Release Party - Kemit

Kemit is a multifaceted Gabonese artist living in France: a writer, composer, performer, singer and poet. He defies categorisation. For him, music is poetry you can dance to, and every work begins with one guiding principle: artistic quality comes first.

His sound is rooted in African music and the afrobeat of Fela Kuti. This is afrobeat with a purpose, its hypnotic rhythms carrying a message, inviting listeners to dance without ever switching off their minds. That distinctive approach runs through a carefully crafted discography: the albums Azania (2018), Diluvienne (2020) and Tessiture (2023), alongside the EPs Émeraude and Jade. His lyrics strike a chord through their precision and truth, shaped by a poetic sensibility and the influence of Jacques Brel, from whom he has drawn intensity, a feel for language and a love of the stage.

This distinctive voice has travelled far. Kemit has performed in Belgium, Spain, France and many other countries. His festival appearances include the Boréal festival in the Canary Islands, the IAM festival in Nigeria, Africa Together, the Dakar Biennale and the Saint-Louis Jazz Festival. He has also performed at Mapas and at the French Institutes in Dakar and Libreville. In Paris, where he lives, he has played at the Café de la Danse, La Boule Noire and Les Trois Baudets, as well as in many cities across France. Wherever he performs, he brings together groove, words and stage presence.

Kemit is also a character in his own right. Always impeccably dressed, with an unabashed dandy streak, he takes as much care over his appearance as he does over his lyrics. For him, elegance is a way of showing respect for his audience and his art—a discipline inspired by the legendary Miles Davis.

He is also the author of several books: Damné en années (2017), Martyr Luther Queens (2019), Basquiat, l'Africain (2024) and Temporalité de premiers amours (2026). Like his music, his writing pays tribute to those who came before us.

Join Kemit at Les Trois Baudets on 4 December 2026 as he presents his new EP, Topaze, bringing together poetry, afrobeat and elegance.