Irma

Emerging as one of France's standout YouTube phenomena, soul-pop singer and songwriter Irma evolved from capturing solo acoustic interpretations in her teenage bedroom to sharing stages with global stars through the platform. She entered the world as Irma Pany in Bangangte, Cameroon, in 1988, the daughter of a guitarist father and a mother who performed with a church choir; her childhood unfolded in Douale, where she took up piano at age seven, before relocating to Paris as a teenager to pursue stronger academic opportunities.

In 2007 she launched her digital presence by posting covers of material from Norah Jones, Colbie Caillat, and Yael Naim, and after an introduction to Michael Goldman—son of the celebrated French musician Jean-Jacques Goldman—she joined his My Major Company roster the next year. She kept expanding her reach online by teaming with established names for fresh takes on classic tracks, among them will.i.am on the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back," Matthieu Chédid on Adele's "Rolling in the Deep," and Patrice on Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin'."

After holding a residency at Paris' La Java for several months, she scored Top Ten placements in 2011 with her first single, "I Know," and the accompanying album Letter to the Lord; she also finalized a U.S. contract with Universal Republic and appeared in a European Google Chrome campaign that spotlighted her rapid rise.