Moonshine is the inclusive party series creating a space for the African diaspora in Montreal. vogueworld.
, which introduced his distinctly modern take on Congolese rumba by bringing together different elements from his continent-spanning musical history: His uncles were all musicians, so he was acquainted with these rhythms from Congo early on, and after he moved from Kinshasa to Montreal when he was 16, he joined a Congolese Catholic choir and started linking up with Quebecois rappers and hip-hop producers.
It was important to Kwenders and Kalongo, though, that the music they played would reflect their own tastes, which Montreal’s club scene wasn’t servicing at the time. There weren’t any events in the city that played the African music that the two would listen to at their friends’ houses, hopping from kitchen to kitchen, creating impromptu, intimate dance parties.
Kwenders said they only expected a few people to attend that first Moonshine, but close to 200 people ended up coming to dance, and since then Kwenders has held monthly events scheduled around the lunar cycle . Moonshine encompasses more than just this genre-spanning party, though. It’s a record label—its latest compilation,, is a good place to start if you want to get a sense for the range of sounds you might hear at one of the parties—as well as an artist collective.
In light of this inclusive attitude, as well as the party’s streetwear roots—fashion has been sewn into the project’s DNA since day one—Moonshine parties attract a truly diverse set of partygoers with equally wide-ranging style. At the last party, there were silky trenchcoats, oversize puffers galore, and shearling jackets, to name a few standout looks. Even in the bitter cold, the Quebecois don’t sacrifice comfort for style; they can somehow make layers upon layers look club appropriate.
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