Whether you liked it or not, 2025 was definitely a productive year for Vald. Between ‘Pandemonium’, its hardcore techno reloaded version, and ‘Magnificat’, a mixtape compiling pop, techno and rock tracks, the French rapper never stopped to surprise his fans, for the better or for the worse. Today, we’re going to analyse this project and show how the artist contributes to the expansion and richness of French rap.
Valentin Le Du was born on 15 July 1992 in Le Blanc-Mesnil in Seine-Saint Denis. The rapper, often known for his provocative songs and interviews, remains one of the most mainstream rappers of the last ten years. With a triple platinum album (‘Xeu’, over 300,000 sales) and numerous diamond singles, ‘Désaccordé’ being probably the most famous, Vald no longer really has anything to prove to the public. The year 2025 was clearly one of renewal. Firstly, his album Pandemonium was appreciated by critics and listeners alike as a very good album, better than the previous one (‘V’). But the artist really surprised everyone with a hardcore techno ‘reloaded’ version of his album, with producers Vladimir Cauchemar and Todiefor. If you’re interested in the subject, I invite you to read my article on the emergence of ‘frapcore’.
What interests us here is the latest surprise project he released during his concert at Paris La Défense Arena on November 29th 2025. ‘Magnificat’, a project unveiled on this occasion and teased by numerous excerpts on social media, caused quite reactions with its style. Once again, Valentin has surprised us. The sounds are very varied and, at first glance, quite different from the rap we are used to hearing from him. What’s more, in interviews, Vald revealed that he recorded these ten tracks the previous summer, with no specific goal in mind, just for fun. I think it’s quite healthy that an artist who is already well established in the French music scene can decide to release such an eclectic project that is so far removed from current listening standards, just for fun.
I now invite you to dissect this project and analyse its originality through the different tracks.
The project opens with ‘Blauwburgwal’, a direct reference to the address of the Airbnb where Vald and his girlfriend stayed in the Netherlands. It is a very factual piece, almost a logbook of his holidays, carried by French chanson sounds. The humour remains present, particularly when Valentin expresses his surprise at the omnipresence of bicycles, transforming a simple anecdote into a refreshing track. In the same vein, ‘Dans la rue’ uses electro influences to describe very simple everyday scenes. It’s a fairly original track and, honestly, difficult to classify as it strays so far from the usual standards.
The eponymous track, ‘Magnificat’, offers a particularly positive ‘techno parade’ vibe. It’s rare to hear Vald sound so serene. This is the opposite of the deep melancholy of previous tracks like ‘Journal Perso II’ or ‘Roche noire’. One gets the feeling that he has dealt with his old demons (family, money, love) to make way for a sense of fulfilment. This positive mood continues on ‘Retomber amoureux’, a true pop song. The rapper himself seems surprised by his ability to experience such feelings, and this sincerity is refreshing to hear.
With ‘Dimension parallèle’, we find a techno production that could have featured on Pandemonium Reloaded. He talks about his partner but takes the opportunity to take a dig at those who seek only recognition in the music industry. On ‘Jolie fleur’, he uses a sample from Brassens to confess his past lies and false promises to his audience. The techno bridge in the middle of the track creates a surprising but effective break.
The album takes a darker turn with ‘Abysses’, a rock-inspired track that is closer to Vald’s usual style, while relying on a highly unusual instrumental for French rap. The social criticism continues with ‘Décadence’, a simple but powerful track about the excesses of society, and ‘Strass & paillettes’, a rock track that denounces the emptiness of the image-conscious industry. Here, Valentin seems to be searching for a truth deeper than superficial success.
At the end of the project, ‘Changer d’air’ fully embraces the shift to pop and the desire to try out all styles. It is a manifesto in which he explains that pleasure should be the only driving force behind creation, despite the doubts of record labels. ‘Toujours pareil’ revisits the classic tensions of a couple, once again with an effective techno bridge. Finally, ‘Mamacita’ perfectly illustrates the spirit of the project : no reflection or calculation. He raps in English with a deliberately exaggerated French accent over a very dancing beat, proving that he no longer imposes any limits on himself.
