A melting pot embodied in its musical influences, the improbable child of Bob Marley, Foreigner and Phil Collins, Welcome crystallises the fusion of 80s English pop, the Motown sound and lovers reggae in the vein of Maxi Priest or Beres Hammond. This artist of Congolese origin has been present on the Parisian reggae dancehall scene since 1989. In 1990, he collaborated with Big red and Daddy Mory and met Supa John, who, charmed by his talent, became his mentor for a few years. In 1995, Tonton David invited him onto his album "Récidiviste" and offered to produce his first opus, "Bienvenu" (1998), followed by "Sans Limites" the following year. In 2003, it was MC Solaar's turn to give him a chance on his album "Mach 6".
Welcome returns this year with "Streetly Reggae Lovers", produced by Subchallenge and enlivened by the nervy Ayaman, MC of the celebrated Parisian sound system Shadow Killa. Throughout the album we let ourselves be carried away by Welcome's sensual, bewitching voice. Each of his songs is a call to love, like Si tu m'aimes, the lovers song par excellence that will please the ladies, to hope and to fraternity. The lyrics flow gently one into the next, with sometimes militant words, as on Personne or Sans visa, which underline the harsh reality of life for undocumented migrants, a subject of such topical relevance, and the difficulty of finding one's place in a hostile society. He also shares his faith in La Vie, where he explains where he draws his strength and optimism: "If one day someone asks me if I love life / I will answer of course because He is there / Despite the suffering and the problems of life / I keep my spirits up because I have faith". Welcome takes us into his world full of freshness, naivety and warmth. A very good listening choice to get through the grey of winter.
Nota Bene: "Streetly Reggae Lovers vol.1" is for the moment available only on the web. You can order it at www.hotzic.com.
