Originally born and raised in the Ivory Coast, I rapidly discovered the true power of music. From the civil war to the bird flu, whenever there was a significant event happening in the country, the Ivorians would draw inspiration from it and create a new musical current. For example, throughout the years of political war, music was vastly used as mean to exorcise the pain: Violence would cease and people would come together, even if it were only for the duration of a song. That’s when I became aware of how powerful music could be. Being bathed in this culture, I aim to sing and use music as a vehicle to raise awareness.
As a songwriter, I began writing music to unite people. Artists such as Tiken Jah Fakoly, Emeli Sande or Nneka inspire me. Their songs raised awareness across nations, advocating peace around the world, and sheding light on its ills. Traveling the world gave me the unique opportunity to connect with many different cultures. In every city I have visited, music was always the universal language of the people.
As a vocalist and composer, my work is meant to explore and combine many different styles and genres of music, in an effort to create a universal message that can be shared with different cultures. Growing up in Ivory Coast, I developed a deep understanding of African rhythms. Coming from an Indian family, I was taught at a young age classical Indian music techniques. When I relocated to Dubai following the Civil War, I studied the basics of oriental music. Finally, when I moved to Europe, I spent seven years in Paris and Brussels, where I studied classical and contemporary music in conservatories. My main goal as an artist today is to combine all these influences and create universality in music.