Mr Bow

Salomão Jeque Manjate, better known as Mr Bow, was born on 26 August 1987 in the bustling Hulene neighbourhood of Maputo, Mozambique. Growing up in a modest family with a mechanic father and a housewife mother, he discovered music through church choirs and the timeless sounds of marrabenta and timbila that echoed through the streets. By age fifteen he was already writing poetry, teaching himself guitar and keyboard, and recording rough demos on a home computer. What started as a teenage passion quickly turned into a national phenomenon.

In 2012, after years of performing with local gigs and releasing underground mixtapes, Mr Bow caught the country’s attention with the viral hit “Hello” featuring Jah Prayzah. Two years later, the sultry “Be My Girl” swept across Mozambique, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Eswatini, marking his official coronation as “O Rei do R&B Moçambicano” (The King of Mozambican R&B).

His 2015 debut album Mr. Romantic went platinum in under six months, cementing his place as the biggest star his country had ever produced.Over the next decade, Mr Bow released eight studio albums, including the landmark projects Storage (2017), My Love Story (2019), Khongolote (2021), and Legendary (2024). With more than one billion combined streams and views, he became the first Mozambican artist to sell out Lisbon’s Altice Arena, headline South Africa’s Macufe Festival, and pack Harare’s HICC Rainbow Towers.

His signature blend of smooth R&B vocals, marrabenta rhythms, and heartfelt Portuguese lyrics earned him collaborations with Burna Boy, Davido, Diamond Platnumz, AKA, Cassper Nyovest, Master KG, Yemi Alade, and many others. Hits such as “Nitiketelile, Haleluya, Va Navela, Number One (with Gemma Griffiths), and Khongolote remain anthems across the continent.

He has collected eight Mozambique Music Awards for Artist of the Year, multiple AFRIMA and Channel O trophies, and remains the most decorated Mozambican musician in history. Outside music, Mr Bow is a devoted family man, married since 2016 to Lúcia Jeque with whom he has three children, and a practicing Christian who often credits faith for his success. In 2024 he launched his own label, Bow Music Entertainment, and continues to mentor the next generation.

As of December 2025, fresh off the deluxe edition of Legendary and with the Legendary World Tour 2026 already selling out in Johannesburg, London, Lisbon, Dubai, Luanda, and Sydney, Mr Bow stands unchallenged as Mozambique’s greatest musical export and one of Africa’s most beloved voices.