8th January, 2024
Harley is an uprising artist from Villeneuve-Saint-Georges (Parisian suburb) who has a plethora more to offer and is readily carving his own path into becoming a voice in the future of next-gen music stars.
The musician whose real name is Harley Echene Mathieu Yoan Ilfix shows his versatility and ability to navigate between melody and controlled flow by mixing his Ivorian roots with current French influences and vibes on Afrobeat and Amapiano rhythms.
After gaining major momentum on social media on his “Supalife” concept tracks. Harley has awesomely showcased his potential and capability as a newcomer with many talents.
In this interview, he speaks about his journey as a Afro-French pioneer, challenges, and success story among others.
Who is Harley?
My name is Harley Echene Mathieu Yoan Ilfix and I am 22-year-old. I am an artist and songwriter, so I make Afrobeats in France. I got noticed with my “Supalife” series
What was your growing up like?
Growing up in Villeneuve-Saint-Georges which is Parisian suburb was a peaceful childhood punctuated by school and music.
Take us through your creative process.
My simple musical process; I go to the studio, listen to production and look for new inspirations. That’s it.
How did you get into the music business?
I got into music thanks to my uncle who was a musician, who lived with us when I was little, watching him all do it alone, I developed a taste for it and it became my passion. This played a significant role in my musical journey.
How long have you been in the music business?
It’s been five years now professionally.
What makes you want to create music?
Asides from the fact that it’s what I love doing the most, another reason I love to create music is to connect with the people out there that I know may be in my exact situation and need music to help them through whatever they going through.
What do you want to say and make people feel about your work?
I want to make people not feel alone anymore, I want people to connect with my song and know if I can do it they can too.
How did your environment influences your music?
My environment influences my music on the points or in the texts I like to approach life experiences that I have lived or that my loved ones have lived. So I use what is happening around me to tell stories in my music.
Tell us about the concept ‘Supalife’ series.
Supalife was a delirium to affirm my Afro side and at the same time give a new direction to my career.
How challenging is it to be a musician?
The challenges will always be there. Each project I undertake presents unique challenges, always pushing me to exceed my previous efforts. Honestly, being a musician is easy as long as it’s your passion and you really like doing it. Otherwise if it’s a chore it will be difficult.
How do you balance music and other obligations like work, leisure, and family?
For the moment I put all my strength into my music, I do nothing else besides. These are sacrifices that I hope will pay off.
Tell us about your upcoming projects.
I have my album which will be released this 2024, with an afro/amapiano atmosphere which I hope will make an impression, I am committed to doing it as a project.
What accomplishments do you see yourself achieving in the next five to ten years?
I want to put Afro in the place it deserves in France, which is recognized, with real terms and real lyrics.
What strengths do you have that you believe make you a great musician?
The strengths that make me a great musician are that I am very versatile, and I am always looking, and I am a chameleon that I adapt to everyone.
What are the challenges you’ve faced so far?
The challenges I have had so far have been to really position myself as the future of Afro-French.
The Amapiano sound is sweeping through the continent now. How do you feel about it?
I’m happy that Amapiano is crossing the boundaries and exploding everyone, but I think we can go even further.
Who influences you in the music industry, both in the Afrobeats space, especially in Nigeria and the hip-hop world?
The person who influences me is Asake and DJ Arafat.
How can songwriters and producers receive adequate recognition?
For songwriters and producers, it’s crucial to recognize your creativity as valuable intellectual property. The Afrobeats industry is gradually adopting a culture of giving credits, and I believe this practice will improve over time, benefiting both songwriters and producers.
Are you an independent artist, and does having a record label play a big role in the industry?
I have a label with my team which is signed with Sony, for me it is just finding its balance with its needs and being with the right team there are plenty of artists who have worked in India and other in major.
Who would you like to collaborate with among the A-list artists both in the Afrobeats world and hip-hop world?
I would like to collaborate with Asake, Davido, Chris Brown and Rema.
What do you think the future holds for the Afrobeats in the Western world?
Afrobeat still has a lot of surprises in store. It has already become a mainstream global phenomenon, breaking all boundaries. Its influence is spreading rapidly in the Western world, and I believe it will continue to grow, solidifying its status as a prominent global genre.