Marius Billgobenson on Clubhouse

Bio

A true musical citizen of the world committed to bridging longstanding cultural divides, Stockholm, Sweden based singer, songwriter and guitarist Marius Billgobenson has created a soulful and empowering fusion of jazz, blues, pop, R&B and the dynamic rhythms and vocal sounds indigenous to his homeland of the Congo. His invigorating blend of jazz instrumentation and African music seeks to bring awareness of disenfranchised communities.
Starting with the release of his 2016 debut album The Sum of My Pardon, the multi-talented artist – also an award-winning anthropologist with intense interests in ethnomusicology and curating cultures - has used jazz as umbrella to bring about intellectual dialogues. “Jazz creates a platform for people and leads them to the right decision,” he says. Music is my tool to passionately affect change worldwide.”
Marking his first official venture into Smooth Jazz, Marius’ 2021 album The Spirit Love features 11 personal songs that are grounded in what he calls “the completeness of gratitude in my heart” and explore love in different facets, with the goal of inviting and motivating more “Love Spreaders” for a change. Marius put his heartfelt vocals on two songs (“Joy” and “Wait and See”) that were written and produced by guitarist and genre hit maker Paul Brown. Six others were helmed by another premiere urban jazz chart-topper, Chris “Big Dog” Davis.
For the past decade, Marius has served cultural attaché for the Congolese Embassy in Sweden, responsible for promoting the culture of his homeland while developing his musical career. Born in the Congolese Swedish Mission Station “Ingoumina,” he has become one of the most powerful voices of the Congolese community.
Marius has been recognized for his humanitarian work by ACNU (the UN Association for the Promotion of Human Rights in the Congo), the French Cultural Center, Regional Cultural Minister in Pointe-Noire and Congolese Art and Cultural Minister. With Afrique Profonde, an organization he launched in 1997 with the goal of cultivating interest in the pygmy culture, he has promoted cross-cultural dialogue, understanding and education through artistic exchanges with individuals and groups in Africa and beyond.