pop, jazz and dance music, the collaborations that shaped his career, and what audiences can expect at Joy of Jazz

- Kibo Ngowi

This weekend, Johannesburg's Joy of Jazz Festival will welcome Tresor, one of Africa's most influential musical voices.

Known by many as the King of Pop in Africa, the Congolese-born singer-songwriter, producer and music entrepreneur has spent over a decade building a career that bridges African pop, jazz, Afrobeat, dance and more.

“Yes, it’s my first time [at Joy of Jazz],” Tresor says, fresh off his arrival from Cape Town. “I’m really looking forward to it. I'm bringing my complete band. I have a full brass section and a string quartet that will join us on stage, which will be really exciting and it’s just going to be a really fun night for us.”

Tresor’s catalogue reads like a roadmap of modern African pop. His debut album VII took seven years to create and earned him Best Pop Album at the 2016 South African Music Awards (Sama).

The record produced hits such as Mount Everest (Freddy Verano Remix), which topped Italy’s airplay charts and reached number one on the Global Shazam trending list.

His followup albums, The Beautiful Madness and Nostalgia, also won Best Pop Album at the Samas, cementing his reputation as one of Africa’s defining musical voices.

Singles from Nostalgia, like Electric Night featuring AKA, Sondela featuring Msaki and On va bouger featuring Sauti Sol, have become staples in African pop playlists worldwide.

“My career has been a combination of a lot of special occurrences,” Tresor says, reflecting on his journey.

“I don’t think there’s only one pivotal moment. I think there’s always a moment that leads to something and something ... They've all been building this beautiful pyramid of work.

“Every brick laid in the foundation has been crucial to where I'm standing right now.”

Over the years, Tresor has worked with some biggest names in music. One of the highest-profile collaborations was with Drake on the dance-heavy album Honestly, Never Mind.