Father Guido Haazen journeyed to the Belgian Congo in 1953 and the following year formed the Troubadours, a choir of some 45 boys aged between 9 to 14 and rounded out by 15 teachers from the Central School in Kamina. The group attracted much attention in the Congo, subsequently being invited to tour Europe in 1958, which in turn led to a recording contract with Philips and the original release of the Miss Luba album in 1958. The album was a steady seller for many years, with the title track even becoming a hit single in the UK in 1969.