Photo : Minette Lontsie, CC BY-SA 4.0
Salatiel
The Buea producer invited by Beyoncé onto “The Lion King”
Born in 1987
Related city : Tiko
Who are they?
A singer, arranger and producer born in 1987 in Tiko, in the South-West, whose real name is Salatiel Livenja Bessong. Admitted to medical school in Yaoundé, he gave up his studies for music and founded the Alpha Better Records label, based in Buea.
What made them famous
A producer behind many Cameroonian hits, he scored his own with “Toi et Moi” (2017), then reached a worldwide audience in 2019 when Beyoncé invited him onto “Water”, alongside Pharrell Williams, on the album “The Lion King: The Gift”. It was recorded remotely, without the artists ever meeting.
Key facts
- “Water” was released on 18 July 2019, with Salatiel singing the introduction.
- His label has produced songs by Mr Leo, Daphne, Askia and Blaise B.
- His first album, “Africa Represented”, came out in February 2021 with a dozen guests from across the continent.
- Nicknamed “High Man General”, he sings mostly in a mix of English and French.