Biography

Wes Madiko, better known as Wes, is a musician who grew up in Mouataba, Cameroon. Wes Madiko began listening and playing music at the age of seven when his grandfather taught him how to play the Cameroon traditional instrument the Sanza. He later moved to France to follow his girlfriend. It was here that he left a copy of a demo tape with his traditional Bantou music on it. Michel Sanchez, from Deep Forest, stumbled upon the tape where he would listen and take a liking to the music. Wes Madiko and Michel Sanchez became friends and Michel Sanchez decided to help Wes with recording an album. They spent three and a half years together making Wes’ debut album Welenga, which means ‘universal consciences’. Together they worked at finding a mix of modern music and traditional Cameroon music.