LeFLOFRANCO, co-spokesperson for the 2024 Rendez-vous de la Francophonie (RVF), was born in France to Haitian parents but grew up in Canada. It's no surprise, then, that he carries with him a bit of all these cultures. You only need to listen to him or speak with him to sense this diverse cultural heritage so central to his identity. As part of the 26th edition of the RVF, under the theme "Launch Into Discovery!", the Our Languages blog team had the privilege of interviewing him. He was more than happy to talk to us about himself, about his music, which he describes as multicoloured urban pop, and about the role languages play in his life and in his music.
Harmonizing between diverse identities
As a child, LeFLOFRANCO spoke French at home but was also exposed to Creole, a language that he says connected him to the warmth of the Caribbean culture. Later, growing up on the border between Ontario and Quebec, he started navigating between French and English. All these factors made him the artist he is today, one who sings in a multicoloured French, occasionally injecting English into his lyrics, or a touch of the Creole he's so proud of. "All my identities harmonize well with each other," he says with satisfaction.
Tackling linguistic insecurity through music
LeFLOFRANCO believes that music can help decrease linguistic insecurity in official language minority communities. As proof, he cites the very warm welcome he received during a tour of French immersion schools in Ontario, Eastern Canada and the United States. Young people, eager for French, sing along with him enthusiastically. Some Anglophones even go to see him perform at Francophone festivals. Young and old, teachers and fellow performing artists applaud his music, which prompts LeFLOFRANCO to say, “I think that my music meets a need and makes everyone feel good.”
Speaking French: A challenge and a calling
As a Franco-Canadian, LeFLOFRANCO takes great pride in his community’s resilience, with its power to unify. “We’re a resilient community, we refuse to be assimilated, we make ourselves heard. We feel that expressing ourselves in our first language is a calling.”
Understandably, LeFLOFRANCO, as an artist, also feels a calling to transmit his culture and to let his multifaceted identity shine forth through his multicoloured music. Despite the small size of the Franco-Canadian music industry, LeFLOFRANCO says, “We want the members of our community to feel comfortable in their own language, and to discover the colour lent by English and by Haitian Creole.” This challenge motivates him to continue writing in French.
Celebrating the diversity of the Francophonie
When asked about the meaning and importance of his role as RVF co-spokesperson, LeFLOFRANCO replied that he’s honoured to contribute to celebrating the Francophonie. We could feel his emotion when, between a pause and a smile, he chose his words:
It means celebrating the Francophonie … it means unity, everyone coming together as one. Our Francophonie, in all its diversity, is drawing us all together. It’s so beautiful to be able to celebrate our Francophonie, which is flourishing from one end of the country to the other. It’s quite an honour. It’s wonderful.
For the occasion, his track “Danser avec toi,” which was voted French song of the year in the 2023 Manie Musicale competition, will be featured in an educational activity offered as part of the RVF. Throughout March 2024, teachers can introduce their students to this lively song and its emotionally charged lyrics:
Tout seul quelque part dans mon malheur
Je me questionnais sur le bonheur
Si bouleversé, noyé dans mon silence
Cœur en bataille, perdu dans ma souffrance
Drôle de destin
Maintenant te voilà tombée sur mon chemin
Suivre mon instinct
Vraiment ce qu’il me faut c’est d’partir au loin(Unofficial translation)
All alone somewhere in my distress
I wondered about happiness
So devastated, drowning in my silence
Heart in disarray, lost in my suffering
A strange fate
Now you appear suddenly on my path
I follow my instinct
What I really need is to journey far
Building a career in French hip hop: LeFLOFRANCO’s advice
A lot of young people want to express their feelings through singing. But it’s tough to break into the music scene, especially in French hip hop. LeFLOFRANCO, who began writing lyrics when he was only 14 years old, is happy to give advice to aspiring artists: believe in yourself, be disciplined, surround yourself with passionate people, follow your instincts, enjoy your work.
Winner of several awards, including the Trille Or Gala awards in the categories of Artistic Initiative (2019) and Visual Design (2021), LeFLOFRANCO enjoys being on stage and vibing with his audience. In his role as RVF co-spokesperson, he’ll embark on a cross-Canada tour. What better opportunity for Francophones and Francophiles to “launch into discovery” than by exploring his lively music and his ability to juggle with languages!
