Willy William

Willy William, a French DJ, producer, and vocalist, began his professional journey as a member of the chart-topping ensemble Collectif Métissé prior to embarking on an independent path. His 2015 track "Ego" dominated European charts, and international acclaim arrived via the 2017 partnership with reggaeton artist J Balvin on "Mi Gente," where introspective, socially aware verses paired with energetic party anthems. After Beyoncé joined a remix of "Mi Gente," further team-ups followed with Jason Derulo, David Guetta, Nicki Minaj, and Sean Paul.

Born June 27, 1981, to parents who had immigrated from Jamaica, Willy spent his childhood in the modest community of Champagné located in Pays de la Loire, northwestern France. Music filled his home environment, introducing him to everything from French chanson through Haitian compas during weekend gatherings organized by his family. Curiosity about mechanics led his mother, in frustration, to gift him a guitar instead of allowing further disassembly of objects, sparking his musical creation passion. Keyboards came next, followed by computer-based composition. His initial output arrived in 2003 via the DJ Flex joint "B Boyz Shake da Body," achieving minor dancefloor success.

The breakthrough arrived in 2009 after relocating to Bordeaux and entering the emerging Collectif Métissé, focused on Afro-Caribbean sounds; their first release "Laisse-Toi Aller Bébé" debuted at number two on French charts. Additional top ten entries ensued, such as the number one "Debout Pour Danser," with worldwide performances. Within the group, William gained recognition for remixes of tracks by Big Ali, Robyn, Macklemore, and Jason Derulo, while innovating self-promotion through free SoundCloud distributions.

Departing the collective in 2015 to prioritize personal work, he issued the solo debut "Te Quiero," which saw limited traction until "Ego" propelled him forward. Crafted and laid down overnight, this dark, evocative piece with its compelling reggaeton rhythm achieved multi-platinum status across Europe and surpassed 200 million YouTube streams. The 2016 album Une Seule Vie appeared via the 541 imprint, a division of the major Belgian N.E.W.S. entity and handled by Warner Music, peaking at number 12 in France.

Global prominence came in 2017 through "Mi Gente," his joint effort with Colombian reggaeton performer J Balvin that led charts in multiple nations; this reworked his earlier "Voodoo Song." Beyoncé's involvement in a remix elevated it further, prompting her live performances of the piece.

The 2018 solo outing "La La La" preceded his feature on the Jason Derulo and David Guetta release "Goodbye" that also included Nicki Minaj. Later tracks featured partnerships involving Cheat Codes, SWACQ, and Sandro Silva. "Mambo," a 2021 collaboration between William and Steve Aoki, incorporated Sean Paul, El Alfa, Sfera Ebbasta, and Play-N-Skillz.