Diam's Feature Article

Diam's is a testament to Hip Hop's boundless cultural diversity and ability to transcend dialects. A rapper of both French and Greek Cypriot backgrounds, Melanie Georgiades was born in Cyprus on July 25 1980, with her family moving to the small French town of Essones in 1984.

The 1990s saw not only the continued proliferation of Hip Hop music on the American charts and within popular culture itself, but also saw its evolution on a global scale, with local scenes in countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, France and Greece beginning to truly flourish (more so creatively than financially).

It was during this climate, in 1998 to be exact, that 18-year-old Diam's announced her arrival onto the European music stage, signing a developmental contract with BMG Music Publishing France. As she continued to sharpen her writing skills and creativity, she earned the opportunity of a lifetime, signing with Universal Records France in 1999.

Later that year Diam's released her debut solo album, Premier Mandat, an 18-track release which experienced moderate success in Europe. Diam's further boosted her profile with an appearance on the 2002 release (The Story Of) Espion, by respected French Hip Hop/electro producer DJ Mehdi. It was 2003 though that saw her true artistic and commercial breakthrough with the release of the gold-selling Brut de Femme, which spawned the top ten single DJ.

Not a stranger to controversy, Diam's is known for infusing her music with equal doses of dancefloor-friendly material and political commentary; she has displayed fierce opposition to Conservative French President Nicolas Sarkozy, along with extreme-right politician Jean-Marie Le Pen and his daughter Marine Le Pen. In 2004 at the famed Dour Festival in Belgium, the outspoken rapper was greeted with projectiles, which were thrown at her direction as she performed on stage.

Over the course of the following two years her importance as a songwriter and performer was cemented, winning the honor of 'Rap/hip-hop album of the year' at the Victoires de la Musique awards for Brut de Femme. Her biggest hit came that same year in the form of her French adaptation of the English-language smash Ma Philosophie, which was originally a massive number one hit for Pop Idol star Amel Bent.

Not a stranger to collaborations, Diam's has linked up with several gifted contemporaries over the years. She has teamed up with Indonesian singer Anggun on the single Juste Être Une Femme (Just to be a Woman), collaborated with French dancehall/reggae star Admiral T and R&B songbird Vitaa, and has worked extensively with fellow French rapper Sinik (who she has called her "brother").

February 2006 saw the release of her most successful project up to that point, the award-winning and number one-selling album Dans Ma Bulle (Inside my Bubble). Maintaining its top position for six consecutive weeks, it eventually reached diamond status, selling 1,000,000 copies. With a concert DVD, Autour De Ma Bulle, out now, her upcoming project Confessions Nocturnes is set to be her biggest release to date.

Further proving that music is a universal language through her work, Diam's is certainly a force to be reckoned with.

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