Viviane Chidid, an essential figure in Senegalese Music, transcends styles by skillfully mixing mbalax and afrobeat. His career testifies to a rare capacity for adaptation, coupled with extraordinary vocal talent.
“It is not the strongest species that survives, but the one that adapts most to change.” This famous thought of Charles Darwin finds particular resonance in the journey of Viviane Chidid. However, the queen of mbalax R&B transcends this simple adaptation: she is not only a strong species, but also an exceptional singer, capable of renewing her art without losing the soul of her musical identity.
Today, Viviane has managed to conquer a wide audience, including the younger generation, who are often more sensitive to international musical trends. This is explained, according to journalist Lamine Bâ, by several factors. Viviane, he observes, integrates international musical trends while maintaining a strong Senegalese identity. “Its use of social media, its modern aesthetic choices and its collaborations with artists popular with young people also reinforce its appeal. Also, his texts and his music speak to young people while connecting them to their culture,” analyzes the music critic.
For him, the evolution of Viviane’s music, from mbalax to afrobeats sounds, illustrates an openness to new trends while preserving his Senegalese roots. This hybridization, in the local context, he indicates, can be grouped under the term “Jolofbeats”, a name which reflects, according to him, the fusion of traditional Senegalese rhythms and global influences.
Musical versatility
If Viviane is recognized as a variety artist, it is thanks to her ability to modernize mbalax by integrating elements of pop and R&B. In particular, she introduced a more refined musical production with sophisticated arrangements and electronic sounds, while retaining Senegalese percussion as a base. “She dared international collaborations and experiments with instruments like the synthesizer, thus making mbalax accessible to a wider audience,” adds the music critic.
From her first steps in Youssou Ndour’s group Super Étoile in 1993, Viviane established herself as a key figure in mbalax, this typically Senegalese musical style with traditional percussion and modern touches. With a powerful voice and communicative stage energy, the fair-skinned beauty with a crystal-clear voice manages to make a lasting mark on this register. His first albums, notably “Le Show” in 2001, demonstrate deep roots in this musical tradition while introducing innovative touches.
In 2002, she released her fourth album “Téré Nelaw”, very R&B, songs of praise to the Lions of Téranga highlighting their exploits during the Football World Cup in Korea. So, all of Africa fell under the singer’s spell, which earned her, the same year, a nomination for the “Kora Awards” in the “Best Arrangement” category.
In 2003, she released a new album, “Fii Ak Fee”. The following year, she launched into rap and hip-hop, with the album “Esprit” which was a success and remains to this day the best-selling hip-hop album in the history of Senegalese rap. , an album made with great Senegalese rappers, including Fou Malade, Carlou D, Khuman and Pacotille. But what seduces and, moreover, constitutes the strength of the singer, is her musical versatility, undoubtedly due to her former career as a variety singer. Viviane adapts to all styles. Michael Soumah, musical artist, remembers: “I knew her in the early 90s. People discovered her through my shows that I hosted at the time. Viviane introduced innovations in the mbalax genre. She has the voice of a variety singer which, mixed with this style, has produced new sounds.”
-This ability to innovate has allowed the queen of the Jolof Band to stand out and renew a genre often perceived as exclusively local.
“It’s a very good thing, because the problem with mbalax is that it remained a Senegalese affair for a long time,” notes the host. According to him, this musical genre has not succeeded in crossing borders. “Like Nigerian music and Makossa in Cameroon, it is music that has not yet made a splash in the global musical landscape,” he says.
Emblematic figure on the international scene
With the album “Man Diarra”, released in 2005, Viviane began a decisive turning point by integrating pop and R&B sounds into her repertoire, thus broadening her audience and strengthening her image as a modern and visionary artist. This quest for innovation culminates in her explorations of reggae and afrobeats rhythms where she appropriates international influences while retaining the authenticity of her roots. Titles like “Yeuk-Yeuk” or “Fima Tollu” demonstrate this artistic maturity and creative audacity.
With a reputation that crosses more and more borders, Viviane obtained in 2011, among others, the titles of “Female Artist of the Year”, “Best Video Clip” and “Best Afro-Rhythm Song” at the ‘Afrotainment Museke African Music Awards.
However, as Michael Soumah points out, Viviane’s success is not based solely on her musical eclecticism. “She was able to understand that music today is based on diversity and mixing. She works with beatmakers who help her refine music capable of speaking to a global audience,” he explains. Indeed, thanks to her collaborations and her open-mindedness, Viviane has been able to conquer audiences well beyond Senegalese borders, thus establishing herself as an emblematic figure on the international scene.
Beyond her vocal talent and musical creativity, Viviane Chidid embodies resilience and perseverance. She has managed to seduce younger generations while retaining the loyalty of her first fans. “All the music she produced is timeless. She can bring them up to date without losing their essence,” adds Michael Soumah.
Adama NDIAYE
