From the streets of Cameroon to the global stage, Philbill’s sound is neither an echo nor a copy. It is a rooted reinvention, a bold fusion of tradition and modernity, of local rhythms and global appeal. For our 4th edition focused on “Fusion,” the artist opens up about his journey, his philosophy of music, and his call for authenticity in an era of artistic mimicry.

1- Good morning, Phillb Thank you so much for answering our question. Philbill:
It’s an honor. IYANKA Magazine : First things first: your music feels like a living laboratory where tradition, modernity, languages and emotions coexist. When did you realize that this fusion was your true artistic identity? Philbill : I started this philosophy. I call it a philosophy because in the beginning, it felt like a genre. But then I realized these sounds were already created by our predecessors. So I’m just here to continue what they began. That’s why I call it a philosophy, an amelioration of all Cameroonian traditional sonorities into contemporary form. That’s what I call Bikossa. It’s not actually Bikutsi or Makossa as many think. It’s a philosophy that blends all Cameroonian traditional sonorities into a contemporary sound.

2 – For our reader’ perusing, when did it all begin?
I started this philosophy in 2013. And it wasn’t an easy journey because back then, everyone was all about Afrobeats, Hip-Hop, and R&B. At first, I was going along with the trend too. But it got to a point where I asked myself: who is Philbill? Where am I coming from? What sound identifies me as a Cameroonian man? So I began digging, researching, and I stumbled upon many Cameroonian sonorities. I realized that Cameroon is incredibly rich in music and culture. That’s when I started this fusion. My first experiment was “Danzia,” a feature we did with X-Maleya. People loved it. They welcomed the philosophy. So I kept going. I did “Dumba” and “Mariage”, still with X-Maleya, blending Makuné, Bendskin and more. Cameroonians embraced it, and not just Cameroonians, but also other parts of Africa and even globally. So I stuck with it.

3 – You’ve mentioned cultural diversity and richness. We also have a rich linguistic heritage in Cameroon. You blend French, English, and local languages in your songs. How do you decide which language carries which emotional message?
Philbill : Cameroon is a bilingual country. At the beginning of my career, I sang only in English. Then something happened. I performed at YaFe with my former group Ridimz. We did one of our hit songs, “Honeymoon for Jerusalem,” and nobody in the crowd knew it. That was shocking because the song was a massive hit in the English-speaking part of Cameroon and some West African countries. That day, I told my partner we need to go bilingual. We needed to add French to our music to reach a wider audience, especially since French speakers form the majority in Cameroon.

4- That was also a smart business decision, right? P
We needed to start thinking business. That’s when I began fusing French, Pidgin English, English, and sometimes even my vernacular. I wanted to reach a wider audience. Each language carries emotion. When I sing in English, I feel it. When I sing in Pidgin or French, it’s the same. Interestingly, many French-speaking Cameroonians relate more to Pidgin than to English itself. That’s why I play a lot with Pidgin and French. Even people outside Cameroon, in Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Kenya relate to it. Take Shabasiko, for instance. It’s an intercontinental hit because it’s multilingual: Pidgin, English, French. And the rhythm is a blend of Assiko, electronic world music, R&B… It resonates even in the U.S. and South America, where genres like cha-cha and merengue are popular.

5 – Would you say you’ve achieved your goal with that?
Not yet. I’m still striving. I still have a long way to go, and I’m working hard every day. Bikossa is meant to reach not just Africa, but the entire world. I want to be on the biggest stages such as Coachella, Afro Nation. When I start getting to those platforms, I’ll know I’m getting close. Right now, I’m still building the foundation.

6 – Are there any specific traditional sounds, instruments, chimes, or rhythms, that live within you and that you feel committed to preserving?
Definitely. There are instruments that deeply inspire me. The djembe, for instance, it speaks to every African soul. It’s ancestral. I always include it in my productions, whether for others or myself. It’s full of percussion, and percussion brings rhythm. Africans love rhythm. We love to dance. Then there’s the tama (or “talking drum”), an ancient West African instrument, especially among the Fulani. I also love the piano. It speaks to me. After building the rhythm with percussions, I move to melody. That’s where the piano comes in. It helps me create chords that touch the soul. I also use shekeres as they bring that crispiness, movement, enthusiasm. These instruments are part of my DNA.

7 – Staying on the topic of production, when you create, do you aim to please yourself, represent your people, or surprise your audience?
Philbill : I do music for my people. I’m Cameroonian, I must represent where I come from. Even when aiming for international audiences, my foundation remains rooted in Cameroonian authenticity. I infuse elements from all regions: the Far North, Northwest, Southwest, Centre, Littoral, everywhere. Only after that do I begin adding elements of electric music, R&B, soul, jazz, or hip hop. I want someone — a Portuguese, for example — to hear my song and ask, what genre is this? Who is this artist? What instruments is he using? That curiosity is what I seek. That’s how we stand out. I don’t follow the bandwagon. I want people to hear something new, original, authentic.

8 – Would you say, in some way, your music is a form of resistance? If so, what are you resisting?
Absolutely. I grew up joyful, during a time when Cameroonian music, Makossa especially, was at its peak. It was played worldwide: in France, America, across Europe. Legends like Manu Dibango, Petit Pays, Ben Decca, and others were international stars. But over time, things dropped. These legends aged, and our generation didn’t continue their legacy. We started copying from neighboring industries. So yes, my music is resistance. I’m committed to continuing what our predecessors built. That’s my mission.

9- You recently performed at the Institut Français du Cameroun in Douala on June 19, 2025, for the launch of your EP The Soundman. That venue tends to attract a culturally diverse audience. Can you describe the atmosphere that evening and how the audience connected with your music?
Philbill : Absolutely. Performing at the Institut Français in Douala was a significant milestone. The hall was warm and vibrant, filled with a mix of dedicated fans, curious art lovers, last-minute ticket buyers, and cultural partners. You could feel the energy even before I took the stage. When the first notes of Bikossa started, even those who had just arrived late began clapping and dancing. That spontaneous energy showed how hungry people were for something authentic. It was beautiful, full of life and real connection.

10- What was your biggest takeaway from that night, as an artist and as a performer?
Philbill : The biggest lesson was that music really bridges people. As the show went on, I saw people from different backgrounds, young and old, locals and expats, dancing to rhythms rooted in Cameroonian tradition. That night reminded me why I’m doing this. It wasn’t just a performance, it was a cultural moment. For me, it proved that Bikossa touches people and that audiences are ready for something original and soulful. That connection taught me a lot and gave me even more motivation to keep pushing the philosophy forward.

11 – Brilliant! Any final message to your fellow artists in Cameroon?
What I really want to tell my fellow artists, especially those coming up in Cameroon, is simple. Be authentic. Be genuine. Whether you’re from the Littoral, the Centre, the North, the Far North, the West, or wherever you come from, stay true to your roots. Don’t just follow trends. Try to modernize what our elders already created. Give it that new life, that new energy. Because honestly, if you want to do Afropop, you’ll never do it better than a Nigerian. If you go and try Kopele-Kalé, you won’t outdo someone like Alboran. But when you do something that belongs to your land, your culture, your rhythm, your dialect — no one else can do it better than you. That’s our real power. That’s how we’ll stand out. That’s how we’ll make the difference.

12 – Many thanks for welcoming us. We wish you all the best.
Thank you too for having me.

From Iyanka Magazine 4 – Interview by Enow James Tifuh