Successful Refugees and Immigrants Leading the Way, Part 8: Pop Star Tresor Riziki

Like the accomplished refugees covered in previous parts of our series, Tresor Riziki is also among these outstanding individuals and is regarded as one of the most distinguished pop stars in Africa. Tresor is described as the pioneer of “African Neo-Pop Sounds.” Regarding his music, Tresor says that it is “a fusion of sound from all over the continent” and celebrates Africa and Africans.

Tresor Riziki was born on April 24, 1987, in Goma, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. At 17, both of his parents sadly died as a consequence of an internal conflict occurring in the nation. Eventually he decided to chase his musical dreams in a new country. In 2008, Tresor co-founded the famed Durban Afro-fusion band, Maisha, with friends from other countries, and soon played with well-known South African musicians and groups like Lira, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Freshlyground, etc. More recently, Tresor, who some say is of the king Afro-Pop, again won at the South African Music Awards in 2019, with his album “Nostalgia,” garnering the Best Pop Album award.

Beyond creating his own recordings, he has written songs for prominent South African artists like Heavy K and Zahara. In 2019, he released several singles, including the hit “Sondela” featuring Msaki. In 2020, Tresor released his new album “Motion.”

In addition to being a prominent pop star, Tresor is also a humanitarian. He is an ambassador for the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund and holds the title of “High Level Influencer” for LuQuLuQu, an initiative created by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to support displaced Africans throughout the continent.

Tresor has stated, “As an artist, my craft is forever evolving. As I grow as an artist and as a human being, I am more courageous and always try to explore new avenues of creativity.”