Roméo Elvis
Roméo Johnny Elvis Kiki Van Laeken (Dutch pronunciation: [vɑn ˈlaːkə(n)]; born 13 December 1992), better known by his stage name Roméo Elvis[1][2] (French: [ʁɔmeo ɛlvis]), is a Belgian rapper and hip hop artist.
Roméo Elvis | |
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Roméo Elvis performing at Vieilles Charrues Festival in Brittany, France, in 2018 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Roméo Johnny Elvis Kiki Van Laeken |
| Born | 13 December 1992 Uccle, Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium |
| Genres | |
| Instrument(s) |
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| Years active | 2012–present |
| Labels |
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| Website | romeoelvis |
His career began with the release of two EPs in 2013 and 2014, titled Bruxelles c'est devenu la jungle and Famille nombreuse. In 2016, his album EP Morale was released. In 2017 and 2018, two more albums were released: Morale 2 and his reissue Morale 2 luxe (released from his collaboration with producer Le Motel). He has close connections with Belgian band L'Or du Commun, duo Caballero & JeanJass, and French rapper Lomepal.
Biography
Roméo Elvis was born on 13 December 1992 in Uccle, Belgium.[3] Interested in music since his youth,[4] he developed a style distinct from that of his father, the singer Marka, his mother, the comedian Laurence Bibot, and his younger sister, the singer and pianist Angèle. Roméo Elvis was raised in Linkebeek, in the southern suburbs of Brussels,[5] and later relocated to Forest.
After college, he continued his secondary studies at Saint-Luc Tournai Institute where he learned to paint and draw.[6] It was during this time that Elvis began rapping with his friends. His artistic training continued at ESA 75, in Brussels, where he studied photo-journalism. While continuing to practice rap, he became close to members of L'Or du Commun.
While his first EPs were being released, Roméo Elvis was working as a cashier at the supermarket chain Carrefour. Despite his success, he was not able to earn enough money from rapping alone. Shortly before the release of the album Bruxelles arrive, he quit his job and devoted himself solely to music.[7] His newest EP, Morale 2luxe, was released on February 15, 2018. Morale 2luxe is a remake of his album, Morale 2, released in March 2017.
Elvis suffers from tinnitus, common among musicians. He has made references to this condition in many of his titles, such as L'oreille sifflante and Ma tête.[8] In an interview with Radio Nova, he explained that if he could earn a substantial income from rapping he would donate some of it to fight the disease.[citation needed]
In 2019 Elvis collaborated with French sportswear brand Lacoste to create a limited collection. However, after being named on social media for sexual assault he was dropped by the label.[9]
Musical style and influence
The musical style of Roméo Elvis has evolved with the progression of his projects. While developing old-school instrumentals and a flow with similar ambiance to his first two EPs, his collaboration with the producer Le Motel on Morale and Morale 2 profoundly changed his style. He currently allows himself to make more refrains and add electronic instrumentals, and in accord with the jazz of Le Motel, giving them a more current tone.[10]
Elvis' influences are numerous: the Belgian group L'or du Commun with which he made his rapping debut is one of his main ones. Their style can also be recognized in his first two projects with group members. He also frequently mentions the rapper Caballero as someone who greatly inspired him; they met while Bruxelles arrive was being recorded. Concerning French rap, Elvis considers the rapper Alpha Wann of the group 1995 as "the rap master playing for me in terms of placement and in terms of how to say things in a very meaningful way". Fuzati, leader of Klub des Loosers, strongly influences the rapper. Primarily in his somber aspect, but also in the manner that the rapper holds plenty of derision towards life. He also references the masked rapper in many of his titles, like in Drôle de décision.[11] Elvis is also a fan of the French artist Philippe Katerine.
Concerts and tours
While he began performing at concerts while growing closer to L'Or du Commun, it was during the release of Morale, in 2015, that Roméo Elvis and Le Motel began touring, with 19 performances across Belgium, France, and Luxembourg. The release of Morale 2 also marked the beginning of another, bigger tour with 29 performances and concerts in several large festivals such as Dour Festival,[12] Rock en Seine,[13] le Printemps de Bourges,[14] and Garorock.
