Diam's
Diam's | |
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Diam's preparing for a bungee jump. | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Mélanie Georgiades |
Also known as | Diam's, Diamant |
Born | 25 July 1980 |
Origin | Nicosia, Cyprus |
Genres | French Hip-Hop, R&B, hip hop soul |
Years active | 1998–2012 |
Labels | Hostile, EMI |
Associated acts | Sinik |
Diam's (French: [djams]; born Mélanie Georgiades on 25 July 1980) is a French-language rap artist of French and Greek Cypriot origin.
Early career
In 1998, when she was just 19, Diam's signed a development deal with BMG Music Publishing France. With the publisher's help, Diam's worked on her craft and signed with Universal Records in 1999. She appeared in a song on DJ Mehdi's 2002 album "(The Story Of) Espion".
2003's Brut de Femme was her breakthrough, reaching gold and spawning the top 10 single "DJ." In concert at the 2004 Dour Festival in Belgium, people threw objects at Diam's when she began singing. In 2005, she cemented her importance as a songwriter with "Ma Philosophie"—a huge number one hit for Pop Idol star Amel Bent.
In 2005, she collaborated with Indonesian singer Anggun for her song "Juste Être Une Femme" (Just to be a Woman), which is featured on the French version of her current studio album Luminescence..
Dans ma bulle 2006
Dans ma bulle (Inside my Bubble) was released in February 2006, debuting at number one on the French album chart selling 50,000 copies in its first week. Diam's first single from Dans Ma Bulle, La Boulette (The Moron) gained immense popularity and airtime. It stayed at number one on the French music charts for 6 consecutive weeks. Her second single Jeune Demoiselle debuted at #4. Ma France à moi and Confessions nocturnes with Vitaa also proved to popular. Dans Ma Bulle went on to be the biggest-selling French album in France in 2006 and reached diamond status (1,000,000 copies sold). Diam's won the award for Best French Act at the 2006 MTV Europe Music Awards.
However, according to friends, Diam's could not handle the fame resulting from her latest album and checked into a psychiatric hospital for depression. She was then diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
2009 to present
In October 2009, while working on her third studio album "SOS", following her conversion to Islam, she adopted a black covering and Jilbāb, explaining to the French Press, “Medicine was not able to heal my soul, so I turned toward religion.” When a photo of her coming out of a Mosque wearing a veil was taken and used for an article "France and her Muslims" and a fictional interview created from the lyrics of a song emerged in the media, she declined all interviews and stayed out of the public eye.
In 2013, she released her autobiography along with an interview for the French documentary series "Sept à Huit", saying that she is leaving the music business as it was too emotionally draining for her mental health and that the fame was making her miserable.
Personal life
Diam's is known for her political activism in both her lyrics and her public persona. She embraced Islam in late 2010 after studying and reading Islam, and wears a Jilbāb.[1][2]She has 2 children by 2 different husbands.
