Toulousaine by birth, Congolese by sojourn, and Parisian by trade, Jeanne Galice is the living definition of eclectic. Known the world over as Jain, Galice has—in the past two years—made waves with her debut album, Zanaka (RCA Records, 2015).

The album, with a literal translation in Malagasy (her mother’s native tongue) of  ‘childhood’, documents Galice’s younger years living in the Congo/Dubai/Abu Dhabi as well as her move back to Paris to attend art school; infused, in all the mix, are nods to internationally renowned singers/songwriters Miriam Makeba, Manu Chao, and Youssou N’Dour. There is no easy way to define Jain or her debut album concisely, although they are sometimes neatly pigeonholed as pop, because they essentially defy traditional genres—which is a good thing.  In 2017, Jain set out on her (mostly sold-out) headlining tour stateside, to give America a taste of her unique musical styling.

It’s sometimes easy to forget, when Jain is onstage, that she really is a one-woman show—she fills any room with her intoxicating presence (defined by her charisma, style, honesty, and playful energy). Galice is young and carries an air of humbleness around with her, one that is aided by an endearing shyness and an adolescent charm. From the moment she sets foot on stage Jain creates a level of camaraderie with the audience, almost letting them know it’s just as much their show as it is hers—she’s engaging, inviting, and respectful (her audience, in return, is polite, graceful, and ready to jump, chant, and sing along).

As Jain made her way through songs like “Mr. Johnson” and “Lil Mama”, the energy in the room started to build in anticipation of hits like “Come” and “Makeba”—and when they finally arrived, the crowd went berserk. New songs like “Paris”, which Galice recently wrote to acknowledge the attack on Bataclan, showcase an evolving sound and a promising future for the singer/songwriter (with elements of rap, opera, reggae, pop, and dance composing the core feel of the song—it’s utterly breathtaking and quite possibly one of Galice’s most powerful songs to date). As a live act and as a musician Jain is nothing short of phenomenal; she is/has a talent that should not be missed.

Be sure to check out Jain at jain-music.com and on iTunes.