Rilès

Between Rouen, where he grew up, and his Algerian family roots, Rilès has, since the mid-2010s, built a path as a songwriter, rapper, singer, and producer defined by strong independence. After self-taught beginnings on YouTube and SoundCloud, he made a name for himself with the RILÈSUNDAYZ project, a series of tracks released weekly in 2016 and 2017, mostly in English, which laid the foundations for melodic hip-hop blending pop and R&B. Rilès’s work is characterized by highly rhythmic structures, sung hooks, and frequent use of choral layers and harmonies, over instrumentals that draw on both North African influences and more electronic textures. The compilation of RILÈSUNDAYZ tracks set off his first tours in France and across Europe, where he brings to the stage the visual world he has developed around his Rilèsundayz label. In 2019, the album Welcome to the Jungle gathered songs written, composed, and produced by Rilès himself, moving between rapid-fire rap, more sung passages, and introspective explorations. Since then, Rilès has continued with a discography of singles and short projects, experimenting more with French and balancing between trap energy and slower cuts.