Vikter Duplaix

Vikter Duplaix emerged as a songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist, singer, and DJ after being born in Philadelphia and dividing his formative years between that city and Augusta, GA. Choir singing sharpened his voice during childhood, yet the decisive shift occurred once he started programming drum tracks at a Philadelphia studio. From the second half of the 1990s into the 2000s he contributed to projects by Erykah Badu, Musiq, Eric Benet, and Jaguar Wright, frequently alongside James Poyser; partnerships with DJ Jazzy Jeff and Kenny Gamble further elevated his profile within contemporary R&B circles.

A connection with King Britt pulled him toward dance music, prompting vocal work on the Scuba track “Swell.” Soon afterward Duplaix began issuing his own recordings, and underground singles such as “Messages,” “Manhood,” and “Sensuality” found favor among house DJs, notably Masters at Work, who championed the last of those cuts. Additional remixes, joint efforts with Jazzanova, and a volume in the !K7 DJ Kicks series paved the way for International Affairs, his first solo full-length, which surfaced in Europe in late 2002 and reached the States at the start of 2003. Bold and Beautiful appeared on BBE in 2006.