“Never Cheat On The Culture” Tiakola Interviewed

Originating from the suburbs of Paris, 24-year-old French artist and producer Tiakola is capturing global attention with his signature sound–a captivating fusion of rap, melodic trap, and afrobeats known as “Mélo.” 

Tiakola first entered the music scene as a member of the French rap group 4Keus, but it did not take long for him to shine as a solo artist. His rise to fame has been marked by high-profile collaborations with icons like France’s pop sensation Aya Nakamura, afro-trap pioneer MHD, and young British rap legend Dave. 

Over the years, Tiakola has amassed a string of diamond, platinum, and gold singles, establishing himself as a standout figure in the French and international music scenes, leading a new wave of French talent with his singular approach to music. 

We sat down with Tiakola to explore how his cultural and personal influences have shaped his sound and career over the years. We also discussed his recent collaborations with Dave, Gazo, and Corteiz, and dived into the origins of “Mélo”, the unique genre he is pioneering in France. Tiakola shared his vision for cementing “Mélo’s” legitimacy in France through his mixtape, ‘BDLM Vol.1’, and opened up about the challenges of fame and how his life has transformed since exploding onto the French music scene.

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Your musical style blends rap, melodic trap and afrobeats and is referred to as mélo, an emerging sound in France. How did you develop your unique sound, and how would you describe it?

It’s from my cultural background. Mélo is a mix of all the influences I heard growing up. It is a blend of Ghanaian and Nigerian music I listened to growing up like Bracket, Wizkid and P-Square. And it is also influenced by Congo, where I am from and the rumba music over there. After that I would say that the R&B scene in the US like Nate Dogg and Brandy influenced me. 

Who were some of your musical influences growing up and how did they shape you and your sound? 

My favourite albums are ‘Tha Carter III’, ‘Made in Lagos’, ‘Take Care’, ‘Nothing Was the Same’, Akon’s ‘Konvicted’, Lunatic’s album [‘Mauvais œil’] and Niska. They have all impacted my music through their energy, vibes, and emotions. For example, with ‘Konvicted’ – you can hear Akon’s journey as an artist coming from Senegal to Atlanta, there is something in his voice where you can actually hear that. Lunatic’s album was the first time I listened to a whole project, and I was like this is actually how you build an album and Niska was the music playing when I was growing up, this was the music that was playing outside. Wizkid has had a long career, so for him to be able to come back with a fresh sound with ‘Made in Lagos’ was inspiring to me because it showed me how you can renew your sound, how you can reach another level, there’s no limit – It’s a classic in London no?

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Absolutely! Last year, you collaborated with British rapper Dave on singles ‘Meridian’ and ‘Special’, both tracks are Diamond and Gold. How did the songs come about and how does it make you feel to know that they have reached so many people?

Dave is a big producer, he’s a genius and his creativity is next level. We hit each other up on Instagram but we wanted it to be organic so Dave came to Paris and we went to eat dinner instead of going to the studio which was really important for us. Then we went to the studio and recorded ‘Special’ first, but did not finish it. So then I went to London because I had a show and Dave came, it was at that moment he understood what people liked about my music – it was in the evening we recorded Meridian. I see him as the British Kanye West, he is so great at multitasking as a producer and rapper. He inspired me to do things better. I was surprised at the songs reaching so many people but at the same time language is no barrier, it is about the vibe.

What was the inspiration behind ‘BDLM Vol. 1’, and what inspired you to drop your second album this year?

Mélo is a sound that is actually popular now in France but I wanted to cement it as a real genre. There are a lot of people doing it right now so I wanted to make a proper mixtape around melody so that the people making it can also say that look, mélo is a real genre. It is also inspired by Lil Wayne and his come up with Cash Money. All of these mixtapes I grew up with were a way for these artists to say that mixtapes are as real as EPs and LPs. ‘BDLM’ [Vol. 1] is a good way to make sure that mixtapes are respected and a way to shine a light on rising stars too, just like Lil Wayne did with Nicki Minaj and Drake.

We were going to say that it feels like you have such a big audience from English speaking countries like the UK. Why do you think your music transcends language barriers?

The music I was listening to growing up is the same music that people here  [the UK] were listening to when they were young, like Azonto, Vybz Kartel or Gyptian. We have the same musical backgrounds and that is what I am trying to create, with most French rappers they rap in French but I am more focused on the melody and how that reaches people. Also the fact that I work with producers like P2J and JAE5 means it is easier to reach people here. 

