Create a connection with your listeners
Damso likes to cultivate a special bond with his subscribers. A 34-minute short film, directed by Christophe Deroo, accompanied the release of BĒYĀH. The objective was to allow fans to immerse themselves in the world of the album even before its release. A few months earlier, he had wanted to create unique moments by organizing exclusive listening sessions reserved for a handful of them. He also put a listener at the heart of his communication, during the launch of his project mischievously titled I lied. The story was skillfully orchestrated: during a meeting, a fan asked him if he was thinking of releasing an EP before his next opus. And this long discussion triggered the recording of this surprise album. The title I lied resonates like a wink since he had previously announced that BĒYĀH would be his final album. Was it a clever communications strategy? Or a deep desire to return to a certain spontaneity? One thing is certain: Damso wants his audience to feel a certain closeness with him.
Music, differently
Last November, the rapper received the Sacem Grand Prix for rap and new pop. During his speech, he concluded with his words: “I’ll see you next year, because I’ll be releasing a project.”. Could this be another lie on his part? Although Damso never stated that he would stop making music, he made it clear that he would no longer release albums, believing that this format no longer suited him. Last May, he confided: “I already released a record called I liedso maybe I could be lying to you when I say that. But here, I really aspire to do something else.”
These reflections illustrate his desire to reinvent himself and try new forms of musical creation, beyond the conventions of the classic format. This is how he launched BY H². If little is known about this project, it would be a series of collaborations with artists he wishes “to bring to light”. The first is the Montrealer Blynk with whom he recorded the title “MTL”. On Instagram, Damso specifies: “With this project, I want to reconnect with the very essence of what made me love music: sharing and passion.”.
Beyond the numbers, the mobilization of an artist
For the release of FLESH in 2020, the rapper began promoting his album in Kinshasa, marking a symbolic return to his roots for the man who left the country at the age of nine. This trip had a profound impact on him. Already in 2019, he announced the launch of his humanitarian foundation, Vie sur nous, whose objective is to fight against the exploitation of natural resources which he describes as “blood minerals”. While little is known about the work he was able to accomplish on site, the rapper spoke of the difficulties he encountered when setting up certain projects. Last November, he denounced the corruption which plagues the Congolese political elites. In an open letter addressed to President Tshisekedi, he wrote: “Congo moves the world forward with its wealth but does not have the means to care for its own children”. This publication was widely shared, particularly by the Congolese diaspora.
This year, Sidaction asked him to compose his anthem to raise awareness of prevention and screening. For this project, the rapper surrounded himself with 17 artists including Charlotte Gainsbourg, Eddy de Pretto, Médine, and Pierre de Maere, thus creating a mix of musical families intended to reach as many people as possible. On France Inter, he explains his approach: “Our generation is less informed […]. This is less of a subject for young people than for the previous generation. We must document ourselves, get tested, communicate and break taboos.” A song that he saw above all as a message of hope.
While 2025 ends on a largely positive note for Damso, 2026 promises to be just as memorable, with 300,000 tickets already sold for his tour, including two sold-out concerts at the ING Arena. The release of his next project is likely to be another highlight of his year.
13 and 14/5 at the ING Arena (full).
