Blanche Bailly Interview: I want my fans to look at me and say that Blanche Bailly is comfortable in her skin

Larinette Bailly, better known to the public as Blanche Bailly was clearly cut out for the limelight. The 27-year-old singer/songwriter has heavy prospects for continental and international success. Officially starting off in 2015, after completing her studies in France, she moved to London. This transition became the genesis of the origin story of one of Africa’s most promising stars. In a brief chat, Blanche Bailly told Morebranches a lot about her past, her present and future.

The road to the Limelight

It’s been quite clear that Blanche Bailly was cut out for bright lights and release dates from her early days. Before relocating to London, she started off as a cover artist. She would write her own lyrics on popular songs, sometimes eclipsing the actual song-owner where she was. After school, she went to London and met a friend who just happened to be a rapper. This friend would become the channel through which her career would take off. 

When asked about what stood her out from the onset, Blanche was very sincere about her standout factor. She says

“My popularity came from my physique, to be quite honest. The way I look came as a surprise to the public because before me, girls in the Cameroonian industry weren’t this sexy in their way of dressing…”

She believes that her sex appeal, coupled with the right collaborations put her on a step ahead of a lot of her peers, and in very characteristic Blanche Bailly fashion, she is extremely confident about it. Blanche is cast in the same mold as iconic female artistes like Tiwa Savage amongst others. She is very intent on making it clear that confidence is one of her special characteristics. She is also very keen on proving the point that she isn’t riding on any privileges. She is confidently and intentionally building a bankable brand that will break records and top charts. She explains, saying

“My brand is confidence. My brand is hard work, and my brand is consistency. I want my fans to look at me and say that Blanche Bailly is comfortable in her skin, she works hard as a musician and entrepreneur, and she consistently brings her A game in this industry.”

Influences and Milestones

Artistes are well known for creating inspiration, but as certain as it is that you will inspire others, others must also inspire you. Blanche Bailly is no different, and according to her, Rihanna is a major source of inspiration for her. She says 

“Rihanna is my current role model because I like the fact that she is authentic, and beyond music, has created very lucrative brands for herself.”

For Blanche, the billionaire businesswoman is a great example of what to aspire to in a career that surpasses just music. But like a lot of other people, Beyoncé is the ultimate icon when it comes to music. “Beyoncé is my ultimate idol as a musician. Her work ethic, delivery, and overall fierce character is something that thrills and empowers me,” she says.

As far as accolades go, she’s already setting the marker for superstardom. With a subscriber count of an excess of 220 thousand subscribers of YouTube, 1.7 million followers on Facebook and over a million followers on Instagram, it’s clear where she is headed with her career. Amongst a host of other achievements, she is the singer with the highest amount of views on YouTube in Cameroon, she has been nominated for Best Female Central Africa (AFFRIMA), and Best Urban and Revelation of the year (Canal D’or)

Style and Sound

Blanche Bailly identifies herself as an Afro-pop artiste, and believes that through music, she can communicate emotions or vent about certain situations she goes through or has gone through. She believes her music style is tailor-made to reach a wider audience because it infuses French, pidgin and local vernacular. 

“My sound is special because I am able to sing in different languages while still creating a song that people can enjoy. I am able to sing on any kind of beat whether Reggae, Afrobeat, Zouk, or even local beats, and still create a hit song.”

Her versatility also seeps into her style, as she describes herself as sexy, bold, and most importantly, comfortable. So far, Blanche Bailly has covered a lot of ground and with her keen sense of talent identification for the perfect collaborations (as can be heard on her most recent release with Joeboy), there’s hardly any telling how big of a brand Blanche Bailly could become.