The contemporary music scene often rewards specialization, but the emerging Gildaa artist is defying that trend by embracing a dizzying array of disciplines. A singer, multi-instrumentalist, composer, dancer, and actress, she has recently captured the attention of the industry, most notably securing the jury prize at Les Inouïs 2025, one of France’s most prestigious platforms for discovering new talent.
At the core of this project is Camille Constantin Da Silva, though she operates primarily through the lens of her alter-ego, Gildaa. This persona is not merely a stage name but a conceptual bridge between eras. Describing her own artistic identity with a touch of whimsical mystery, she notes, “Je suis née au 18ème siècle mais je parais jeune” (I was born in the 18th century but I look young).
This sense of timelessness manifests in a sound that resists straightforward categorization. Her work is a “chimérique” art form—a dreamlike blend that borrows heavily from the theater and traverses a wide sonic map. By positioning herself at the intersection of traditional chanson and the high-energy rhythms of Brazilian baile funk, she creates a space where jazz, soul, and RnB can coexist without friction.
A multi-instrumentalist approach to sound
The technical breadth of the Gildaa artist is a central pillar of her appeal. Rather than relying on a single signature sound, she utilizes a diverse toolkit of instruments to build her experimental soundscapes. Her ability to pivot between the classical precision of the violin and the rhythmic complexity of percussion allows her to shift the emotional weight of a performance in seconds.
Beyond Western traditions, she incorporates the kora—a West African harp-lute—bringing a spiritual, melodic depth to her compositions. This organic instrumentation is often contrasted with her work as a “bidouilleuse” (tinkerer) in electronics, where she manipulates digital sounds to create modern, atmospheric textures.
To understand how these disparate elements coalesce, it is helpful to look at the relationship between her tools and the genres she explores:
| Instrument | Primary Influence/Genre | Atmospheric Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Violin | Classical / Jazz | Lyrical and emotive |
| Kora | West African Folk | Spiritual and grounding |
| Electronics | Experimental / RnB | Modern and ethereal |
| Percussion | Baile Funk | Kinetic and rhythmic |
The linguistic and theatrical bridge
Language serves as another layer of exploration for Camille Constantin Da Silva. By singing in both French and Portuguese, she creates a cultural dialogue that mirrors the hybrid nature of her music. This linguistic fluidity allows her to tap into the raw energy of Lusophone rhythms whereas maintaining the narrative intimacy of the French chanson tradition.
Her background in acting and dance further informs her music, transforming a standard concert into a piece of performance art. This theatrical approach is not an ornament but a necessity; it is the only way to house a project that seeks “memory, appeasement, and light.” By treating the stage as a space for storytelling, she invites the audience to step into her constructed world—one where the boundaries between the 18th century and the digital age are blurred.
Impact and the path forward
The recognition from the Radio France ecosystem marks a significant turning point for this multi-disciplinary artist. The jury prize at Les Inouïs is more than just a trophy; it is a validation of a high-risk artistic proposition that refuses to simplify itself for the sake of commercial viability. For an artist who describes herself as living in the eye of the public, this visibility provides the necessary oxygen to expand her “chimérique” vision.
As she continues to refine the balance between her theatrical instincts and her musical compositions, the industry will be watching how she translates this singular live energy into a recorded format. The challenge for any artist with such a broad palette is cohesion, but for Gildaa, the cohesion lies in the search for light and memory.
The next confirmed milestone for the artist will be the full rollout of the Les Inouïs 2025 cycle, which typically includes curated performances and mentorship opportunities designed to propel the winners into the broader European music circuit.
We invite you to share your thoughts on the evolution of cross-genre music in the comments below.
