The melody for what would later become “Maloumba” came to Emilio when he was 11 years old. About a year before Nelson Mandela was released from prison, Emilio had a dream that he sang the song to him. After that, Emilio turned the melody into a tribute to Mandela, which appeared on Zangalewa’s album Casque Colonial.
Emilio composed a new version of “Maloumba,” this one called simply “Mandela.” It is written in a combination of English and Patois.