In Magnificat, Vald has retained the techno touch he brought to Pandemonium Reloaded, but he has gone further by also creating tracks inspired by pop, rock and French chanson. Recurring themes are love and criticism of the industry. This is the first time Vald has talked so much about love in a project, or at least in such a positive way. The strength of this album is that there are no limits in terms of artistic creation. Pleasure and freedom from constraints dictate the creative process, and you can really feel it. The Vald of Magnificat is very different from the Vald of Xeu. You can sense that Valentin has grown and matured. He is freer to do what he wants and is no longer bound by the profit-driven logic of labels and record companies. This independence is not only an artistic choice, it is also an economic reality made possible by his Echelon Records structure. By being his own producer, Vald frees himself from the pressures made by traditional major labels, which often demand immediate profitability and hits formatted for radio or streaming playlists. Where a traditional artistic director would probably have refused to release an album such as Magnificat or Pandemonium Reloaded for fear of losing musical identity, independence allows Valentin to use his financial capital to buy his creative freedom. This is a rare luxury in the industry : turning a mainstream success (such as Xeu) into a shield that allows for pure experimentation, without having to answer to a hierarchy. We can also talk about artistic renewal, even if, as the artist has stated, he will continue to rap.
As a listener, I really enjoyed this project. I think it brings a lot to the current rap scene, which sometimes struggles to renew itself at the mainstream level. I hope other rappers will follow this initiative. Recently, in an interview, rapper SCH said that he might release songs in the style of French chanson in the near future. At a time when most rappers are looking to produce a hit and make a name for themselves on social media (especially TikTok), the creative process can be called into question. Indeed, it is often the same formulas that are popular, and this encourages other rappers to conform to trends. Fortunately, the French rap scene is very rich, and some artists are pushing things forward. One example is the artist Théodora, who exploded onto the scene last year. Previously, she was considered an underground artist with a rather hyperpop style. Today, we can talk about new pop mixed with rap. Her sounds are completely original, and she has attracted the public’s attention by breaking the rap codes. A less mainstream example is the album PRETTY DOLLCORPSE, a project bringing together beatmaker Neophron and rappers Femtogo and Ptite sœur. This project also marked a turning point in French rap, with artist Ptite sœur being transgender and Femtogo openly declaring himself homosexual. The subjects addressed are pain, lack of recognition, childhood and current traumas. Never before has a rap album addressed these subjects as clearly and sincerely as Pretty Dollcorpse.Ten years ago, at the domination of the trap genre, it would have been impossible for such artists to be listened to as rappers. I am convinced that this project has opened doors for many future rappers who will continue to address and democratise these topics, which are still under-represented in rap. Whether in terms of sound or themes, artistic freedom continues to push the boundaries of this musical genre at the crossroads of others.
(It is important to note that this section was written prior to the public allegations concerning Femtogo. While these events fall outside the initial scope of this analysis, they cannot be ignored. The author stands with and supports those who have come forward, and recognizes the importance of listening to and believing victims. These revelations also highlight the structural issues of power, accountability, and gender-based violence that persist within music scenes, including those that position themselves as alternative or progressive.)
However, this freedom comes at a cost : destabilising or even losing part of their original fan base. For many purists, rap is a genre based on street codes and a certain form of ‘kicking’. Seeing their favourite artist switching into pop or techno is sometimes perceived as a betrayal. Yet Vald’s success of his concert at La Défense Arena proves that the audience of 2026 is undergoing a major transformation. Bringing together 45,000 people capable of switching from hardcore pogo dancing to an acoustic ballad shows that the barriers between genres are breaking down. It is no longer a question of ‘betraying rap’, but of offering a hybrid cultural experience that reflects the complexity of our current tastes. Vald no longer seeks to please everyone, he seeks to remain authentic to his own evolution, even if it means his audience has to make the effort to follow him in his various musical explorations.
It is interesting to note that the audacity of a mainstream artist like Vald creates a breath of fresh air for the entire underground scene. By breaking musical taboos at the top of the charts, he indirectly legitimises much more radical projects such as those of Ptite Sœur and Femtogo. If one of the greatest French rappers of today allows himself to sing about his love for his partner in French songs or to experiment with frapcore, this opens the door for themes related to gender identity, sexuality and personal trauma to no longer be excluded from the field of rap. It’s a virtuous circle : the experimentation of the headliners makes the audacity of the next generation more acceptable and audible to the general public.
I strongly encourage you to listen to Magnificat, especially if you don’t like rap. For me, it could be a new gateway to rap, and especially to the world of rapper Vald. Many listeners have been disappointed and no longer identify with this universe, which is less close to rap. Sure, it doesn’t sound like it, but Vald is a rapper and will remain so. So, in my opinion, Magnificat can be classified as a rap album, less for its sound than for the current state of rap, which is increasingly inspired by different styles, contributing to the diversification of the genre.
Below are my top three tracks from Magnificat:
1. Blauwburgwal
2. Retomber amoureux
3. Magnificat
Written by Noé Delhommeau
Sources :
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vald
