Gaël Faye (born 6 August 1982) is a Rwandan–French singer, rapper, and writer.
Personal life
editFaye was born in Bujumbura, Burundi, of a French father and Rwandan mother.[1] He moved to France at the age of 13, escaping from the Burundian civil war.[2] He studied commerce and later received a Master's degree in finance.[3]
He is married and has two daughters.[4]
Books
editFaye wrote a novel inspired by his teenage-years' experience of the war in Burundi.[5] Small Country (Petit Pays)[4] was first published in France in August 2016 by Grasset. It won five literary prizes.[6][5] It has been translated into 36 languages[7][8] and made into a movie, released in 2020.[9] In August 2024, Faye's second novel, Jacaranda, was published, also by Grasset.[10]
Music
editIn 2010, Faye and Edgar Sekloka released a rap and hip-hop album entitled Milk Coffee and Sugar (also the name of their group).[11]
Faye then released three solo albums and one EP: Pili Pili sur un Croissant au Beurre (2013), Des fleurs EP (2014) [12] Lundi Méchant (2020) and Mauve Jacaranda (2022). Lundi Méchant went gold in 2022.
Film
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Rwanda: Words of Silence | Wrote and directed | [13] | |
| 2024 | Savages | MC Orangutan | Voice role | [14] |
Awards
edit- 2016: Prix du roman Fnac for Petit Pays
- 2016: Prix du Premier Roman for Petit Pays
- 2016: Prix Goncourt des Lycéens for Petit Pays
- 2016: Prix France Culture/Télérama for Petit Pays
- 2023: The Grand Public Prize at Justice Documentary Festival Paris
- 2024: Prix Renaudot for Jacaranda
References
edit- ^ "Africiné – Gaël Faye – Quand deux fleuves se rencontrent". Africiné (in French). Retrieved 19 June 2022.
- ^ "Gael Faye ce qui lui plait". Liberation. 13 February 2013. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
- ^ "Gaël Faye". CCCB. 19 January 2018. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
- ^ a b Le JDD (11 September 2016). "PORTRAIT. Gaël Faye, l'écriture pour la vie". lejdd.fr (in French). Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ a b Cordova, Sarah Davies (15 June 2018). "Petit pays by Gaël Faye". World Literature Today. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
- ^ "Gaël Faye". Wikipédia (in French). 18 June 2022. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
- ^ Cummins, Anthony (10 June 2018). "Small Country by Gaël Faye – review". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
- ^ Grey, Tobias (29 May 2018). "A French-Rwandan Rap Star Turned Novelist From Burundi". The New York Times.
- ^ Barbier, Eric (28 August 2020). "Petit pays" (Drama). Jerico, Super 8 Production, Pathé. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
- ^ "Jacaranda". Grasset (in French). Retrieved 17 October 2024.
- ^ "Milk Coffee & Sugar – Milk Coffee & Sugar". Discogs. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
- ^ "Africiné – Gaël Faye – Quand deux fleuves se rencontrent". Africiné (in French). Retrieved 19 June 2022.
- ^ "Rwanda: Words of SIlence". Java Films. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
- ^ "Sauvages". Annecy International Animated Film Festival. Retrieved 12 June 2024.