Aya Nakamura has solidified her status as the most internationally streamed French artist. It all began with a bold and cheeky track, Djadja, which quickly became a global anthem. The song has amassed over 390 million streams, elevating the Franco-Malian singer to international icon status.
In 2023, following the success of her albums Nakamura and Aya, the singer made a powerful return with DNK. The project sold over 15,000 units in its first week, confirming her strong foothold in the French music scene.
Despite facing repeated waves of “Aya Bashing” in France, Aya Nakamura remains incredibly popular among younger audiences. Much of her success comes from her ability to reinvent Afro-Caribbean culture within urban pop, as she explained in an interview with NPR:
“I felt like I was going back to my roots because I started by exploring zouk. It was like returning to my teenage years — I used to listen to singer Kim a lot (a French icon in zouk music).”
Her rise is also driven by unapologetic lyrics that empower women — especially those from working-class backgrounds — and give them a strong, assertive voice in music.
Her latest release, Baddies, is a collaboration with another expert in “love” music: Joé Dwèt Filé.
Aya and Joé Dwèt Filé turn up the heat with Baddies
The track is produced by Joé Dwèt Filé himself. The Haitian-born singer and producer has already worked with some of France’s biggest names in the genre, including Dadju on Va dire à ton ex, and Vegedream on Ma go sûre and Mama he.
Driven by a catchy, summery rhythm, the song avoids cliché romanticism. Instead, it portrays love in a raw, relatable way — the kind that reflects real experiences among today’s youth.
Joé delivers a standout line with this slick punchline:
“She’s too loaded so I’m never mean (Mean)
She’s not the type of girl you question, no”
On her side, Aya Nakamura responds with a vulnerable and emotionally honest verse:
“We talk on the phone for hours, I admit, I’m in his head
He says I’m annoying and moody, but here he comes again
Hugs and caresses — truth is, he keeps coming back for more.”
The video, bathed in sunlight and tropical vibes, was directed by Scotty Simper, who previously worked on V-Réalité by Kekra and Niska, as well as Thank God by Rilès.
