Diam's
Encyclopedia
Diam's is a French-language rap
artist of French
and Greek
Cypriot
origin. Her family moved to Essonne
(near Paris) in 1984.
In 1998, when she was just 18, Diam's signed a development deal with BMG Music Publishing France. With the publisher's help, Diam's worked on her craft and signed with Universal Records in 1999. She appeared in a song on DJ Mehdi
's 2002 album "(The Story Of) Espion".
2003's Brut de Femme
was her breakthrough, reaching gold and spawning the top 10 single "DJ." In concert at the 2004 Dour Festival
in Belgium, people threw objects at Diam's when she began singing. In 2005, she cemented her importance as a songwriter with "Ma Philosophie" -- a huge number one hit for Pop Idol star Amel Bent.
In 2005, she collaborated with Indonesian singer Anggun
for her song "Juste Être Une Femme" (Just to be a Woman), which is featured on the French version of her current studio album Luminescence.
Dans Ma Bulle
(Inside my Bubble) was released in February 2006, debuting at number one on the French album chart selling 50,000 copies in its first week. Diam's first single from Dans Ma Bulle, La Boulette
(The Moron) gained immense popularity and airtime. It stayed at number one on the French music charts for 6 consecutive weeks. Her second single Jeune Demoiselle
debuted at #4. Ma France à moi and Confessions nocturnes with Vitaa
also proved to popular. Dans Ma Bulle went on to be the biggest-selling French album in France in 2006 and reached diamond status (1,000,000 copies sold). Diam's won the award for Best French Act at the 2006 MTV Europe Music Awards
.
In October 2009, The young Rapper has converted to Islam and adopted a black covering and hijab
, explaining to the French Press, “Medicine was not able to heal my soul, so I turned toward religion.”
Diam's is known for her political activism in both her lyrics and her public persona; she is a fierce opponent not only of extreme-right politician Jean-Marie Le Pen
and his daughter Marine Le Pen
, but also of French President Nicolas Sarkozy
. In this respect she has been compared to the French rapper Keny Arkana
, an anti-globalization
activist.
She is also known for her close relationship to French rapper Sinik
; they have referred to one another as "brother and sister" and have collaborated extensively. She also has collaborated and appeared with Admiral T
, the reggae-dancehall singer.
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Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
artist of French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
and Greek
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
Cypriot
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
origin. Her family moved to Essonne
Essonne
Essonne is a French department in the region of Île-de-France. It is named after the Essonne River.It was formed on 1 January 1968 when Seine-et-Oise was split into smaller departments.- History :...
(near Paris) in 1984.
In 1998, when she was just 18, Diam's signed a development deal with BMG Music Publishing France. With the publisher's help, Diam's worked on her craft and signed with Universal Records in 1999. She appeared in a song on DJ Mehdi
DJ Mehdi
Mehdi Favéris-Essadi , better known by his stage name DJ Mehdi, was a French hip hop and electro producer of mixed French and Tunisian origin.-Biography:...
's 2002 album "(The Story Of) Espion".
2003's Brut de Femme
Brut de Femme
Brute de femme is the second album of Diam's, released in 2004. This album won the Victoires de la musique for the Album rap, hip-hop de l’année -Track listing:# "Intro"# "Incassables"...
was her breakthrough, reaching gold and spawning the top 10 single "DJ." In concert at the 2004 Dour Festival
Dour Festival
Dour Festival is an annual music festival in the municipality of Dour, Belgium. Since its creation in 1989, the festival has grown to an attendance of about 144,000 in 2008 . The first year, only five bands were programmed . The festival format now consists of 4 days, 6 stages and 200 bands and DJ's...
in Belgium, people threw objects at Diam's when she began singing. In 2005, she cemented her importance as a songwriter with "Ma Philosophie" -- a huge number one hit for Pop Idol star Amel Bent.
In 2005, she collaborated with Indonesian singer Anggun
Anggun
Anggun Cipta Sasmi is an Indonesian singer-songwriter. She has released 12 studio albums and one soundtrack album , and her songs have also been included on various compilation albums. Her musical career began in childhood, and she achieved commercial success in Indonesia when she was 12 years old...
for her song "Juste Être Une Femme" (Just to be a Woman), which is featured on the French version of her current studio album Luminescence.
Dans Ma Bulle
Dans ma bulle
Dans ma bulle is a 2006 album recorded by the French artist Diam's.It was the best-selling album of 2006 in France.-Track listing:# "Introduction" – 1:11...
