Zily

For more than twenty years, Zily has been the voice of Mayotte.

She sings in Shimaoré and Kibushi, the two ancestral languages of the territory, to promote the linguistic and cultural heritage of Mayotte beyond its archipelago.

Her music is a tribute to her origins, but also an act of resistance in a French department where artists still struggle to make a living from their art. On an island where the status of intermittent worker in the entertainment industry does not exist, Zily has taken the bold step of professionalizing her approach, structuring the local scene, and paving the way for others.

In 2021, she founded her own label, Yeka Music.

“I want the languages of Mayotte to travel, to be heard at festivals around the world. My mission is to convey, especially to young girls, that it is possible to make a living from music.”