Megne Noubissi Christelle, popularly known as Krys M recently released her highly anticipated album called “Empreinte” (Footprints), a project that encompasses the artist’s journey throw thick and thin. A project acknowledging the lows and highs of the artist’s career.
Krys M has been part of the contemporary music industry since 2013, but she didn’t make her mark until 2022, when her breakthrough came with “Chacun sa Chance”. Ever since that time, it’s been two years of consitency and progress. Even though the artist’s big break came two years ago, we can’t take anything away from her long-standing determination and resilience.
After a successful year of touring and making more music in 2024, the 29-year-old exits the year with a highly classic body of work, which is a bold cultural statement about her journey and the legacy she intends to leave before her time is over. The 13-track album showcases Krys M’s versatility, intentionality and originality.
Note: Krys M’s album is barely like one of the albums you’ve listened to. Besides being an iconic delivery, it should be noted that the singer unlike what most artists often do, didn’t go back to putting old songs from the past just to compile an album. She dedicated time, and delivered a commanding work with some high level of artistry. Besides “Merci” there’s no song we’d heard before.
COVER ART INTERPRETATION
The album cover shows the artist walking away from the scene without looking back. The only reason why people don’t look back when they make a move is because they’ve decided to put a full stop to an activity and this is often with no regrets. This is a futuristic body of work because Krys M is simply showing us that when it’s time, she’d walk away after making her name, and setting the records straight and the standards for the new generation to follow. She’ll leave her musical Footprints. It’s up to us to ask ourselves what we shall leave when it’s time.
TRACK LIST
Solidly, the album consists of 12 tracks, but the Intro counts as a track too, hence Making it 13 tracks.
1. Happiness Matters
2. Aprés le Boulot (After work)
3. Je Pleure (I Cry/ I’m crying)
4. Me Kon wu (I love you) feat Cysoul
5. Mayiki
6. Le Temps (Time)
7. Pie go hela
8. Joli(e) feat André Marie Talla
9. Coco lover
10. Banger
11. Want you back
12. Merci (Thank you)
Interpreting song by song might be published in a different article but to summarize, Krys M has made the best album in 2024, without any exaggeration.
She has maintained one thing; class. She’s not only a good singer but her ability to switch between genres and languages is unsung.
Not many artists can do an album in over four languages. Krys M has just done an album where she delivers her lyrics in : English, French, Bamilike and Pidgin. This might really appear simple, but that’s some high skill. Also switching from Bendskin, to amapiano and makossa in the same album deserves to be highlighted.
Worth mentioning, is organization of the track list. From introducing to the album, the album is enlisted, based on the journey. Truly music lovers listening to this album chronologically, will be able to connect the dots from the first to the last track. The last but not the least track is “Merci” and it’s a track that showcases appreciation to God and her fans…
Collaborations: Doing a Folkloric album with cultural heritage like this one, one would expect the artist to feature or collaborate with at least an iconic artist, which is exactly what Krys M does in this album. She invites legendary André Marie Talla, whose contributions to the African music scene are not questionable. Their collaboration in the “Bendskin” track titled “Joli(e)” is definitely a fan favorite.
Krys M only features two artists in her album. The only artist from the new generation, is Cysoul in “Me kon wu” while the only one from from the generation before now, is André Marie Talla. This only makes Kry M, a credible artist who can connect effortlessly with the present and the past.
RATING : considering the intentionality, cultural relevamce, instrumentation and vocal dexterity as well as the strategic collaborations, the album receives a 9/10 (Publisher’s Rating)
REMARK: “Empreinte” doesn’t only showcases Krys M’s musicality.
At shows her loyalty to the sound that gave her the spotlight that she didnt have before now. It’s true that she has been criticized for doing almost the same thing over and over, but she has shown her loyalty to the sound as well as to the producers who helped her shape the sound.
The album, also paints a vivid picture of the artist’s cultural responsibility and originality. It doesn’t ignore her efforts to reach both the English and the French audiences. She has set the bar so high and anything less than this album, moving forward will get her shot in the leg by fans.
In a nutshell, whether or not the artist goes on to release any body of work moving forward. This album will go down as one of the best works she will ever compile. She soaked her body and soul into it. It’s truly an amazing way to leave her Footprints. The album is quite a classic, dominated by hits.
