Yao

Situated within the Canadian francophone scene, YAO has been developing since the early 2010s a musical path at the crossroads of chanson, alternative hip‑hop, soul, groove and slam. His baritone voice and image‑driven, narrative and intimate writing give both his tracks and his performances a form that blends spoken text, singing and stage narration. YAO began his discography with Généris in 2011, followed by Perles et Paraboles in 2013 and Lapsus in 2016—three releases that gradually establish a personal language nourished as much by francophone rap as by a more poetic approach to song. Over the course of his career, YAO performs in varied contexts, from concerts to more hybrid stage formats, and has opened for artists such as Booba, La Fouine and Bisso Na Bisso. His work extends beyond the record format, with projects where music, speech and storytelling take center stage, such as Kintsugi, a show presented in Canada and internationally. Also active in hosting, acting and cultural mediation, YAO places his work within a multidisciplinary practice in which the stage remains the point of convergence.