By Leela Perez-Cobo

There’s only one musician I can confidently say I would drop everything to go watch and experience live in concert. Before you, dear reader, suggest it: no, it’s not Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, K-Dot or the “Swamp Princess” Doechii. As inspiring and driven as those current musicians are, it’s one Paris-based, French-Cameroonian musician who has me – along with the rest of the world – entranced. It may appear that Yamê seemingly exploded onto the scene back in 2021 with the viral song ‘Becane’ via Tik Tok. However, his creative history and hunger goes back much earlier than one COLORSxStudio session in Berlin. 

Long before the world knew his name, Yamê was already busy swimming in a pool full of music notes. His father was a Senegalese-Cameroonian musician, while his mother was a scientist. The death of his mother spurred the family to move back to France. Surrounded by the music of both his homeland and new places, his world expanded. He began learning piano, eventually composing his own first piece, one of many to come. It was also sometime during these formative years that he had a life-changing incident, falling down two stories from his house and flying towards the street below. Upon impact, he knocked both of his front teeth out.

Many years later, during the 2020 pandemic, he took full creative initiative, leaving his day-job to pursue musicianship full-time. Talk about believing in your vision (more on that later). Now, at 31 years old, he has excelled all previous hopes, launching himself into the spotlight. He has garnered attention from famous producers, including Timbaland. Many of his songs have crept their way up hit charts in France, Luxembourg, and Belgium. Just last year, he won the 2024 French Victoires de la Musique award for Best Male Upcomer. That being said, he is unlike the “simple-minded” star hoping to acquire public fame and discard their past of humble beginnings in the shadows of flashing lights. Whether it’s in an interview or behind the studio microphone and a beat, Yamê is quick to uphold his family history, prideful of his hometown and French-Cameroonian multi-ethnic identity, a topic of which most of his songs pedal between. Furthermore, Yamê personalizes his art by proudly owning and incorporating his spirituality into his musicianship. In an exclusive interview with Colors Studio, he describes his stage name translated to meaning “a spiritual energy or chakra that is shared by everyone. It connects us all despite our religious differences” (ColorsXStudio). It is loosely translated from Mbo, a  language spoken by certain groups within the Cameroonian people. Yame bears it all – spirituality, traditions, fashion statement pieces, toothless smile, and identity – through his music. It seems there is not a single thing that can deter his spirit from creating whatever he wishes.  One-hundred percent self-taught and ever-expanding, he seems to live by the motto that we must infuse our art with reflection and knowledge, paying homage to those before us (past) and those alongside us (present). With knowledge and pride comes authentic success.  

Yamê is an artist on the rise for all of the right reasons, bringing fresh sounds to music-lovers around the world. His debut album ‘Elowi’ (released 2023) bobs and weaves between genres like a motorbike would on bustling, winding city streets. It blends traditional Camoorian and African rhythms, piano interludes, French rap beats, choirs, orchestral swells, and soaring melodies together to produce refreshing songs. It’s an auditory treat for the ears! His songs address themes including experiences of racism, perseverance, and personal growth and struggles as a person who comes from many different places, social groups, and expectations. His unique musical fingerprint leaves an imprint on its’ listener, inspiring and reinvigorating us to redefine what genres (even artists) can and can’t be. Watching Yamê so seamlessly fuse jazz funk, R&B, laidback lofi, staccato one-liners and ‘drill’ rap, and soulful singing into one piece feels similar to admiring a sculpture hard at work – he sees the whole picture, almost freeing the art from the stone rather than shaping it. The uniqueness that ripples through Yamê’s work is special, to say the least. One could argue that someone such as Yamê is naturally gifted, with an ear for music from youth, and therefore destined to succeed artistically. This is where I wag my finger: that would take away from all of the hard work, growth, and technical learning he did to achieve his current status as a well-regarded and sought-out musician to collaborate with.

Before there were others reaching out to ask for his musical input, there was just Yamê peering into a mirror, asking inwardly of himself to create and expand in ways he hadn’t before. It takes just as much self-belief as much as it does artistic bravery to create, especially in an interconnected world so focused on productivity, efficiency, and corporate ‘purpose’. Sometimes when the door opens a crack, we must slide our foot out to catch it. Quick! Catch your artistic moment regardless of all external beliefs and judgements. Plant the seeds of self-trust and water it, Yamê reminds us, and see what flowers may grow in the years to come. 

Sources:

Chasing freedom no matter what with Paris-based, Franco-Cameroonian artist Yamê
Yamê Wikipedia
Yamê on His Sound, Success of “Bécane” and Filming the Music Video in Cameroon
Yamê Genius