(Inside my Bubble) was released in February 2006, debuting at number one on the French album chart selling 50,000 copies in its first week. Diam's first single from Dans Ma Bulle, La Boulette
La Boulette
"La Boulette" is the first single from Dans ma bulle, an album by Diam's released on 21 February 2006. La Boulette debuted at number 3 on the French music charts and stayed number one for three consecutive weeks. Containing numerous references to fellatio, incest and violence, some consider the...
(The Moron) gained immense popularity and airtime. It stayed at number one on the French music charts for 6 consecutive weeks. Her second single Jeune Demoiselle
Jeune Demoiselle
-Track listings:CD-Single# "Jeune Demoiselle" # "Jeune Demoiselle" CD-Maxi# "Jeune Demoiselle" # "Jeune Demoiselle" # "Jeune Demoiselle"...
debuted at #4. Ma France à moi and Confessions nocturnes with Vitaa
Vitaa
Vitaa is a French pop singer.-Biography:She was discovered by DJ Kost, who organized a duet with Dadoo...
also proved to popular. Dans Ma Bulle went on to be the biggest-selling French album in France in 2006 and reached diamond status (1,000,000 copies sold). Diam's won the award for Best French Act at the 2006 MTV Europe Music Awards
MTV Europe Music Awards
The MTV Europe Music Awards were established in 1994 by MTV Networks Europe to celebrate the most popular music videos in Europe. Originally beginning as an alternative to the American MTV Video Music Awards, the MTV Europe Music Awards is today a popular celebration of what MTV viewers consider...
.
In October 2009, The young Rapper has converted to Islam and adopted a black covering and hijab
Hijab
The word "hijab" or "'" refers to both the head covering traditionally worn by Muslim women and modest Muslim styles of dress in general....
, explaining to the French Press, “Medicine was not able to heal my soul, so I turned toward religion.”
Diam's is known for her political activism in both her lyrics and her public persona; she is a fierce opponent not only of extreme-right politician Jean-Marie Le Pen
Jean-Marie Le Pen
Jean-Marie Le Pen is a French far right-wing and nationalist politician who is founder and former president of the Front National party. Le Pen has run for the French presidency five times, most notably in 2002, when in a surprise upset he came second, polling more votes in the first round than...
and his daughter Marine Le Pen
Marine Le Pen
Marine Le Pen is a French politician, a lawyer by profession and the president of the Front National since 16 January 2011...
, but also of French President Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
. In this respect she has been compared to the French rapper Keny Arkana
Keny Arkana
Keny Arkana is a French rap artist. She is active in the alter-globalization movement with "La Rage Du Peuple", a music collective created in 2004 in the neighborhood of Noailles in Marseilles.-Biography:...
, an anti-globalization
Anti-globalization
Criticism of globalization is skepticism of the claimed benefits of the globalization of capitalism. Many of these views are held by the anti-globalization movement however other groups also are critical of the policies of globalization....
activist.
She is also known for her close relationship to French rapper Sinik
Sinik
Thomas Idir a.k.a. Sinik is a French-language rap artist. His father is Algerian while his mother is French.His meeting with Diam's at 14 was the turning point of his career...
; they have referred to one another as "brother and sister" and have collaborated extensively. She also has collaborated and appeared with Admiral T
Admiral T
Admiral T, whose real name is Christy Campbell, is a French singer of reggae-dancehall music. Besides Francky Vincent, he is one of most popular and successful Guadeloupean singers.He is also a designer and the creator of WOK LINE.-Biography:...
, the reggae-dancehall singer.
