Born, Mukengerwa Tresor Riziki, his personal journey from humble beginnings in Goma in eastern DRC wasn’t an easy one, not in the slightest.
He was first introduced to music In the mid-1990s as a young boy, spending much of his spare time in a youth centre banging on drums and making music.
He lost his parents as a teenager, and then assumed many responsibilities as young man.
Despite life’s obstacles placed before him, Tresor completed his schooling, knowing that he needed to leave the DRC in search of a better life.
He travelled through Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania before eventually arriving in South Africa in late 2007.
Once he settled in Durban, Tresor put into motion his dream of becoming a musician, a dream that didn’t just happen overnight.
He worked as a car guard and other jobs to make ends meet.
In 2022, at the age of 35, he now wants to help and nurture the next crop of aspiring African musicians.
Tresor signed up to contribute to the Jacquel Culture House (JCH) an empowerment project to help boost up-and-coming musicians.
A first of its kind in Africa, the project is a powerful empowerment platform for new artists looking to succeed in the music industry. The venture is launching several platforms, including a talent search, for up-and-coming musicians in their pursuit of success in the industry.
Outside of his work as a musician, he is an ambassador of the Nelson Mandela Children Fund and also a United Refugee Agency ambassador advocating for refugees rights.
Tresor spoke with CapeTalk presenter, Sara-Jayne King about his life journey.
