TIKOK VELLAYE

Author, composer and performer of the famous group “TISOURS”, Tikok Vellaye really started out at the age of 18 with a sound that blends sega and maloya with Afro-Cuban and Indian influences. Tikok remains faithful to tradition, and his lyrics denounce the abandonment of Creole authenticity and the evils of modernity. He fights to defend Reunion Island’s culture. When we asked about his earliest musical memories, Tikok recalls his childhood in a family of music lovers. His father played guitar in orchestras while his mother never missed opportunities to dance. From this blessed era, Tikok kept his nickname as well as an immoderate taste for music and family cooking. The “VELLAYE” siblings live in the La Source district of Saint-Denis (Reunion Island). So it's only natural that he should pay tribute to his neighborhood by naming his band TI SOURS. In 1989, he took his first steps as the group's leader, and the public discovered him. Success came swiftly with the title track "Kafrine". Three albums followed: “Tipyer” in 1997, “Sa tout pou mwin” in 2000 and “Lé tan pou di” in 2003. A live show “Téat Sinzil” followed in 2006. Tikok has also long played alongside Danyèl WARO, recording the albums “Batarsité”, “Foutan Fonnker” and “Bwarouz” with him. In 2008, Tikok decided to turn over a new leaf in his career. he launched himself under his own name. With this in mind, he recorded the album “Détak”. It features all the ingredients of VELLAYE cuisine: a hint of Indian sounds, a pinch of African rhythms, a zest of rumba and Caribbean music, a drop of jazz and to tie it all together, the indispensable sega-maloya. The album “Lès pa nou kozé” was released in 2016. A true "national treasure", Tkok Vellaye is part of Reunion's heritage.