Discography
Albums
| Year | Album | Peak positions | Certification | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEL (Fl) [15] | BEL (Wa) [16] | FR [17] | SWI [18] | |||
| 2016 | Morale (Roméo Elvis x Le Motel) | – | 57 | – | – | |
| 2017 | Morale 2 (Roméo Elvis x Le Motel) | 29 | 3 | 6 | 39 |
|
| 2019 | Chocolat | 4 | 1 | 3 | 5 | |
| 2022 | Tout peut arriver | 22 | 1 | 6 [21] | 40 | |
Others
- 2018: Morale 2Luxe (with Le Motel)
EPs
- 2013: Bruxelles c'est devenu la jungle
- 2014: Famille nombreuse
- 2016: Morale (with Le Motel)
- 2020: Maison
Singles
| Year | Title | Peak positions | Certification | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEL (Fl) [15] | BEL (Wa) [16] | FR [17] | SWI [18] | ||||
| 2017 | "Diable" (Roméo Elvis x Le Motel) | 61 | Tip | – | – | Morale 2 | |
| "Drôle de question" (Roméo Elvis x Le Motel) | 56 | 54 | 89 | – |
| ||
| "Lenita" (Roméo Elvis x Le Motel) | 69 | Tip | – | – | |||
| "J'ai vu" (Roméo Elvis x Le Motel feat. Angèle) | – | 79 | 164 | – |
| ||
| "Méchant" | – | 64 | – | – | non-album single | ||
| 2018 | "Dessert" (Roméo Elvis x Le Motel) | Tip | 53 | 181 | – | Morale 2 (Deluxe) | |
| "300 (Henri) – Colors Session" (Roméo Elvis x Le Motel) | – | Tip | 181 | – | non-album single | ||
| 2019 | "Malade" | 59 | 2 | 7 [22] | 66 |
| Chocolat |
| "Normal" | – | 26 | 80 | – | |||
| "Soleil" | 66 | 7 | 11 [23] | – |
| ||
| 2022 | "Quand je marche" (with Ben Mazué) | — | 49 | — | — | Tout peut arriver | |
Featured in
| Year | Title | Peak positions | Certification | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEL (Fl) [15] | BEL (Wa) [16] | FR [17] | SWI [18] | ||||
| 2017 | "Acid" (Ulysse feat. Roméo Elvis) | Tip | 84 | – | – | Ulysse album SURF | |
| "Apollo" (L'Or du Commun feat. Roméo Elvis) | – | Tip | – | – | L'Or du Commun album Zeppelin | ||
| "Hit Sale" (Therapie Taxi feat. Roméo Elvis) | – | 1 | 12 | – | Therapie Taxi album Hit Sale | ||
| 2018 | "On & On" (Her feat. AnnenMayKantereit & Roméo Elvis) | – | 72 | – | – | Her album Her | |
| "Incroyaux" (Caballero & JeanJass feat. Roméo Elvis) | – | 46 | 115 | – | Caballero & JeanJass album Double hélice 3 | ||
| "1000 °C" (Lomepal feat. Roméo Elvis) | Tip | 17 | 3 | 82 |
| Lomepal album Jeannine | |
| "Tout oublier" (Angèle feat. Roméo Elvis) | 6 | 1 | 1 | 55 | Angèle album Brol | ||
| 2020 | "Pharmacist"[26] (Mr. Oizo featuring Roméo Elvis) | TBA | |||||
Other songs
| Year | Title | Peak positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR [17] | BEL (Wa) [16] | |||
| 2019 | "Chocolat" | 37 | — | Chocolat |
| "Coeur des hommes" | 45 | — | ||
| "Parano" (feat. -M-) | 46 | — | ||
| "Bobo" | 65 | — | ||
| "Solo" | 74 | — | ||
| "194" | 81 | — | ||
| "Intro (Chocolat)" | 89 | — | ||
| "Viseur" | 104 | — | ||
| "3 Étoiles" | 110 | — | ||
| "Dis-moi" | 126 | — | ||
| "Kuneditdoen" (feat. Zwangere Guy) | 128 | — | ||
| "La Belgique Afrique" | 130 | — | ||
| "En silence" (feat. Témé) | 131 | — | ||
| "T'es bonne" | 152 | — | ||
| "Perdu" (feat. Damon Albarn) | 153 | — | ||
| "Interlude (Chocolat)" | 164 | — | ||
| 2020 | "Défoncé" | 49 [27] | 46 | Maison |
