Reejo - Class of 2020
REEJO
26
Tell us about your background
I grew up in Guadeloupe then came to Montreal two years ago to pursue music and my studies. Back in Guadeloupe I always vibed with Toronto but since I sing in french, I figured that Montreal would be a better choice.
How would you describe your style?
I get inspired by Caribbean rhythms but I enjoy bringing a modern vibe to it with hip hop bass lines and the cloud rap sound that’s popular in the US right now .
What sparks your creativity?
My life, love, people… and my room!
Your room…tell us more?
[Laughs] For real, my room is the place where I’m able to isolate myself to really write music, do my toplines in peace and quiet.
Who are you listening to at the moment?
Probably Tory Lanez, for his determination and the fact that he stuck to his vision. He’s been around for some time now and I love his sound.
How do you feel about being a francophone artist in North America?
It’s a blessing and a curse. It’s quite nice because there is very little competition amongst French speaking artists, especially in my genre: RnB and Dancehall. Still, singing in French is limiting here in Canada since I can only reach Quebec and it can be complicated to crossover to the European scene.
With the wave of new artists coming out of Montreal, do you think that the crossover to Europe is going to be easier?
I think that it would be great to have more crossovers in general. Every Francophone artist wishes to be listened to by other French speakers around the world; in Europe, North America, the Caribbean and Africa. I think that the Montreal scene is so underrated. There is so much diversity coming out of the city but media companies don’t seem to be interested. It’s strange that the Toronto RnB scene and french rappers collaborate more often than the scene in Quebec.
Any projects coming out soon?
Single, single, single, then an EP that should be out by the end of 2020.