Who Is Joé Dwèt Filé

Joé Dwèt Filé dropped his debut À Deux last week and sold out his first-ever concert at La Cigale.

Is it all hype? Short answer: no.

Long answer? Here's how @JoeDwetFile became one of the hottest acts in France. Thread.

First, some quick facts.

Yes, he's Haitian.

Birth name: Joé Gilles

Birthplace: Montreuil, France

Why Dwèt File? He’s a beast on keys. pic.twitter.com/9Mrv3zHBWJ

— WikiMizik (@WikiMizik) April 9, 2019

Like so many musicians, @JoeDwetFile started in the church. When he was 8, his parents got him a keyboard and he’d rush home after church to play everything he just heard. pic.twitter.com/JdEO1y5SF8

— WikiMizik (@WikiMizik) April 9, 2019

By the time he was a teen, Joé was singing, writing and producing. Here’s a holiday song he dropped in 2012. pic.twitter.com/aGVJLtFBld

— WikiMizik (@WikiMizik) April 9, 2019

His gift for catchy melodies and sweet solos was already undeniable.

? on. pic.twitter.com/eUK8u0Rgog

— WikiMizik (@WikiMizik) April 9, 2019

And @JoeDwetFile was getting used to being a frontman. He and fellow teen phenom Makenzy Jean-Louis (Makenzybeatz) teamed up in Only God, a Christian konpa group with HEAVY grooves. pic.twitter.com/wXNqnABb11

— WikiMizik (@WikiMizik) April 9, 2019

H-E-A-V-Y ? pic.twitter.com/moOFyQS5R6

— WikiMizik (@WikiMizik) April 9, 2019

In June 2013, @JoeDwetFile released his first EP, “Bayo Nouvèl La.” pic.twitter.com/3wyFuNqdhj

— WikiMizik (@WikiMizik) April 9, 2019

The project wasn’t overly polished, but you could feel the musical maturity.

You can also tell he's inspired by @NICKYHARMONIK.

Especially when @joedwetfile and Makenzy trade keyboard grooves on Move Chwa. pic.twitter.com/RIFVgvs3Mc

— WikiMizik (@WikiMizik) April 9, 2019

Fast forward to 2015. Joé shifts to secular music.

His sound is now polished and he’s dropping some of the hottest gouyad instrumentals on Soundcloud and producing hits for established artists like Yoan and Milca. https://t.co/GDHT6tck73

— WikiMizik (@WikiMizik) April 9, 2019

Meanwhile he was plotting the DF Empire, his label and platform.

He dropped DF Story #1 and linked up with singer/producer @CurtisKaneMusic on Di M Sa w Vle. https://t.co/uDY9wSuob3

— WikiMizik (@WikiMizik) April 9, 2019

In summer 2016, @JoeDwetFile, @CurtisKaneMusic & Larry Evans formed Lespada to capitalize on the afro/dancehall wave.

Go ahead and add Wine to your next party playlist. https://t.co/Pf8JPz69hk

— WikiMizik (@WikiMizik) April 9, 2019

La Pomme was the standout on the project.

? Hého, hého t'es dans mes pensées https://t.co/ZPHpRscZna

— WikiMizik (@WikiMizik) April 9, 2019

La Rose’s acoustic guitar loop and stripped-down beat would soon become the foundation of Joé’s sound. More on that soon. pic.twitter.com/UsqV4fKhFk

— WikiMizik (@WikiMizik) April 9, 2019

La Pomme was the standout on the project.

? Hého, hého t'es dans mes pensées https://t.co/ZPHpRscZna

— WikiMizik (@WikiMizik) April 9, 2019

It's still a hit on the live circuit for Melodeek. @JoeDwetFile played a simple keyboard groove under the guitar groove that's just ?https://t.co/WJgdAXdWJM

— WikiMizik (@WikiMizik) April 9, 2019

(Sidenote: They actually turned the live grooves into a song. Another one for the party playlist.)https://t.co/GKPk7l5jAk

— WikiMizik (@WikiMizik) April 9, 2019

OK, back to Joé. In 2017, his konpa remake of Dadju’s Reine made waves on Soundcloud and dancefloors. Easy to see why. https://t.co/muZuGfAuCT

— WikiMizik (@WikiMizik) April 9, 2019

2018 would be @JoeDwetFile's true breakout year.

That’s when he started crossing over with his new sound: a blend of konpa, afro and r&b.

— WikiMizik (@WikiMizik) April 9, 2019

Looped acoustic guitar (often played on keys), slick synth bass, and konpa-tinged percussion (minus the conga and gong.)

Instead of kale senbal, a hi-hat and snare kata propel the beat.

— WikiMizik (@WikiMizik) April 9, 2019

His beats on the Vegedream’s debut – “Mama Hey,” and “Reviens dans ma vie” – climbed the charts and introduced him to a wider audience.

— WikiMizik (@WikiMizik) April 9, 2019

So he dropped a mixtape ESOLF (Et si on le faisait?) on June 22, 2018.

Half konpa/zouk. Half afro trap/r&b.

"Absence" became a konpa hit, and songs like "T’as Joué Avec Moi" & "Mon Flow" became afro/r&b hits.

"Mon Flow" is a whole mood. pic.twitter.com/K7PCWHA7RQ

— WikiMizik (@WikiMizik) April 9, 2019

A steady stream of videos kept the momentum going, and by October, Joé was headlining a sold-out show at le Casino de Montréal ??

— WikiMizik (@WikiMizik) April 9, 2019

He finished the year strong.

Lespada released their debut.

Joé did a pop collab with Lyna Mahyem and produced this banger for Stony. https://t.co/roO8wnqbeK

— WikiMizik (@WikiMizik) April 9, 2019

In poetic fashion, Joé ended ESOLF’s promo run with the video for its opener and konpa HIT "Absence." https://t.co/PHEaRRthnO

— WikiMizik (@WikiMizik) April 9, 2019

When Joé dropped Impossible, his first single for À Deux, his konpa fans were worried. All r&b. No kata. No solos. https://t.co/5wnaBXI2hT

— WikiMizik (@WikiMizik) April 9, 2019

The next one, Confiance, was just him and a guitar. Was @JoeDwetFile done with konpa?https://t.co/nzINkasj97

— WikiMizik (@WikiMizik) April 9, 2019

Not quite. This feature dropped a week before his album release with a sick konpa outro. https://t.co/ddUB8fAFcZ

— WikiMizik (@WikiMizik) April 9, 2019

And when À Deux finally dropped on March 29, tracks like “Comme Avant,” “Trompé” and “T’as Changé” made konpa fans happy. pic.twitter.com/B6WzAfaKwr

— WikiMizik (@WikiMizik) April 9, 2019

Tracks like “Comment Ça,” “Perdre du Temps” & “Que des Mots” have the tight production and storytelling everyone expects from Joé.

Right now, it's #15 on the French charts. pic.twitter.com/3LFOvQOMQR

— WikiMizik (@WikiMizik) April 9, 2019

So no, @JoeDwetFile isn’t all hype. Or an overnight success. Or a one-hit wonder.

He's a versatile wunderkind with a fresh sound that might make konpa even more popular.

And you should go see him if he makes a stop near you on his North American tour. pic.twitter.com/Xfr1KINtxr

— WikiMizik (@WikiMizik) April 9, 2019

And it's a wrap. Hope you enjoyed it.@JoeDwetFile, play us out please. pic.twitter.com/EiAHbv3ytg

— WikiMizik (@WikiMizik) April 9, 2019