Petite Noir

The stage name of Yannick Ilunga, Petite Noir is the product of as many influences as his music. The son of Congolese and Angolan parents, born in Brussels, then living later in Cape Town, the young Yannick fully absorbed the sounds of these places, making his own fertile musical melting pot. His first album ‘Till We Ghosts’ immediately opened up new ground for the world of indie pop, making it impossible to ignore Southern Africa as a breeding ground for new talents. Some of Petite Noir’s songs retain the cool distance of European electro-pop that fed on the post-punk scene, like ‘Pressure’, while others are shot through with the sounds and rhythms of his African roots, like the superb title track ‘Till We Ghosts’. The overall result isn’t entirely personal, but shows great promise – don’t miss him play as part of the Fireworks festival.