Photography © Koria
Photography © Koria
"This NRJ Music Awards
nomination was a great reward."
In a beautiful private hotel in the heart of Paris, we joined Tayc and his team to talk about music, especially his first album, Fleur Froide, released last December. The man who captured the hearts of the French spoke to us in this unique setting about the importance of spreading his songs across the world to reach as many people as possible.
Originally from Marseille, the charismatic 24-year-old singer opened up to A Rap & A Cup Of Tea about his deep connection with his audience and desire to always keep them happy. Considered one of the significant figures of R'n'B in France, Tayc has managed to touch hearts with hits such as "N'y Pense Plus" "Promis Juré" and "Ewondo Ou Bami" feat. Manu Dibango.
Eager to share the Afrolove with his community, the one nominated for the NRJ Music Award highlights the inspiration of life in his songs. Undoubtedly, this artist with a big heart will not fail to dazzle you.
You have become an absolute reference in France, where everyone knows your name... Can we go back to the beginning of your booming career?
In a nutshell, I've been in the music business for about 5 years, but I've only been living it for 2 years. I'm originally from Marseille, and I moved to Paris in 2012 to a boarding school. There was a studio for young people there, and it's like I got in without ever getting out.
Was it difficult to leave everything and come to Paris?
Yes, it was... I was 17 years old, and at that age, you hold on to many things, like your friends, city, hood, etc. At first, it was hard, and I was furious at my mother. So, basically, to explain what happened, I got kicked out of my high school 4 days before returning to school. My mother couldn't find any school to enrol me in, and the only one that accepted me was in Paris; that's why I had to come here. For her, it was also an opportunity to get me out of the northern neighbourhoods of Marseille where I was. Obviously, I wasn't happy with this decision, but in the end, I knew she did it for my own good. If it weren't for her decision, I wouldn't be where I am today.
I believe that your meeting with Barack Adama has changed your career...
Yes, totally. It was back in 2018 when I was working in a gym. One day, I got a message from him on Instagram saying, "I need you on a track; I'm looking for a vocalist". At the time, I was trying to figure it out, but it was still pretty bad, you know? So I sent a demo of the production I had received, and while we were talking, he asked me, "By the way, which label are you signed to?". I answered that I was not signed anywhere and was doing this with friends with my savings, and he answered me, "Tomorrow, my place at 8 pm". (laughs) I went there with my brother and signed up with him immediately. I'd had a lot of meetings with labels before, but I needed more convincing with their pitch. They often tried to disguise the truth or misrepresent me to get me to make songs that were selling and not what I wanted to do. Barack knew what to say to me:"You want R'n'B? We'll do R'n'B then".
When you started dealing with music industry professionals, you quickly understood that R'n'B was no longer popular in France. Has this made you doubt yourself?
Yes, I had a lot of doubts about what I would do... You also reach a moment in your life when you want to make it work and earn money with your passion, and you inevitably start doubting yourself when you see that it doesn't work as you wish. When I went to clubs, I could see that the songs playing on a loop weren't what I was doing. Sometimes, I thought, "I'm going to have to do what everyone else is doing".
Your nomination at the NRJ Music Awards must have been a great revenge?
That's true, and it came at a good time. I had already defined myself artistically, and what could be better than to show millions of people the result of all those years of work and reflection on myself? I knew what music I enjoyed making, what people liked about me, etc., and this nomination was a great reward.
Have you been waiting for this nomination?
I have to admit, we weren't quite prepared for it. "N'y Pense Plus" was the first of my songs to make it onto NRJ's playlist. So, being nominated alongside artists who were regulars on the playlist was a pleasant surprise. Looking back, this song indeed caused quite a stir... (laughs)
You often define your music as Afrolove. How would you describe it to an audience that doesn't know this concept yet?
For me, Afrolove is more than just a musical genre. It's a movement, a way of life. It originated as a blend of jazz, soul, and R'n'B, but over time, it has evolved into a genuine philosophy. We are deeply committed to spreading Afrolove to our community and to everyone who supports us.
"Jorja Smith was supposed to be on the track 'Qui'"
"Jorja Smith was supposed
to be on the track 'Qui'"
In this album, you address very different and diverse themes such as "J'ai Mal" [where the protagonist's girlfriend sees his wife leave for another woman], "Baby Papa" [where the protagonist loses custody of his children] or even "Vous Deux" [where the protagonist wishes genuine happiness to his ex who's involved in a new relationship with another man]. What inspired all these different stories?
It's a bit cliché to say this, but I think there's no more fabulous inspiration than life itself... I get a lot of inspiration from conversations with my friends, who tell me what's going on in their lives, and I back that up with fiction sometimes. It's a puzzle where you put different stories together. In some cases, I can also talk about my life experiences like "Comme Toi", which is not fictional, as I lived everything I spoke about there.
By combining reality and fiction, do you feel that your audience knows who you are?
I think so; my audience knows parts of my personality. They can see that I'm a sensitive person and someone who loves to love and be loved. 99% of my songs are about love, and there's no denying it. (laughs) However, my audience knows me better from social networks than my songs.
You're present for your fans on social networks by creating content for them or sharing their videos in your story. Is it essential to be present like that for your community?
I talked to some of my friends not too long ago, and we realised that things are changing and that people know a lot about the music industry. Whether it's your salary, how the royalties are distributed, etc., it's essential to be as transparent as possible on social networks. Most importantly, getting them as involved as possible in your career would be best. If you scroll through your favourite artist's story and see their lifestyle, that's cool. But knowing that you can find yourself at any time in his story makes it even better. I'd have loved to see that from the artists I liked; seeing myself in Chris Brown's story would have been fantastic! (laughs)
Through everything you show about yourself, we feel your love for music...
I'm indeed a music lover. I let myself be guided by my emotions. I rarely go to the studio with a "concept" in mind. I usually go with the flow of the chords. Sometimes, I come in with a particular mood, and I say to myself, "Oh, it would be cool to talk about that", and in the end, when I hear 3 chords that are totally different from my actual mood, I might talk about something totally different. The melody can completely change my mood for the day or the week. (laughs)
Does that mean that before making your album, you didn't have any specific guidelines?
No, I didn't. I knew I wanted to call it Fleur Froide (Cold Flower). The word "Fleur" describes the woman, and "Froide" shows what she has become due to all her sufferings.
I see that you often talk about women, but are you aware that you've become somewhat of a spokesperson for men?
I'm not a spokesperson, but I know that many men are listening to my music. I recently realised that during an interview, I received 18 questions from fans, and out of the 18, there were only 3 girls; I was like, "Wow!". Also, recently, during my concerts in Cameroon, I saw that at the front of the stage, there were many men. In these moments, I realise that men are increasingly present in my community. I believe I sing about things men can't necessarily say or would like to say. I don't talk about perfect love in my songs. It's essential to show that sometimes, not everything in love happens as it should.
What would be your dream featuring?
I have two different perspectives. For my career, I think it would be incredible to do a feat with an artist like Mylène Farmer. In urban music, we all know each other, rappers and singers, and it's easier to collaborate. Still, an urban singer who collaborates with a legendary French singer doesn't happen often. I would be proud of this collaboration for the recognition that it represents. But for a personal kick, I'd say Drake or WizKid because I'm an artist in tune with his time, and they are essential current artists.
I also know that you spend quite some time in London... Would you be interested in collaborating with artists from here?
Yes, totally! I was talking with RG, but unfortunately, the track didn't happen. If you want a real scoop, Jorja Smith was supposed to be on the track "Qui" Due to scheduling issues, it didn't happen, but who knows what the future holds?
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