Rowjay’s conquest of France is clearly well underway.
On Thursday evening (July 3), in Paris’s 20th arrondissement, Rowjay set an open-air concert ablaze to celebrate the release of La Vie Rapide Deluxe, his latest project that dropped on June 30, 2025. Organized by Clear Water Productions, the event was a pivotal moment — both for the Montreal rapper and his French collaborators, united around a project that marks Rowjay’s deepening roots in the Francophone rap scene.
“Rowjay was the first artist we worked with as concert producers. We grew alongside his career development. There’s a sense of reciprocity we wanted to embody,” explains Théodore Banovsky, founder of Clear Water Productions.
Behind the decks, DJ Syga (Rowjay’s official DJ), Noël (a Montreal-based DJ), and French DJ Blasé crafted a tailor-made atmosphere — reflecting the rapper’s transatlantic world, blending cartoon trap vibes with nods to web culture.
A distinctive voice caught between two rap worlds
Hailing from East Montreal, Rowjay has built his career on the fringes of Quebec rap, carving out an offbeat and highly referential style. Cartoonish ad-libs, a sharp sense of fashion, absurd humor, and a digital DIY ethos. The artist has made a unique mark with cult projects like Carnaval de Finesse and Hors Catégorie. His collaborations with Myth Syzer and Alpha Wann have since paved the way for broader recognition in France.
Now based between Montreal and Paris, Rowjay is steadily making waves with notable appearances on Planète Rap, Booska-P, and festivals such as La Magnifique Society, La Cigale, Yardland and Les Ardentes. These stages confirm his growing presence in the French rap scene, which he explores with calm confidence — following a 17-date tour last year that took him across the Francophone corners of Europe.
With La Vie Rapide Deluxe, he reveals a new side to his artistry: a project still rich in clever references and spirit, but also venturing into more melodic and undeniably catchy territory.
The European shift is underway
With over 36 million cumulative streams on Spotify and around 90,000 monthly listeners, Rowjay is now more widely heard in Paris than in Montreal. The year 2025 promises to be busy: a date at the Bataclan is already scheduled, along with several upcoming European festival appearances.
@ledonito
There's an increasing link between Quebec and Europe through a new wave of Francophone hip-hop. Rowjay has been one of its pivotal figures. Last year, producer High Klassified cited him as one the trailblazers when it comes to Quebec artists building a deep connection with fans in France. "Both in terms of fanbase and consistency, he stands out," he said.
Watching so many engaged fans gather around him in Paris, it was clear to see. It felt like a statement of intent: that of a Quebec artist who, by embracing his uniqueness, boldly redraws the boundaries of Francophone rap with humour and a clear vision.
This article was first published in French.
