Kayna Samet (born 27 September 1980 in
Nice
Nice ( ; ) is a city in and the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative city limits, with a population of nearly one million[hip hop
Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...]
and R&B singer.
[Kayna Samet]
, Premiere.fr. Retrieved June 11, 2011
Biography
Childhood
During her childhood her parents divorced.
Kayna first discovered her love of music listening to her grandfather's funk records, and she also enjoyed traditional French singers such as
Jacques Brel
Jacques Romain Georges Brel (; 8 April 1929 – 9 October 1978) was a Belgian singer and actor who composed and performed theatrical songs. He generated a large, devoted following—initially in Belgium and France, but later throughout the world ...
,
Édith Piaf
Édith Giovanna Gassion (19 December 1915 – 10 October 1963), known as Édith Piaf (), was a French singer and lyricist best known for performing songs in the cabaret and modern chanson genres. She is widely regarded as France's greatest popu ...
, and
Léo Ferré
Léo Ferré (; 24 August 1916 – 14 July 1993) was a Monégasque poet and composer, and a dynamic and controversial live performer. He released some forty albums over this period, composing the music and the majority of the lyrics. He released ...
.
Malika really found her passion for music at the age of 10 when she joined her school choir.
At age 15, she decided to immerse herself in the musical world, joining local rap groups, at first as a singer, then as a rapper.
Debut
With her first manager Nabila Jaadi, Kayna modelled, financed by doing odd jobs and performing as an opening act.
In 1999, Kayna came out with her first demo, "Le Parcours d'une Goutte d'Eau." Her manager and she were always had high hopes, and she sent the tape to several major labels. It was then that doors began to open for her. In 2000, she performed the track "Jeune Fille d'en Bas" on the soundtrack of the movie ''La Squale''. The song was produced by
Cut Killer and
DJ Abdel
Abdel-illa Lamriq, better known as DJ Abdel, is a French Moroccan DJ and record producer playing hip hop, funk and contemporary R&B on major radio stations in France.
DJ Abdel became known through his musical participation in the French Canal ...
, and they reworked the song for an international R ‘n’ B compilation titled ''Vas-y Pars''.
It was then that then Malika chose the name Kayna Samet, paying tribute to
Kahina, the legendary Berber commander, and her maternal grandmother. She soon meets singer
Matt Houston
''Matt Houston'' is an American crime drama television series starring Lee Horsley as the title character, a wealthy oilman who holds a side job as a private investigator. Created by Lawrence Gordon and produced by Aaron Spelling, it origin ...
who offers her a part on the duet "Le Prix à payer", off of his second album. He further offers for Kayna to go on tour with him, which presented her first opportunity to meet
Diam's
Mélanie Georgiades (; born 25 July 1980, in Nicosia), better known by her stage name Diam's (), is a retired French rapper of Greek-speaking Cypriot origin.
Biography
Mélanie Marie Georgiades was born on 25 July 1980, in Nicosia, capital ...
.
In July 2002, Kayna Samet came out solo with the song ''Blazée D'la Life''.
Booba
Élie Thitia Yaffa (; born 9 December 1976), better known under his stage name Booba, is a French rapper.
After a brief stint as a break dancer in the early 1990s, Booba partnered with his friend Ali to form Lunatic. The duo released a crit ...
, after having heard said song, asked her to sing the hook on the track "Destinée", off of his album ''
Temps Mort''.
In 2003, she collaborated with
IAM on their track "Nous," from their album ''Revoir un Printemps''. She also got the chance to work with
Rohff
Housni M'Kouboi (; born 15 December 1977), better known as Rohff and at times stylized as Roh2f, is a French rapper.
Born in Antananarivo, Madagascar, to a family of Comoran origin, he immigrated in 1985 to France living in Vitry-sur-Seine, i ...
on the song "Pétrole" from his album ''La Fierté des Nôtres''.
In time, Kayna signed with the label Voix Publik and started working on writing her first album, working with various artists in the process.
Discography
Albums
*1999: ''Le parcours d'une goutte d'eau''
*2005: ''Entre deux je''
*2012: ''Second souffle''
*2014: ''Thug Wife''
*2022: ''Altair vol.1''
*2023: ''Altair vol. 2''
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Samet, Kayna
1980 births
Living people
French people of Algerian descent
French contemporary R&B singers
Musicians from Nice
21st-century French singers
21st-century French women singers