Texts that come from the tarmac, a voice that could reach the moon, a unique sound that organically revisits the codes of trap and drill: at 30, the Franco-Cameroonian musician and singer Yamê created with his 2nd album, “ ELOWI ”, its “own category”. Portrait of a mega geek, passionate about video games and big motorcycles, who brilliantly slaloms between genres and references with the point of convergence: the love of melodies, the stage and his African roots.
Born in the Paris region, to a Franco-Malagasy mother and a Senegalese-Cameroonian father, Yamê lived from the age of 5 to 10 in Douala, Cameroon. At home, he plays all keyboards: the computer and the piano. And delights in French variety like hits of Meiway and of Papa Wemba.
After studying History, a job as a data manager in a Tech company and nights spent roaming Parisian jam sessions with his keyboard, Yamê decided to launch professionally into music in 2020 and chose rap for his career. ‘express.
Three years after the release of his first mixtapes, his second project, “ ELOWI », organically diverts the codes of trap and drill. And Yamê’s hybrid style, between rap and high-pitched singing, is validated on both sides of the Atlantic by Stromae, Damso, Booba Or Timbaland. Result: in a few months, Yamê goes from almost unknown to the unbreakable French revelation of the year 2023!
To tell you about this meteoric rise, head to Rennes, in the west of France, where the 45th Trans Musicales. After Lous and the Yakuza Or Zaho de SagazanYamê is in residence there to create his live performance and then play it five evenings in a row.
The appointment is made for Friday afternoon, just before attending his 3rd concert at Les Trans the same evening and collecting the impressions of an informed and demanding Breton audience.
That’s what was planned. The interview took place at 5 p.m. with Yamê but in the evening, just before his concert, I met someone who was not: that of the Senegalese-Cameroonian songwriter, arranger, musician and singer , M’Backé Ngoup’EmantyYamê’s dad.
As a result, this SessionLab has two rooms and two atmospheres: that of the press area where I talk face to face with a 30-year-old self-taught artist, a mega geek, passionate about video games and big motorcycles who slaloms brilliantly between genres and references. And that of Aire Libre Theater, where I collect the kind and inspiring words of the patriarch. Several hours apart, these moments agree and respond to each other, it makes sense, that’s also the magic of sound…
Journalist : Hortense Volle
Realization : Benjamin Sarralié
3D mixing in Dolby ATMOS for immersive headphone listening : Jérémie Besset
FMM production unit manager – RFI Labo : Xavier Gibert
To follow Yamê:
Youtube / Instagram / Facebook / TikTok
Titles broadcast:
Singles: “ Kodjo » acoustic version (2023); “ Kodjo » (2022); “ BB starts » (2021)
Excerpts from the album Elowi (DBS Records / Naïve – 2023): “ Ayo Mba”; “My lease”; “Call of Valhalla”; “Lowkey”; “Bahwai”; “Deter”; “Becane”; “Business”; « Quest »
Excerpts from the album Officer 237 (DBS Records – 2021): “ Intro – The letter”; ” Square ace ” ; “Plains »
Excerpt from the EP Bantu Mixtape Vol.1 (Yamê– 2020): “ Feelings »
And also extracts of : ” Bike » (A Colors Show)
“ I have no face » by Akhenaten