Don Kikas
Real name Emílio Camilo de Carvalho, the Angolan hitmaker began his music career at local nightclubs and discothèques while living in Portugal at the age of 18. In 1994, he got the chance to record his debut album, “Sexy Baby” which was released in 1995. This was followed by the Pura Sedução album in 1997, with the album’s Esperança Moribunda song receiving the “Music of the Year” award granted by the Rádio Nacional de Angola (national radio station).
He got invitations to perform on global stages during this period. Xeque Mate, his third album released in December 1999, had songs recorded in three different countries and featured foreign musicians. That album achieved gold sales and received Angola’s Album of the Year, Voice of the Year and Kizomba of the Year awards. After not doing too well with his Raio X album in 2003, Kikas returned with a bang in 2005 with his Viagem album, which involved a host of Angola’s top musicians and had a genre diversity ranging from kizomba and zouk to the traditional kazukuta and kilapanga type of music. Since then, Kikas has been widely received by all and sundry in Angola and beyond for his style of music.