Last year, you dropped a collab project with fellow French rapper Gazo and exclusive merch with London brand Corteiz in honour of LA MELO EST GANGX. How did these incredible link ups come about, and why are both collaborations so important?

Me and Gazo have known eachother since way back when in Paname, so it was natural for us to collaborate especially because we used to go to the studio and make music before we were as big as we are now. When I dropped my first album Mélo and Gazo was just finishing KMT both albums went number one. We decided to rest during the breaks between our albums and then go to the studio, we had made songs together before so the vibe was organic. It was the right moment to do it and because we were recording in London, Clint came down, you have the two number one French artists and the number one streetwear brand that shows Paris love, it made a lot of sense. 

Your music can be really upbeat and lifting, but sometimes you touch on personal struggles and social issues. How do you balance these themes In your songwriting? 

I am from the ghetto and yes I need to have good vibes, the funny things in life too but the struggle is still in me, even if I’m smiling or living my life. Naturally, the deepest parts of me will come out because it has never left me.

Thank you for being so honest and vulnerable. Going to your creative process, what does it look like when you are writing or producing music? Do you often produce or have any other musical skills? 

I would say I am an artist-producer. I don’t produce often but I would say I am the Frank Lampard of the team of producers around me, I direct and conduct my vision to them. Back then I used to start with the top line but now I think I have a broader vision of my sound, I love samples and thinking about the topics, then the toplines. I will begin humming and then writing. I think of samples as wine, so I choose the older ones because they age beautifully with time.

With you travelling to the UK often what is your favourite British slang and what would you like to put your British listeners onto?  

On BDLM especially I loved saying ‘crazy’ so that is my word at the moment, I love saying it. You guys love saying wesh in London which is good but some expressions I would share with you guys are ‘c’est carré’ and ‘ta capté’ which we also say and they both mean all good and you dig it? Dave and Clint (founder of Corteiz) both know c’est carré. 

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We feel like many young people resonate with your music. What message do you hope to pass on to the next generation of French artists who have followed your journey from the very beginning as an artist, when you were in 4Keus to now as a solo artist.

It may be cheesy but believe in yourself first and foremost, secondly never cheat on the culture. Today you can be a star and get your number one singles but at the end of the day if you want to last you can’t cheat, you have to work if you want to last. You have to have a cultural background, you have to do research. Today is all about how things look but if you actually want all these things to stay with you, you have to work hard.

How do you think French rap is evolving, and what place do you see for yourself in the current landscape?

French music is way more popular than when I was younger thanks to artists like Aya [Nakamura], MHD and Stromae and it feels like it is going to keep growing. It feels like there are no more barriers anymore and you can look towards people in the UK and Africa doing their thing too.

How has your life changed since breaking into the French music scene, and how do you stay grounded?

What has changed is the fact that I can’t go outside like everyone else, there are always phones, people taking pictures, filming me. So what is actually hard for me is the fact I can’t go out and eat with my friends or family but I am grateful because this is what I worked for – two sides of the same coin. There are only a few people actually making a living out of their passions, so I can’t complain, I recognise how blessed I am. And I would say I am grounded because of my parents. I know where I come from and there are no yes men on my team. So when I make something that’s not good my team will let me know, that is how I stay grounded.

What can your fans expect from you in the near future? Any upcoming projects or collaborations or anything else?

The collaborations are coming, I am on the next Wizkid album and I have been making a lot of music with Jim Legxacy. At this time, I am mainly on tour though, travelling and finding inspiration for the next project to ensure that it is fresh and full of new sounds.

Is there a particular moment in your career that you are most proud of?

My first album, ‘Mélo’ because it was a huge success. After ‘Mélo’, the mixtape ‘BDLM’ [Vol. 1] was another ambitious project, because it was about working with upcoming stars and putting them on the project. ‘BDLM’ [Vol. 1] is already gold. So it was crazy, and when we talk about the mixtape, it is like wow we did it. And now when you think about the coming Wizkid collaboration, I was listening to him when I was 10 years old, and now I am on his project. It is hard to pick one [moment] but I just want to say when you put the work in, you can make it. 

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‘BDLM Vol. 1’ is out now.

Words: Naz Hamdi

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