LORNOAR
(formerly Lorenoare)
Singer Songwriter Composer
Yaoundé (Cameroon)
LORNOAR (pron.: /lᴐR’noaR/) is a singer, songwriter and dancer from Cameroon. Born and raised in Yaoundé, the capital city, she began her career at an early age. She made her debut as a professional singer in 2007, being featured in a prominent night-club of the town. At the same time she was hired by a famous band which offered her the opportunity to tour extensively throughout the country and to back vocally most of Cameroon’s greatest singers.
In 2010 she took part in the nation-wide competition of female voices “MASSAO” in Douala, winning the First prize.
In July 2011, she released her first solo album, earning numerous hyperbolic reviews. Her first video clip “Ote Ben Ma” was released in January 2012 and in April she broadcasted a second clip with her hit song “ZEN”. A popular TV show “Rendez-vous with Lornoar” has been aired on the National TV Channel.
In September and November 2012 she performed her first concerts in Paris: Trois Mailletz, China, Bus Palladium, African Music Hall, etc.
In 2014 she was invited to New York, having gigs with great success in different venues in Harlem and Greenwich Village. During her stay she recorded her second album «100%» under the supervision of the great bass player from Cameroon Francis MBAPPE and Michael JACKSON’s percussionist Bashiri JOHNSON (including the popular title and musical video “Moment in The Sun”, featuring US hip hop star Freedom WILLIAMS).
The same year, on December 10th, she performed before the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York her new song “Pupuma” (Freedom) at the Official Launch of the International Decade for People of African Descent. Since then she has toured extensively in Europe and African countries.
In July 2017, LORNOAR represented her country Cameroon in the ”Chanson” category at the 8th Francophony Games held in Abidjan - Ivory Coast. She has been officially selected for the 10th edition of MASA (Marché des Arts du Spectacle Africain), World’s greatest market for African Performing Arts (March 2018 -- Abidjan).
In 2018 she is included in the official selection of 5 major Festival and Markets : MASA (Abidjan) in March (followed by a fantatsic Tourin CHINA) - FAME (Douala) in May - MAPAS (Tenerife Canaria Islands) in July - MOSHITO (Johannesburg) in September - VISA FOR MUSIC (Rabat) in November.
LORNOAR’s every single show builds on the legacy of African oral heritage.
“I sing to glorify my native language, my culture and my country. I am proud of being an African woman and I do my best to be as pure as gold and as black as Africa. I compose, I sing and I dance to preserve this purity and authenticity from all perversions that today threaten this culture which is a part of humankind”.
She writes strong and beautiful lyrics inspired by God as well as daily life: the need for consolation, love, abandon, jealousy, the quest for God, but also sexual harassment, fighting violence against women, fighting intolerance and the use of children as suicide bombers. Her music is made of various rhythms: from bikutsi to bossa nova, through makossa, batanga, ekank, ekomot, mbalax and reggae, even highlife and pop. From her cabaret years she has retained a strong stage presence and the ability to adapt to any kind of musicians and audiences, which she experienced with great success in Europe and in USA.