Louis Aoda // Interview

Louis Aoda, whose surname stands for ‘Africain Originaire Des Antilles’, which translates as African Native from the West Indies is from Montfermeil near to central Paris. After few years break, the Parisian rapper’s recent come back with the single ‘I hate to love’ sees his career taking a new turn. This young rapper with his touching modesty remains humble in every situation. He admits to being dependent on his emotions and is down to earth and ready to tell the truth to people. The artist is very close to his fans on social media opened his heart here in this interview.

There is a touching honesty that emanates from your lyrics. Is it hard to expose yourself through your music? No, actually, it’s not something that I do on purpose. For me, music and art are a way of saying all the things that I don’t dare to say in life. It’s a really important to me. I don’t like putting barriers between what I think and what I write down in my lyrics. It also allows me to show my emotional side and to be proud of it.

I noticed that you are really available on social media and you often respond to your fans. Is it important for you to be close to them this way? This is important because I have noticed through the messages I receive that most of the people who are touched by my music have gone through the same difficult times as me. I want to help them in my way. I feel beholden to them. It’s like a family: the Aoda Gang. Their support means everything to me.

Would you say that nowadays, an artist has to be involved this way with social media in order to succeed in the music industry? I don’t know. Everyone has to be true to themselves. Being available to my loved ones and my people is in my nature, I don’t have to push myself to do it. However, I think that the secret of success is authenticity.

"I think that the secret of success is authenticity."

The song «I hate to love» released last January reached almost 300k views on YouTube. Did you expect such a success? Absolutely not, I wrote this song alone in my room, without even knowing whether it would be released one day. I was thinking about my past and my life. I sang it acapella to my friend Baloo - founder and writer of the blog The Baloo Show - who went crazy about it and post it two days later on YouTube. I’m always surprised and pleased by the reactions of people. I didn’t thought that my story would affect so many people.

In the video clip of this song, we can see you burying a heart in a forest. This is a very symbolic act that perfectly represents the sentiment of the song. Was it your idea? I work with my mates from Swish Films and with my friend Baloo. When I write down lyrics, I like being alone, but videos need a different approach. We met and tried to find the best way to show on a screen who I am and what I feel inside me. The Swish Films collective, which is managed by Ayma l’Ours, helps me a lot with that. As an artist, when we write and compose, we always have an idea of the visual that could join the sound, but it’s easier when professionals are here to help you out.

Is visual art creation something you are interested in? Well, beyond the video clips and music, there’s plenty of things I’d like to try like movies and so on. I have lots of things to share with people.

Who are the people that have helped you grow in your career? In my musical productions, I work a lot with Faly and Neezy N.e.b. - they are two beatmakers of who I’m really close to. But I’m not narrow-minded, if you send me an instrumental that speaks to me, I let the inspiration come and I’ll rap on it. My manager - the Los Angeles-based Adrian Swish - manages a lot of American beatmakers. So thanks to him, I have a large choice of instrumental sounds from the US.

Your video clips are dark and reflect the melancholy that emanates from your sounds. Is it a universe in which you find some comfort? To be honest, it’s more a need than a comfort. I’m someone who overthinks a lot, I question myself all the time. I wish I could turn off my brain sometimes. Music helps me to escape because I can create a universe in which I forget my worries.

In your song ‘I hate to love’ you say ‘‘I wanted to know what it feels like to love someone’’. Do you think that this statementis reflective of a generation that wants to feel love but is afraid of getting attached to someone? In fact, we live in a time where temptation is present everywhere in our society. Even more than before. Without any judgment, some people go from relationship to relationship, it’s like a sentimental fast food. Is it the fault of social media? Western mentalities? I don’t know, but yes, the fear of being abandoned and lack of trust means that many of us don’t want to become attached to anyone anymore. ‘‘I want to love but I don’t want to suffer because I know we will break up’’ is the kind of thing I hear often. We have the feeling that it’s inevitable, and it’s this kind of fatality that I wanted to convey in this song.

"I wish I could turn off my brain sometimes."

Your lyrics truly represent the pain that lots of young people in society feel. Is it something that you are aware of and that is important to you? It’s not something I was aware of at first. You know, I use music as a personal therapy. Now, I think of people who listen to me, and I try to give them hope. We must always keep hope.

In your song ‘Learn to love youself’ you basically said ‘‘I must learn to love myself’’. It’s very touching as a statement. Would you say that music helps you to accept youself? I think self-acceptance is something that I have to do daily in my life. Music allows me to put my thoughts in something concrete like a song, but it doesn’t influence who I am. To be honest, it’s the opposite. My identity and my emotions influence my music. You know, I’ve always been a very extreme and emotional person. For a long time, I hid my feelings behind a mask to be like everyone else, but in the end, I always felt empty. It’s this pain that I explain in « Learn to love youself ». Do not change who you are for others.

On February 23rd, you suddenly posted online a single called «Killmonger» that refers to Black Panther the last Marvel movie... Can you tell me more about it? The movie Black Panther touched me a lot. As a young black guy, I never had a superhero in whom I could identify myself when I was a child. I love Marvels! I liked the movie and Killmonger – the character who tries to sit on the Wakanda’s throne - hit me seriously. Like him, I was disappointed by the human race. Anger, suffering and poverty can push people to do stupid things. The guy’s fight was right, he just wanted to help his people but he did it the wrong way. Despite the bad choices he made, he raised awareness of the issues facing people, that’s why I like him.

In your single ‘Caesar’ you say ‘‘I will end up doing it, I have projects no dreams’’. What are your next projects? The word ‘dream’ is used negatively in our society. For some people, a dream is something impossible to reach. That’s why I use the word ‘project’ because I can achieve it. I don’t dream anymore, I really believe in what I’m doing.

© Words : Fanny Hill Scott

© Photography : Kopeto