INTERVIEW
Interview & pictures : Filip Flatau
Reggaefrance / Can you tell us about your beginnings?
Yaniss Odua / I started at the age of 10, through my cousin Daddy Harry, who is well known back home because he is one of the pioneers in Martinique, having released the first dancehall album. He's the one who more or less launched me into all this, because we're family. I was already going to the sound systems thanks to him back then. Around the age of 11, I was already preparing more for the stage, and at 13 I released my first album, which was simply called "Little Yaniss". Since then I've appeared on compilations: Dancehall Party, Jungle Party and the latest one, Ultimatum, and now I'm on Lord Kossity's album too, so we're representing. (laughs). A single also came out with Tippa Irie: "Make A Dupie Yet", and we're still working. Now it's the year 2000 and we've been in it since 1990.
Are you planning to release an album soon?
Yes, by the grace of God, we're fighting for it.
Can you tell us a bit more about the album?
To begin with it's Yaniss, his different styles, different sounds. We try to give the different vibes we can have at the moment.
For the music on the album... are they Jamaican riddims?
Yes, there will be Jamaican programming, but otherwise we're working with Moussad and Renaud, who took part in Lord Kossity's new album on "Dam Di Dam" and "Nice & Easy". We're working here for the moment, and with a bit of opportunity we'll try to test things out in Jamaica, with good composers.
What inspired your style and your voice?
Original, that's me!! (laughs). I really appreciate a lot of deejays, but I think you have to be original to be able to offer people something.
You're singing in French now. Will you go back to singing in Creole soon?
Of course, I come from Martinique, there are messages to get across. But I like to be understood when I sing, that's the main thing. If people like the melody, so much the better, but first the message has to be properly understood. For now we are in France, and lots of people don't understand Creole, and some don't even want to understand it, so we sing in French. Soon we'll tackle English. It has to be universal.
Do you prefer singing in Creole or in French?
I speak both languages, so it's not a problem for me.
What do you think of the dancehall explosion in the French Antilles?
It's exploding, but you can still see that it's not the same thing here as in the Caribbean. To begin with, reggae is considered music that comes from the ghetto: when the ghetto wants to speak, people listen, but in small doses. It's filtered. Over there it's starting to evolve with the arrival of different artists and different trends. It's moving forward.
Do you think it's easier to work in the capital or in Martinique?
In the capital there are more resources, it's easier, but to stay up to date and keep the vibes, it's good to be over there. There's a good temperature, the sounds come out with the same punch as in Jamaica. Here, there are the studios and the equipment.
Now you're called Yaniss Odua. Have you dropped the Little Yaniss?
Yaniss was from my early days, when I was young. Now people tell me I'm not little any more, so I had to find myself another name: Yaniss Odua.
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