Ahead of a forthcoming album, SOLSTICE, French rapper Lala &ce runs down her musical firsts, from DJing to seeing Usher live in Lyon.

It’s an exciting time to be Lala &ce. Having announced her new project, SOLSTICE, this week, and details of a national tour last month, the French-Ivorian rapper has become the artist she was always destined to be. Since her early 2017 singles, which heralded woozy melodies and cybernetic 808 basslines, the Lyon-hailing polymath has seen success coming thick and fast. Affiliated with the renowned French collective 667, home to lyricists like Freeze Corleone and Zuukou Mayzie, she’s made herself an inescapable name in the scene: an androgynous silhouette constantly challenging stereotypes and allowing Queer women to recognise themselves in the world of modern rap. 

 

Melodious and mellifluent, SOLSTICE glosses lascivious lyricism with psychedelic trap and synth-house production. The eroticism, combined with dystopian soundscapes, immerse you in a sci-fi-like universe, where streets are shrouded in mist, holographic high rises and neon skyscrapers. Lala &ce’s autotuned croons only add to the futurism, as she bodies the mutating beats with an unrivalled swagger.  

 

Lead single ‘No More Time’ set the extraterrestrial aesthetic with a gripping music video. Red skies and bleak horizons provide the perfect backdrop to a Bladerunner-Esque storyline, where dangerous fugitives lurk on the streets of an autonomous universe. It’s post-apocalyptic viewing, making you question how long humanity will last conforming to political law and order.  

 

A striking figure in Paris’ underground fashion and art circles, we sat down with Lala &ce to discuss her musical firsts, from her early days as a DJ to seeing Usher live in Lyon. Tap in below.

First song you ever made?

‘Pleasure and Pain’ back in 2015.

First time you fell in love with music?

The first time I chopped and screwed a song.

First CD or record you owned?

Justified by Justin Timberlake.

First time you realised you wanted to be an artist?

As far as I remember, I always was one.

First gig you went to?

I went to see Usher in my hometown, Lyon. It was my best live moment ever!

First time you faced an obstacle in your career?

There are obstacles every day, so I don’t remember the first one…

First instrument you owned?

For me, my first instrument was a small DJ controller where I could chop and screw DJ sets.

First time you felt like giving up?

I never felt like giving up, this is what I’m supposed to do.

First time you felt starstruck?

When I met Bella Hadid and she told me I was so beautiful, lol.

First time you ticked off a bucket list goal?

I don’t use bucket lists. Unfortunately, I’m not that organised.

Listen to 'BUT' now: