Born in Kenitra, Morocco, Lalla Rami, this 24-year-old transgender woman, has made her mark on the French music scene. Author, composer, performer, “pop star, singer, rapper, dangerous” Lalla Rami “colonizes the entire map” as she sings in her latest single.
His secret? His texts, which navigate between the intimate and the political and slalom between three languages: Darija [l’arabe dialectal marocain]English and French, all accompanied by energetic, danceable and dynamic productions. All these elements have forged the plural and colorful style by Lalla Rami, reflecting her musical inspirations and her career. To talk about her latest title Aïcha Candyshopreleased on July 12, 2024, and to look back on her musical journey and her inspirations, Franceinfo met her.
Franceinfo Culture: You wrote your first text at 10 years, where does this early passion for music come from? ?
Lalla Rami: I think there were a lot of things that came into play. I think my grandmother and my aunt and my mother are largely responsible for this. Since at my grandmother’s house, it was always chaabi [musique populaire marocaine] at home. Hajja The HamdaouiaTahor, or else Oum Kalthoum”Hel Raa Alhoub Soukara mitlana” [paroles de chanson en arabe qui signifient “est-ce que l’amour a déjà connu deux ivrognes comme nous ?”] my grandmother sang at the top of her voice. My mom loved Sade and Toni Braxton, she’s an R&B girl. Then there was my aunt who was all about it pop culture. Cit was Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Rihanna, she loved Zaho too and I had the same with my cousins who loved too much Nicki Minaj, Lil’ Kim, cousins Tupac, Biggie, La Fouine, Booba. There was music around me that was as much Moroccan as American or French.”
So there is a love of American and Moroccan pop culture that inspires your music. ?
Yes, it inspires me a lot. I couldn’t explain why I was so obsessed with all the pop stars at 10 years old. When I knew Nicki Minaj, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, all that, I had this fascination thing. But not only that, Arab-Amazigh and Moroccan culture is infinitely rich and I loved cartoons too much like the Winx Club THE Mew Mew Power I find a lot of inspiration there. Currently, in my music, I feel hyper aligned with the child I was. It’s a kind of reappropriation, in a way, “you didn’t let me be the little girl i was, the great lady i am today, so i’m taking that right back“.”
Your music is also a way of claiming this childhood. ?
And it is also resilience. All my life, I have been persecuted and harassed. My music is a bit of a hyper strong way of life. Claim this childhood. I like the bridge that the project makes across different cultures. I was inspired by pop stars but also by girls who have super powers, Wonder Woman,The Totally Spies, THE X-Men. And I think that all of this together, it represents a little bit of this thing of reappropriating everything that is taken from us in this system and in this society which goes to our against, and I try to transmit all this in Aïcha Candyshop.
Speaking ofAisha Candyshopwhat was the inspiration behind the name of this title ?
It’s a play on words between Aicha Kandisha and Candyshop. This figure obviously comes from Aïcha Kandisha. of Moroccan Amazigh culture [une légende] who has often been, for me, the symbol of the demonization of women: she was an icon decolonial and anti-patriarchal that charmed the Portuguese colonists. That’s the story. Aisha Kandisha, she charmed the Portuguese colonists and then killed them because she was sublime and strong. In fact, she was demonized. When I was little, My grandmother, she always told me “go to sleep otherwise Aisha Kandisha will come and haunt you“. I always found that very violent the way girls are mega demonized when they have too much power.
And what does the candyshop refer to? ?
CandyShop It’s a reference to 50 Cent’s song of the same name. It’s a word that really brings to mind American pop culture. It also represents this hyper sexualization of women. Like for example the era of Katy Perry, as a candy woman. in Teenage Dream Or California Gurls : the male gaze. And so, for me, it was a way of reappropriating both the fetishization and the demonization that we can experience as trans and racialized women. “I’m the nightmare they dream of.”[paroles de la chanson Aïcha Candyshop] . So I created this alter ego.
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In this title, you describe yourself as “starocaine” and talk about your identity. In your musical journey, what place have your Muslim culture and your trans identity had? ?
It’s very perceived as a dichotomy by others. But for me, by myself, it’s my life, you see. I didn’t choose to be a girl. I didn’t choose to be trans. I didn’t choose to be Moroccan. I didn’t choose to be an immigrant. There have been attempts to steer me away from faith or any spirituality and they continue to do so but I am far too blessed not to love God in return. I didn’t choose all these things, you see. So, in itself, from my side, I never felt a dichotomy. I never had to choose between being Moroccan, Muslim or trans, or making music. For me, all these things, they are intrinsically linked. I have obviously seen men not understand the project, not understand who I was. But in the end, it was more that they don’t understand who I am rather than what I do, because in itself my music is not complex and accessible to everyone.
How would you describe this title and your music in three words ?
I would say multicultural, sweet and pop. I think it’s reductive to describe it in three words, for me, it’s just that I can produce different music all my life, but it’s pop, it’s singing, but at the same time rap. But if it happens, I could do R&B, intermediate rock, there’s a lot of stuff that I grew up with, so many musical genres. I could even do a Gnawa album, but it will always be pop.
The concept of the clip is full of references, how was the creative process? ?
In three words? I would say multicultural, sweet and pop. I find it reductive to describe it in three words for me It’s just good music that makes me feel connected to both my inner self and the world. I could producing different music all my life but it will always be pop, because I’m a pop star. If it turns out I could do some R&Brock alternative, reggaeton… there are so many different genres of musicI I could even make a Gnawa album, but it will still be pop.
You have often spoken publicly about your difficult journey. How did you get to this point, especially in a city like Paris, which has a very large music scene? ?
I have been in competition with myself since I was little. I am just passionate, just an artist who loves what she does too much, who just wants too much to do beautiful things with her art, to be able to participate in making this world a better place and so that fewer people experience the things I have experienced. I did not fight to make a place for myself artistically, I fought everywhere, in the street, in front of the OFPRA. I was always very aware of the place I took when I was in this or that space, of the opportunity I had. It happened that in the morning I was at the OFPRA waiting from 5:30 in the morning until 11 a.m. to be taken care of. And the next day I was invited to the Paris city hall to perform. At that time I was still in a situation irregular and I didn’t even have a receipt. On Tuesday, I’m invitede on the radio. I’m dressede mugler from head to toe. Wednesday, I have nothing to eat. That was my life. It was really both worlds.
How did you experience this episode in your life?
It was really hard at that time. But I had perseverance. I didn’t give up. The most important thing is to move forward with love and good intentions. I slept well on both my ears even if I was not In the best conditions because I knew I wouldn’t THE did not let you take my purity, my goodness. I did not let you take my light. II like the idea of being a superhero. I always knew I wanted to make music and I always knew it was going to be a vehicle to express myself and to impact this world in some way that I can.
And today, what musical projects are in preparation?
For now, I can’t talk too much about it. But for the start of the school year, lots of surprises and new projects are planned, so stay tuned. [rires].