The dja dja pop queen
Aya Nakamura is a French-Malian Afropop, R&B, and street slang artist who has collaborated with names such as Stormzy, Ms. Banks, Fababy, and Davido. After her success in 2019, she was named the most listened-to French artist by both YouTube and Spotify. Nakamura reached number one on numerous charts with her song “Djadja,” the first French woman to do so since Edith Piaf in 1961.
Aya Nakamura has been breaking taboos about sex and female desire, normalizing many male-dominated topics for women. She has been recognized and supported by numerous female artists worldwide, most notably Rihanna and Madonna of the United States.
Because of Nakamura’s origins outside of France, she has faced backlash from many French people. She has persevered against racism, sexism, and cruel hate comments to become one of the most successful women in the international music industry.
She is quoted saying, “I didn’t let that [the hate] stop me.” Nakamura is often seen embracing the backlash as a reason to continue creating music and being a figurehead in France. Politicians and language ambassadors have commended her contribution to cultural evolution using slang and the reinvention of the French language.
The New York Times wrote that Aya Nakamura is “one of the most important acts in Europe right now, musically and socially.”
After being asked to sing at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics, Nakamura faced backlash from right-wing and extremist groups saying she doesn’t represent the typical French person. Through the backlash, she persevered yet again and is still set to perform. At an award ceremony since the announcement she is quoted as saying, “I’m very honored because being a black artist and coming from the banlieue is very difficult.”
Nakamura is a current inspiration for the numerous French people who don’t look like the stereotypical francophones, and she will serve as a figurehead in the movement for the modernization of France and French music.
Listen to Aya Nakamura’s music here and remember her as a name who will continue to break records and make history.