Discography
Albums
Year | Album | Peak chart positions | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
FR | FR (DD)1 | BEL (WA) | SWI | ||
1999 | Premier mandat | ||||
2003 | Brut de femme[3] | ||||
2004 | Ma vie / Mon live (Live album)[4] | ||||
2006 | Dans ma bulle[5] | ||||
2009 | S.O.S.[6][7] | ||||
Singles
Year | Single | Peak chart positions | |||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FR | FR (DD)1 | BEL (WA) | SWI | ||||||||||||||||||
2003 | "DJ" (music video directed by J.G Biggs)[8] | ||||||||||||||||||||
2003 | "Incassables"[9] | ||||||||||||||||||||
2004 | "Évasion" (Diam's feat. China)[10] | ||||||||||||||||||||
2006 | "La boulette (Génération nan nan)"[11][12] | ||||||||||||||||||||
2006 | "Jeune Demoiselle"[13][14] | ||||||||||||||||||||
2007 | "Ma France à moi"[15] | ||||||||||||||||||||
2009 | "I am somebody" | ||||||||||||||||||||
2009 | "Enfants du désert"[16][17] | ||||||||||||||||||||
2010 | "Coeur de bombe"[18] | ||||||||||||||||||||
2010 | "Peter Pan" | ||||||||||||||||||||
As featured artist | |||||||||||||||||||||
2003 | "Un peu de respect" (Lady Laistee feat. Diam's)[19] | ||||||||||||||||||||
2003 | "Promise" (music video directed by J.G Biggs) (Kamnouze vs. Diam's feat. Jango Jack)[20] | ||||||||||||||||||||
2004 | "Relève la tête" (Kery James feat. Diam's, Passi, Matt & Kool Shen)[21] | ||||||||||||||||||||
2006 | "Les mains en l'air" (Admiral T feat. Diam's)[22] | ||||||||||||||||||||
2006 | "Non c'sera non (omri omri)" (Cheb Mami feat. Diam's & Leslie)[23] | ||||||||||||||||||||
1 Digital Downloads
Recognitions
Year | Award-giving Body | Award | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2004 | Victoires de la Musique | Rap/hip-hop album of the year (Brut de Femme) | Won |
2006 | MTV Europe Music Awards 2006 | Best French Act | Won |
2007 | NRJ Music Awards | Francophone Album of the Year (Dans Ma Bulle) | Won |
2007 | NRJ Music Awards | Francophone Female Artist of the Year | Won |
2007 | NRJ Music Awards | Francophone Song of the Year (La Boulette) | Won |
2007 | NRJ Music Awards | Music Video of the Year (Jeune Demoiselle) | Nominated |
2007 | L'Année Du Hip Hop | Best Song (La Boulette) | Won |
2007 | L'Année Du Hip Hop | Best Rap Artist | Won |
2007 | L'Année Du Hip Hop | Best Album (Dans Ma Bulle) | Won |
2010 | NRJ Music Awards | Francophone Album of the Year (S.O.S.) | Nominated |
2010 | NRJ Music Awards | Francophone Female Artist of the Year | Nominated |
References
- ↑ "French rapper stuns fans, makes first TV appearance wearing hijab". Ramdane Belamri. AL ARABIYA. 1 October 2012. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
- ↑ "Diam's : Insultes, divorce difficile et nouveau mari... elle dit tout !". Chloé Breen. 21 May 2015.
- ↑ "Diam's : Brut de femme". Lescharts. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
- ↑ "Diam's : Ma vie — Mon live". Lescharts. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
- ↑ "Diam's : Dans ma bulle". Lescharts. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
- ↑ "Diam's : S.O.S.". Lescharts. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
- ↑ "French Digital Albums Chart - 21 November 2009". Lescharts. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
- ↑ "Diam's : DJ". Lescharts. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
- ↑ "Diam's : Incassables". Lescharts. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
- ↑ "Diam's : Évasion". Lescharts. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
- ↑ "Diam's : La boulette". Lescharts. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
- ↑ "French Digital Singles Chart - 11 March 2006". Disqueenfrance. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
- ↑ "Diam's : Jeune demoiselle". Lescharts. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
- ↑ "French Digital Singles Chart - 5 May 2006". Disqueenfrance. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
- ↑ "Diam's : Ma France à moi". Lescharts. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
- ↑ "French Digital Singles Chart - 21 November 2009". Lescharts. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
- ↑ "Diam's : Enfants du désert". Lescharts. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
- ↑ "French Digital Singles Chart - 30/01/2010". Lescharts.com. Retrieved 26 February 2010.
- ↑ "Lady Laistee feat. Diam's : Un peu de respect". Lescharts. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
- ↑ "Kamnouze vs. Diam's feat. Jango Jack : Promise". Lescharts. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
- ↑ "Kery James present Lino, AP, Diam's, Passi, Matt & Kool Shen : Relève la tête". Lescharts. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
- ↑ "Admiral T feat. Diam's : Les mains en l'air". Lescharts. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
- ↑ "Cheb Mami feat. Diam's & Leslie : Non c'sera non (omri omri)". Lescharts. Retrieved 23 January 2010.