Albums
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR | FR (DD)1 | BEL (WA) Ultratop Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium, and it is also the name of most of those charts... |
SWI | ||
| 1999 1999 in music -Events:*January 7**After eight years of marriage, Rod Stewart and supermodel wife Rachel Hunter announce their separation.**Paul McCartney attends the first of his stepdaughter Heather's first housewares collection in Georgia.... |
Premier mandat | ||||
| 2003 2003 in music -January:* January – following an investigation by The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and London detectives, police raids in England and the Netherlands recover nearly 500 original Beatles studio tapes, recorded during the Let It Be sessions. Five people are arrested... |
Brut de femme Brut de Femme Brute de femme is the second album of Diam's, released in 2004. This album won the Victoires de la musique for the Album rap, hip-hop de l’année -Track listing:# "Intro"# "Incassables"... |
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| 2004 2004 in music See also:* 2004 in music Record labels established in 2004-January:*January 1**The Vienna New Year's Concert is conducted by Riccardo Muti.**Kurt Nilsen wins World Idol.... |
Ma vie / Mon live (Live album) | ||||
| 2006 2006 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2006.-January:*January 10 – Eric Burdon releases his album Soul of a Man and begins touring with a new band.... |
Dans ma bulle Dans ma bulle Dans ma bulle is a 2006 album recorded by the French artist Diam's.It was the best-selling album of 2006 in France.-Track listing:# "Introduction" – 1:11... |
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| 2009 2009 in music The following is a list of notable events and releases in 2009 in music. Susan Boyle's album I Dreamed a Dream became the biggest selling album in the world for 2009, selling 8.3 million copies in five weeks; more than any other artist's in the whole year... |
S.O.S. | ||||
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR | FR (DD)1 | BEL (WA) Ultratop Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium, and it is also the name of most of those charts... |
SWI | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2003 2003 in music -January:* January – following an investigation by The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and London detectives, police raids in England and the Netherlands recover nearly 500 original Beatles studio tapes, recorded during the Let It Be sessions. Five people are arrested... |
"DJ" (music video directed by J.G Biggs) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003 2003 in music -January:* January – following an investigation by The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and London detectives, police raids in England and the Netherlands recover nearly 500 original Beatles studio tapes, recorded during the Let It Be sessions. Five people are arrested... |
"Incassables" | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004 2004 in music See also:* 2004 in music Record labels established in 2004-January:*January 1**The Vienna New Year's Concert is conducted by Riccardo Muti.**Kurt Nilsen wins World Idol.... |
"Évasion" (Diam's feat. China) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006 2006 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2006.-January:*January 10 – Eric Burdon releases his album Soul of a Man and begins touring with a new band.... |
"La boulette (Génération nan nan) La Boulette "La Boulette" is the first single from Dans ma bulle, an album by Diam's released on 21 February 2006. La Boulette debuted at number 3 on the French music charts and stayed number one for three consecutive weeks. Containing numerous references to fellatio, incest and violence, some consider the... " |
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| 2006 2006 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2006.-January:*January 10 – Eric Burdon releases his album Soul of a Man and begins touring with a new band.... |
"Jeune demoiselle Jeune Demoiselle -Track listings:CD-Single# "Jeune Demoiselle" # "Jeune Demoiselle" CD-Maxi# "Jeune Demoiselle" # "Jeune Demoiselle" # "Jeune Demoiselle"... " |
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| 2007 2007 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2007.-January:*January 1 - George Shearing is knighted for services to music in the Queen's New Year Honours List. Evelyn Glennie becomes a Dame... |
"Ma France à moi" | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009 2009 in music The following is a list of notable events and releases in 2009 in music. Susan Boyle's album I Dreamed a Dream became the biggest selling album in the world for 2009, selling 8.3 million copies in five weeks; more than any other artist's in the whole year... |
"I am somebody" | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009 2009 in music The following is a list of notable events and releases in 2009 in music. Susan Boyle's album I Dreamed a Dream became the biggest selling album in the world for 2009, selling 8.3 million copies in five weeks; more than any other artist's in the whole year... |
"Enfants du désert" | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010 2010 in music 2010 in music may refer to:*2010 in American music*2010 in Australian music*2010 in British music*2010 in Canadian music*2010 in European music *2010 in Irish music*2010 in Japanese music*2010 in New Zealand music... |
"Coeur de bombe" | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010 2010 in music 2010 in music may refer to:*2010 in American music*2010 in Australian music*2010 in British music*2010 in Canadian music*2010 in European music *2010 in Irish music*2010 in Japanese music*2010 in New Zealand music... |
"Peter Pan" | ||||||||||||||||||||
