Zily, dubbed the “Aya Nakamura of Mayotte,” blends the island’s debaa and mbiwi traditions with pop, amapiano and afrobeat. After a sold‑out show at the Casino de Paris on 22 May, she performed at Rio Loco in Toulouse in June, delivering powerful vocals in her mother tongue.
Raised in the former capital Tsingoni, she learned debaa – a Sufi‑inspired poetry and percussion form for women – from her grandmother. Determined to revive mbiwi, an endangered women‑only rap‑battle tradition, Zily incorporates the genre’s improvisational storytelling into her music, showcasing the cultural heritage of Mayotte’s women.
Her rising profile in France highlights the island’s mixed Indian, Arab and African influences and positions her as a cultural ambassador for Mayotte’s female artistic expression.
Entities: Mayotte · Tsingoni · Zily