| "Chaud" | 51 [27] | — | ||
| "Gonzo" | 84 [27] | — | ||
| "Vinci" | 112 [27] | — | ||
| "Interlude" | 167 [27] | — | ||
Collaborations
- 2013: L'Or du Commun – Lotus Bleu (feat. Roméo Elvis), in their EP L'Origine
- 2013: L'Or du Commun – Mon Voisin (feat. Roméo Elvis), in L'Or du Commun's EP L'Origine
- 2015: Primero – Deuxième Ombre (feat. Roméo Elvis), in Primero's EP Scénarios
- 2015: Primero – Présidentielles (feat. Roméo Elvis), in Primero's EP Scénarios
- 2015: Stikstof – Dobberman (feat. Roméo Elvis), in Stikstof's album Stikstof/02
- 2016: L'Or du Commun – Mouton Noir (feat. Original Flow Mastaz and Roméo Elvis)
- 2016: Phasm – Souvent (feat. Roméo Elvis), in Phasm's mixtape Phasmixtape Vol. 1
- 2017: Caballero & JeanJass – Vrai ou faux (feat. Roméo Elvis), in their album Double Hélice 2
- 2017: Heystap Squad – Pression (feat. Roméo Elvis), in their EP Pression
- 2017: L'Or du Commun – Apollo (feat. Roméo Elvis), in their EP Zeppelin
- 2017: Lomepal – Billet (feat. Roméo Elvis), in his album Flip
- 2017: Lord Esperanza – Infiniment Vôtre (feat. Roméo Elvis), in his album Polaroïd
- 2017: Roméo Elvis – Carrière, in The Alchemist's EP Paris L.A. Bruxelles
- 2017: Therapie Taxi – Hit Sale (feat. Roméo Elvis), in their album Hit Sale
- 2017: Ulysse – Acid (feat. Roméo Elvis)
- 2017: Zwangere Guy – Low & Lowgisch (feat. Roméo Elvis), in his mixtape Zwangerschapsverlof Vol.3
- 2018: Caballero & JeanJass – Incroyaux (feat. Roméo Elvis), in their album Double Hélice 3
- 2018: Di-Meh – Ride (feat. Roméo Elvis), in Di-Meh's album Focus Part. 2
- 2018: Her – On and On (feat. Roméo Elvis et AnnenMayKantereit), in the album Her
- 2018: Le 77 – La Sape (feat. Roméo Elvis), in their album Bawlers
- 2018: Myth Syzer – Ouais Bébé (feat. Roméo Elvis et Ichon), in his album Bisous
- 2018: Myth Syzer – Tocard (feat. Roméo Elvis), in his album Bisous
- 2018: Roméo Elvis – Il m'a trompé, on DJ Weedim's mixtape La Boulangerie Française Vol.2
- 2018: Roméo Elvis – Méchant, on the original band of Tueurs
- 2018: Senamo – C'est mon boulot (feat. Roméo Elvis), in Senamo's album Poison Bleu
- 2018: Slimka – Crazy Horses (feat. Roméo Elvis et Malala), in Slimka's mixtape No Bad Vol.2
- 2018: Lomepal – 1000 °C (feat. Roméo Elvis)
- 2018: Angèle – Tout oublier (feat. Roméo Elvis) in her album Brol
Awards and nominations
NRJ Music Awards
| Year | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Francophonic Breakthrough Act | Herself | Nominated | |
| Francophonic Group/Duo | Angèle & Roméo Elvis | Nominated | ||
| Video of the Year | Tout oublier Feat Angèle | Nominated | ||
| Francophonic Song of the Year | Won |
Red Bull Elektropedia Award
| Year | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Artist of the year | Herself | Nominated | |
| Best Live Act | Won | |||
| Chase Awards (Urban) | Won | |||
| Breakthrough artist/DJ/Producer/M | Nominated | |||
| Best Album | Roméo Evis x Le Motel - Morale | Won | ||
| Best Song | Roméo Elvis x Caballero - Bruxelles arrive | Nominated |
References
- ^ "Romeo Elvis rap c'est nouveau rock". Le Temps. 9 June 2018.