| As featured artist | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003 2003 in music -January:* January – following an investigation by The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and London detectives, police raids in England and the Netherlands recover nearly 500 original Beatles studio tapes, recorded during the Let It Be sessions. Five people are arrested... |
"Un peu de respect" (Lady Laistee feat. Diam's) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003 2003 in music -January:* January – following an investigation by The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and London detectives, police raids in England and the Netherlands recover nearly 500 original Beatles studio tapes, recorded during the Let It Be sessions. Five people are arrested... |
"Promise" (music video directed by J.G Biggs) (Kamnouze vs. Diam's feat. Jango Jack) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004 2004 in music See also:* 2004 in music Record labels established in 2004-January:*January 1**The Vienna New Year's Concert is conducted by Riccardo Muti.**Kurt Nilsen wins World Idol.... |
"Relève la tête" (Kery James Kery James Alix Mathurin better known as Kery James, is a French rapper, singer, songwriter, dancer and record producer, who was born in West Indies from Haitian parents. His mother raised him in Orly, a suburb of Paris. Nowadays with his three solo albums, he is one of the most respected French rappers. The... feat. Diam's, Passi Passi Passi is a French hip hop artist who became famous in the mid-1990s with the group Ministère AMER, which included himself and Stomy Bugsy. He is most widely known, however, as a solo artist, as well as a participant in many other groups, such as Bisso Na Bisso and Dis l'heure 2 zouk.- Biography... , Matt & Kool Shen Kool Shen Bruno Lopes, alias Kool Shen is a French rapper, with Portuguese origins. He is also a break dancer and a graffiti artist. He is a co-founder of Suprême NTM and one of the major figures of French rap. He featured on Enhancer's album "Electrochoc" in the song "Hot"... ) |
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| 2006 2006 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2006.-January:*January 10 – Eric Burdon releases his album Soul of a Man and begins touring with a new band.... |
"Les mains en l'air" (Admiral T Admiral T Admiral T, whose real name is Christy Campbell, is a French singer of reggae-dancehall music. Besides Francky Vincent, he is one of most popular and successful Guadeloupean singers.He is also a designer and the creator of WOK LINE.-Biography:... feat. Diam's) |
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| 2006 2006 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2006.-January:*January 10 – Eric Burdon releases his album Soul of a Man and begins touring with a new band.... |
"Non c'sera non (omri omri)" (Cheb Mami Cheb Mami Ahmed Khelifati Mohamed better known by his stage name Cheb Mami , is an Algerian-born raï singer... feat. Diam's & Leslie Leslie (singer) Leslie is a French pop-R&B singer born on February 4, 1985 in Le Mans, France. Her father is Vietnamese and Polynesian while her mother is FrenchIn 2007, she recorded a duet single with the R&B singer Bobby Valentino, "Accorde-moi".... ) |
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1 Digital Downloads
Recognitions
| Year | Award-giving Body | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Victoires de la Musique Victoires de la Musique Victoires de la musique , is an annual French award ceremony that recognizes the best musical artists of the year.- Male artist of the year :*1985 : Michel Jonasz*1986 : Jean-Jacques Goldman*1987 : Johnny Hallyday... |
Rap/hip-hop album of the year (Brut de Femme) | Won |
| 2006 | MTV Europe Music Awards 2006 MTV Europe Music Awards 2006 The MTV Europe Music Awards hit Copenhagen at the Bella Center/Rådhuspladsen in 2006. The venue was made to feel like a VIP club with exclusive, intimate performances... |
Best French Act | Won |
| 2007 | NRJ Music Awards NRJ Music Awards The NRJ Music Awards, created in 2000 by the radio station NRJ in partnership with the television network TF1 takes place every year in mid-January at Cannes as the opening of MIDEM... |
Francophone Album of the Year (Dans Ma Bulle) | Won |
| 2007 | NRJ Music Awards NRJ Music Awards The NRJ Music Awards, created in 2000 by the radio station NRJ in partnership with the television network TF1 takes place every year in mid-January at Cannes as the opening of MIDEM... |
Francophone Female Artist of the Year | Won |
| 2007 | NRJ Music Awards NRJ Music Awards The NRJ Music Awards, created in 2000 by the radio station NRJ in partnership with the television network TF1 takes place every year in mid-January at Cannes as the opening of MIDEM... |
Francophone Song of the Year (La Boulette) | Won |
| 2007 | NRJ Music Awards NRJ Music Awards The NRJ Music Awards, created in 2000 by the radio station NRJ in partnership with the television network TF1 takes place every year in mid-January at Cannes as the opening of MIDEM... |
Music Video of the Year (Jeune Demoiselle) | Nominated |
| 2007 | L'Année Du Hip Hop | Best Song (La Boulette) | Won |
| 2007 | L'Année Du Hip Hop | Best Rap Artist | Won |
| 2007 | L'Année Du Hip Hop | Best Album (Dans Ma Bulle) | Won |
| 2010 | NRJ Music Awards NRJ Music Awards The NRJ Music Awards, created in 2000 by the radio station NRJ in partnership with the television network TF1 takes place every year in mid-January at Cannes as the opening of MIDEM... |
Francophone Album of the Year (S.O.S.) | Nominated |
| 2010 | NRJ Music Awards NRJ Music Awards The NRJ Music Awards, created in 2000 by the radio station NRJ in partnership with the television network TF1 takes place every year in mid-January at Cannes as the opening of MIDEM... |
Francophone Female Artist of the Year | Nominated |