Hyleen

Hyleen

Groove over everything. For the highly talented 27-year-old artist from the south of France, the variety of her music from neo-soul, jazz, funk, soul and pop can be summarized under the term groove.

This is the music that the singer, songwriter and guitarist has passionately dedicated to her album "BSide". With "Looking At", the first single of the album, we feel it thanks to her powerful voice. While several of her inspirational pieces on "B-Side" reveal musical atmosphere like Prince, Stevie Wonder and various neo-soul stars. At the same time, despite her young age, she is already so self-confident and well-versed to give the pieces their own, unmistakable note with their trio. Hyleen was born in Cannes and grew up on the French Riviera. She grows up with six brothers and step brothers, which characterizes both her early enthusiasm for various team sports as well as her later, but all the more intense relationship with the music. At the age of 11, she borrows the guitar of one of her schoolteachers and teaches herself to play. Shortly thereafter, she is already in the band of her older brother. The band breaks apart, however, as the brother moves to Paris to study. Hyleen then starts singing, again as an autodidact, writes her first songs and from then on accompanied herself to her guitar. After leaving school, she decides to deepen her self-taught knowledge, first studying musicology at the University of Nice for one year, followed by another year at the Sorbonne in Paris.

Less theory and more practice she hopes finally from another change to the prestigious Paris Conservatory CRR. During the  entrance exam, she surprises and convinces her examiners with the performance of the Rage Against The Machine play "Killing In The Name" in a special arrangement for voice and guitar. She’s accepted, although she still has big gaps in music theory. Obviously the teachers feel that there is a special and talented talent in front of them. After two years of intense study in modern music, Hyleen, who enjoys writing music and performing on stage with her music, decides to focus on her own project. She performs in Paris and in southern France. She records two EPs as well as and an early album with great guest artists like singers Omar, Frank McComb and drummer Chris Dave.

She considers her new album "B-Side" to be her true debut. An album that consists exclusively of Hyleen's original pieces and was recorded live in the studio. An approach that best captures the immense joy of Hyleen and her trio. She is accompanied by the renowned French jazz and fusion drummer Nicolas Viccaro. The keyboarder Julien Boursin (Keyboards, Moog Bass), who is already well known as a sideman of various French artists.

On "B-Side," the title of her new album, Hyleen explains, "The B-side of a vinyl single is often less commercial, but very cool. I wanted to draw a parallel to the diversity of people and the diversity of their feelings. My character also has several facets. When I feel well, I laugh a lot. Basically, I'm rather shy and less extroverted. That's why I challenge myself with my lyrics and show feelings that I would not normally give a prize. It's a way of expressing my B-side.