7 minute read
AMALIA // Interview
A pen ready to give the best of itself; a growing ambition and a passion for music more than palpable, you're seeing one that won't fail to create a stir about her in the months and years to come in the French Rap game.
Amalia has everything to become a real female figure in Rap, and it’s good to see that the spotlight is finally on the growing talent of this young 20-year-old Marseillaise. After being noticed on Skyrock, and her hard-hitting freestyles on the networks, Amalia took the time to talk to us about what pushed her to get into music, and especially about her views on the place of women in this still too-masculine industry. Between kindness and simplicity, the sincerity of Amalia won't fail to touch you.
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Tell us about yourself Amalia, we want to know all about your beginnings in the music industry!
It happened when I was 18. I had a friend of mine who couldn’t get past a heartbreak, and I decided to put her pain to music. In the end, this first lyric was the very first of my “career” and it's also my first video “24h”. In fact, when I saw my friend’s enthusiasm for what I had written, I said to myself, “Come on, I’m going, I have nothing to lose anyway.” In the end, I realized that maybe there was something to do in music because I really liked it and I saw that people also liked what I was doing, too. I decided to post my first freestyles on Instagram, and that’s when it took on much larger proportions than I imagined...
Did you expect this success?
Not at all honestly. It would be a lie to say that I didn’t want it, because when you get into music, you always want to make it work. In truth, I didn't expect such a crazed response from the public. I still don’t really understand what’s going on... I think on the one hand it’s better, so I don’t have the pressure of success, and I’m not obsessed with it. I post my freestyles without worrying about the followers to win, or the likes to reap. I’m doing this because I want to, and I’m happy to see that it gives me access to opportunities I never thought I’d have. After my time on Skyrock, I started to realize that I might really belong in the Rap game.
Speaking of Skyrock, I saw your appearance on Meryl’s Planète Rap last February. Can you tell me more about this first appearance?
In fact, I had freestyled for an Instagram contest which had been liked by the Planète Rap account, and I was very surprised! I sent a message saying “Thank you for the like, if you ever need someone to come and rap live, just let me know.” Few days later, they asked me if I wanted to do the freestyle listener [e.d: the radio calls a participant to do a freestyle on the phone during a live radio show], so I immediately said yes without even hesitating. And from there it all happened; I rapped by phone on Tuesday and Meryl’s team validated me and asked me to join her live for the show on Friday. So, I went to Paris alone - without asking myself any questions - and I enjoyed it. It’s true that it was a lot of stress, but it was above all an incredible adventure.
Could this experience have been a professional stepping stone for you?
Yes, absolutely. I was able to meet lots of people from the music industry. Whether it was people working in labels or whatever, it was really rewarding. I got a lot of contacts, and that’s a real chance for me. As we say, “we must leave time to time” so we'll see what the future holds for me.
Being a young artist requires an investment of time, but also a financial one. Whether it’s for the melodies, the studios, the teams, the clips... How do you apprehend that?
For now I have to say that I'm really lucky, because some time ago, I met an artist who has worked with artists like Demi-Portion and IAM; who's at the same time a beatmaker, producer, etc. He became my mentor in music, and he’s the one who does all this for me. It's an immense opportunity to have access to his knowledge and experience without spending any money. For my first music video, I did it with someone I also knew, and without ruining myself either. We all have to start somewhere with our goals. Maybe in a few years, I will retake my first music video - who knows? (laughs)
You also made your debut on the Instagram page of 1minute2Rap. Do you think it’s a good springboard for young people like you to get to know each other?
Absolutely! When I did my first freestyles on their page last November, the account had 500K, and it was already a big account. Now, they have more than 900k, it means that generates attention and interest. Being put forward on this kind of account is a huge boost for your visibility; there's no doubt about it. I even think that the contacts I have today are thanks to them... It’s a real springboard for young artists like me.
I could see that each of your freestyles did not leave room for indifference, and sometimes provoked misogynistic reactions. One can see in the comments like "again the feminist rapper"... How do you find that?
To tell you the truth, that’s what made me want to do these freestyles. When I saw women rapping, there were always hateful and misogynistic comments; all because she was a woman, and I wanted things to change. So, I wanted to “provoke” people in an intelligent way. Who said that a woman doesn’t know how to rap. It was at this time that I decided to do this freestyle on the day for women’s rights, which has grown in popularity on the networks. I, for one, write about my place in society and my place as a woman in today’s world. I have no fight to claim, I’m just me, I’m just talking about my own fears or concerns. The real problem is that in France you always have to be locked in boxes and put labels on...
You think it takes more of a woman’s mind to get into Rap and take on all this sexist criticism?
It’s an interesting question. I don’t know if we need more mental toughness, but I think we need more anticipation. We have to tell the truth; there are a lot of female rappers in France, but the problem is that we don't talk about all these women in Rap. To have visibility, it's always necessary to push with some force, etc. Where a man will rush headlong on project x, a woman will have to be more strategic; avoid a possible refusal, and anticipate future obstacles to achieve the same result. It makes sense that there are fewer women exposed in the media but on the other hand there's less “competition” to stand out from the others. I think it’s a bit of a double-edged sword, just balancing those two essential factors for a woman in Rap.
Do you think that the place of women in rap will evolve in the coming years?
Yes completely. I really think that artists like Shay, Meryl or Diam’s, or Keny Arkana, if we go back, have managed to prove that women have a place in the Rap game. If we look at French Rap at the moment, we see that there are more and more boys who want to get into Rap, and the competition is a huge factor in succeeding in making a place at the top. This is a serious problem, because it's a funnel. Everyone wants to get started, but nobody really manages to stand out because many of them do the same thing, rap on the same type of prod, use the same punchline etc... One day, it will be necessary to leave the place to the girls, who will succeed more easily in distinguishing themselves from others.
What are your future plans?
It’s clearly to go on stage, and to meet my audience. My ultimate dream would be to run a festival. I want to create a solid fanbase that would work like some kind of team, if you know what I mean? What really matters to me right now is to meet with those who support me and share my music.
Instagram: @Amalia_Officiel
Words © Fanny Hill Scott // Photography © Keep Focus
