Rooted. Free.
In motion.
A soulful voice, Congolese roots, and stories that bring people together.
Based in Kinshasa, Congolese singer Licelv Mauwa brings a contemporary soul sensibility to Kongo heritage, urban rhythms, jazz and blues.
Her stage name draws on “Linda the Celestial Voice”; Mauwa means “flower” in Swahili. Singing in French, Lingala, Swahili and Nande, she gives every lyric the same care, exploring how a shared emotion can open a conversation.
Her songs explore absence, heritage, doubt, resilience and the courage to choose yourself. She calls her artistic signature Tropogroove — a meeting of groove, reflection and memory that also finds expression in clothing, imagery and performance.
She first came to wider attention as the 2015 winner of Airtel Trace Music Star. Her performance credits include MASA in Abidjan, Visa For Music in Rabat and the Salon International des Voix de Femmes in Douala. Whether with a live band or in an acoustic setting, she builds a connection through the interplay with her musicians, freedom of movement and a voice that invites you to listen.
With a background in social communications from the Université Catholique du Congo, she is developing METAMORPHOZO as a story of resilience told through music, patterns, imagery and live performance. Two images run through it: kintsugi, the art of repairing what is broken, and the caterpillar’s transformation into a butterfly. Together, they speak of accepting our scars, moving through change and finding the freedom to take flight. The project extends beyond an album, with each chapter offering a new perspective on the stories we carry.
That care for others also shapes her work beyond the stage. Through “Un enfant, un livre” (One Child, One Book), the METAMORPHOZO scholarship and “Licelv & Nous” gatherings with the NGO Kaeli, she connects artistic practice with education and community.
Soul at heart. Roots that resonate.