The Rising Voice from Pointe-Noire on the Parisian Stage
The French capital’s audience will soon discover the infectious rhythms of Congolese DJ Rox Ikartashi, scheduled for March 7, 2026, at Le Nouveau Casino, a 380-capacity independent venue in the 11th arrondissement. This booking confirms the artist’s steady ascent from the dance floors of Pointe-Noire to the European spotlight.
The date was announced last week in Brazzaville, with online pre-sales seeing a rapid start, with nearly a quarter of the venue’s capacity reserved within the first 48 hours.
For Ikartashi, born Austhy Nguetali, the Paris date extends a series of 2025 successes that saw Congolese artists, from Roga-Roga to Tidiane Mario, fill European venues—an encouraging trend as the concert circuit recovers from pandemic-related disruptions.
A Journey Begun on the Sidewalks of Brazzaville
The artist’s path began on the sidewalks of the Moungali district in Brazzaville around the turn of the millennium, where hip-hop groups rehearsed under streetlights and portable speakers served as makeshift sound systems for teenage battles.
Nguetali honed his moves by copying videos from Franco-Congolese rapper Passi and the lyrical cadences of MC Solaar, before trading microphones for turntables in the nightclubs of Pointe-Noire, where waterfront clubs catered to both oil sector expatriates and local youth.
A veteran manager recalls hiring the teenager as an opening act DJ in 2008. “He knew how to read a crowd instinctively; by the third song, the dance floor was full,” he said, crediting that residency with forging the artist’s real-time improvisation skills.
Forging a Signature Sound Across Languages
While DJing paid the bills, Ikartashi began composing on a borrowed laptop, layering coupé-décalé rhythms with Congolese guitars and Afrobeats basslines, then singing in Kituba, Lingala, Lari, and French—a multilingual blend his followers call “digital high-pitch” due to his airy tenor.
Singles like “Danse à la papa” and “Deuxième leçon (Adendaka)” gained heavy rotation on Top FM in Pointe-Noire in 2019, later spreading via TikTok dance challenges that boosted his national profile without major label support.
Touring Africa, Forging an International Identity
As streaming numbers grew, Ikartashi invested tour revenue into continental circuits, performing in Dakar, Accra, Cotonou, and Luanda between 2021 and 2024, often opening for mega-stars like Wizkid or at tribute concerts for Papa Wemba.
These appearances earned the artist the 2023 Diaspora Musician of the Year trophy at the Pointe-Noire Urban Awards, a peer recognition previously awarded to gospel singer Grace Lokwa.
Paris Concert: Stakes and Expectations
The intimate capacity of Le Nouveau Casino means the break-even point is around 240 tickets. Organizers are optimistic, citing a Brazzaville diaspora in Île-de-France estimated at 20,000 residents by the Congolese embassy.
Ikartashi plans a 90-minute set blending live percussion, DJ loops, and guest vocals. Pointe-Noire rapper Cedro-La-Loi confirmed his participation during a rehearsal in Montreuil, a suburb home to many Central African studios.
The security coordinator indicates the show will comply with Paris health guidelines still in effect for large gatherings, including optional mask zones and on-site antigen tests—measures reassuring to traveling fans.
Industry Context: The Congolese Wave in European Venues
European promoters are courting Congolese artists partly due to strong streaming statistics. Market tracking data shows a 28% year-on-year increase in streams from Republic of Congo artists in France, the second-highest growth rate among Sub-Saharan African repertoires.
A cultural attaché argues this trend illustrates soft-power dividends. “Every sold-out night projects a positive image of Congolese creativity, complementing government programs supporting cultural industries,” she said, referencing the creative economy chapter of the national development plan.
And After the Nouveau Casino Night?
If the Paris date sells out, Ikartashi’s team is considering a mini-tour to Brussels, Lyon, and Barcelona in late 2026, relying on regional transport links and diaspora networks to contain costs.
New music is also imminent. Producers confirmed the artist has finished five tracks fusing amapiano keyboards with mokongo percussion; at least one is expected before the Paris concert to boost playlists.
Longer-term, a music funding platform indicates preliminary talks to support Ikartashi via its revenue-sharing model, signaling investor confidence in Congolese urban sounds.
As rehearsal sessions intensify, the 29-year-old remains measured. “Paris is not an endpoint, just another step in the journey,” he said during a brief WhatsApp call, before returning to fine-tune timed setlists to keep bodies moving and phones recording.