- ^ "Romeo Elvis nous explique la difference entre le rap belge, le rap francais, et nos frites". HuffPost. 3 March 2018. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
- ^ Majdoub, Rachid (9 April 2017). "FRENCHMEN No. 6 : Roméo Johnny Elvis Kiki Van Laeken, aka Roméo Elvis". Konbini.com. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
- ^ Marolle, Emmanuel (11 February 2018). "Rap : Roméo Elvis, roi des Belges à la conquête de la France". Le Parisien. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
- ^ "Roméo Elvis, MC baryton". La Libre Belgique. 6 October 2016. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
- ^ "QUI ES-TU : Roméo Elvis, le Belge qui s'impose dans le rap français". Clique.tc. 15 February 2017. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
- ^ "Roméo Elvis : "Bruxelles est arrivée" L'Interview Nova serrés dans une caisse". 7 April 2017. Retrieved 21 April 2017 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Roméo Elvis – Ma tête". Genius.com. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
- ^ "Lacoste cuts ties with rappers Moha la Squale, Roméo Elvis, both accused of sexual assault".
- ^ . Archived from the original on 13 July 2018. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
- ^ "Roméo Elvis – Drôle de décision". Genius.com. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
- ^ "Line Up – Dour Festival 2018 – 11+12+13+14+15 July". Dourfestival.eu. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
- ^ "Programmation – Rock en Seine – Festival – Paris". Rockenseine.com. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
- ^ Vedel, Boris. "Le Printemps de Bourges". Printemps-bourges.com. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
- ^ a b c "Roméo Elvis discography". ultratop.be/nl. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
- ^ a b c d "Roméo Elvis discography". ultratop.be/fr. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
- ^ a b c d "Roméo Elvis discography". lescharts.com. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
- "J'ai vu": "Le top de la semaine : Top Singles Megafusion". snepmusique.com. Retrieved 21 December 2018.
- "1000°C": "Le top de la semaine : Top Singles Megafusion". snepmusique.com. Retrieved 21 December 2018.
- "Tout oublier": "Le top de la semaine : Top Singles Megafusion". snepmusique.com. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
- ^ a b c "Roméo Elvis discography". hitparade.ch. Hung Medien. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Les certifications - SNEP". Retrieved 22 January 2020.
- ^ "Gold & Platinum - 2019 Albums". ultratop.be. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
- ^ "Top Albums (Week 22, 2022)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
- ^ "Le Top de la semaine : Top Singles (téléchargement + streaming) – SNEP (Week 9, 2019)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
- ^ "Le Top de la semaine : Top Singles (téléchargement + streaming) – SNEP (Week 34, 2019)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
- ^ "ultratop.be - ULTRATOP BELGIAN CHARTS". Ultratop. Retrieved 21 December 2018.
- ^ "ultratop.be - ULTRATOP BELGIAN CHARTS". Ultratop. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
- ^ "Mr Oizo et Roméo Elvis collaborent pour le titre "Pharmacist"" (in French). Les Inrockuptibles. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
- ^ a b c d e "Top Singles (Week 18, 2020)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 5 May 2020.