Summer at last. Time to head out into the sun, to connect with the stars, and to let your mind wander: Emmanuel Sow – aka Yamê – provides the soundtrack for an attitude to life that we could all do with more of. The singer, rapper, and producer with French–Cameroonian roots has been causing quite a stir in the Grande Nation’s music scene for a few years now – so much so that even heavyweights such as Timbaland have taken notice of him. And that’s hardly surprising given the sumptuous sound and wicked widescreen production qualities of songs such as the euphoric “Bécane” and the trap-soul ballad “Bahwai”. Yamê’s debut album, “Elowi” (2023), combines contemporary R’n’B with driving Afrobeats, French hip-hop with experimental soul nuances and impressive vocal variance. Nevertheless, both in the studio and on stage, Yamê presents himself as a singer, rapper, and songwriter who knows exactly where the journey is taking him: first of all, to Hamburg in September.