After a pre-selection unveiled at the end of March, the public and the jury voted to select three names in each category. The list is unveiled this Friday.
Tiakola, rising figure of the French rap scene, is by far the favorite flames. This new musical ceremony dedicated to rap, scheduled for the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris on May 11, unveiled its final selection this Friday: the interpreter of Umbrella leaves with eight nominations, followed by Damso who wins five.
At 23, Tiakola can already boast of a fine career: the rapper from La Courneuve cut his teeth in the group 4Keus with two albums released in 2018 and 2020. The year 2022 saw him take off with a first solo album, Melocertified double platinum.
This record earned him a nomination in the New Pop Album and Spotify La Flamme of the Year categories. The rapper also appears in the categories male artist, Afro song, Caribbean song, R&B song and featuring, sometimes several times in the same category.
Women present but understaffed
Damso is the second favorite with five nominations, notably through his duets with Disiz, Aya Nakamura and Gazo. Other sensations on the current scene, from Dinos to Hamza, have won several nominations.
If women are under-represented in certain main categories (the nominees for the Flames of rap album of the year, new pop album of the year or even featuring of the year are all men) they have not been forgotten: Ronisia gets three nominations, Aya Nakamura two. There are also newcomers to the rap scene: miss lou, Maureen and Lala &ce.
Rap’s response to traditional ceremonies
To arrive at this list of nominees, there were three main steps. First, industry players proposed their artists. A panel of journalists then selected ten nominees by category.
This pre-selection was unveiled at the end of March and subjected to a final skimming: the vote of the public on a dedicated platform and of a jury of 23 professionals. 13 of the 21 categories had been submitted to the public vote between March 27 and April 10, on a dedicated platform. In 15 days, 134,073 people voted.
Announced last October, Les Flammes sounds like a response to the Victoires de la Musique, often singled out for the little space they leave for rap.
This new award ceremony, which presents itself as a celebration of “popular cultures”, was born at the initiative of the specialized media YARD, Position-P, and the consulting agency Smile, supported by the music platform Spotify. The official ceremony will not be broadcast on television but broadcast online, live from Châtelet.
The Flames press release specifies that 17 of the 21 categories now have three named. They are to be discovered below. The four remaining trophies will be awarded directly on an honorary basis on the evening of the ceremony, by decision of the editorial committee of Les Flammes.
Full list of nominees
The Spotify Flame for Album of the Year
Dinos – Winter In Paris
Gauze – KMT
Tea tree – Melo
La Flamme of the New Pop Album of the Year
Disiz- Love
Stromae- Multitude
Tea tree – Melo
The Flame of the featuring of the year
Disiz ft. Damso- Encounter
Gazo ft. damsa – Bodies
Tiakola ft. Hamza – Superior
The Flame of the Rap Album of the Year
Dinos – Winter in Paris
Gauze – KMT
SDM – Links of the 100
The Flame of the song of the year
Names unknown at this time
The Flame of the Rap Performance Song
Dinos ft. Akhenaton – The Universe doesn’t see us dancing
Dosseh – Djamel
Josman – Intro
Flame R&B Song of the Year
MADEINPARIS ft. Luidji – Pornstar Martini
Ronisia ft. Teakola – Like me
Tiakola ft. Hamza – Superior
The Flame of the Afro or Afro-Inspired Song of the Year
SDM ft. Tiakola – Come back down
Tea tree – Promise
cow – Get Taka
La Flamme for Caribbean or Caribbean-Inspired Song of the Year
Aya Nakamura ft. Damso – Quickdraw
Kalash ft. Maureen – Laptop
Lala &ce ft. Maureen – Execution
The Flame for Female Artist of the Year
Aya Nakamura
Lala & what
Ronisia
The Flame for Male Artist of the Year
Dinos
Gauze
We eat
The Flame of the female revelation of the year
miss lou
Maureen
Ronisia
The Flame of the male revelation of the year
Kerchak
I know La Lune
Verona
The Flame of the composer of the year
Flem
Shiruken Music
Tarik Azzouz
The Flame of the clip of the year
Disiz ft. Damso- Encounter (directed by Yagooz, produced by SUBLIME)
Josman – Intro (directed by Marius Gonzalez, produced by Solab)
Shay – AND (directed by Guillaume Doubet, produced by PELICAN PARIS)
Concert Flame of the Year
Booba – Stade de France (produced by Arachnée Productions & Tallac Records)
Damso – Accor Arena (produced by Yuma Productions & The Vie)
Laylow – Accor Arena (produced by Pedro Booking)
The Flame of the album cover of the year
Disiz- Love (couple Delphine Migueres et Rêgular)
Josman – M.A.N. (Black Roses & Lost Feelings) (par Dorian Feraud et Marius Gonzalez)
Prince Waly – Moussa (by Fifou)
