“ET SI ON DONNAIT LA PAIX” By Harmonie Byll Catarya

In a world often deafening, where conflicts seem omnipresent, "Et Si on donnait la paix" by slam artist Harmonie Byll Catarya stands as a cry of the soul, an invitation to reflection and reconciliation. Through a subtly orchestrated composition that blends the softness of soul with the intensity of neo-gospel, the depth of hip-hop with the drive of contemporary pop, the artist poignantly questions the contradictions and struggles tearing humanity apart. The work, with its rich instrumental and emotional layers, is both a way of rethinking humanity in its humanness and a call to action, urging the listener to reconsider power dynamics, hierarchies, and the importance of unity. A striking element of this work is its fusion of musical genres. With soul predominating at nearly 60%, "Et Si on donnait la paix" immerses us in a soothing atmosphere, while injecting striking touches that inspire a movement of both body and mind. The piano, which opens and guides the melody, adds a tender dimension, enhanced by saxophone melodies that "warm the chest," almost as if to "keep us in the heart of the matter." The two then collaborate in the synthesis of drums and basses, adding an underlying groove without ever overshadowing the introspective tone of the piece. The additions that highlight specific details mark the rhythm of reflection, ensuring a pulse that echoes "the rhythm of thoughts in motion."

The encounter between these harmonies is subtle: a rich instrumentation, but never overwhelming, allowing Harmonie Byll Catarya's voice to fully express itself. The voice, always full of nuance, oscillates between "melancholy and seduction," while remaining rooted in palpable positive emotion. This duality of the work, mixing softness and tension, allows it to be understood as "an inner dialogue," where contradictions meet to resolve themselves.The lyrics, powerful in their simplicity, invite us to self-inspection and then to collective introspection on the meaning of humanity and the human relationship with others. The lyrics, in their call to action, describe violence and war, the relational fracture that has settled, to the point where "common sense stops flowing in our discussions / And we prefer to shed blood by going to arms."

In “Et Si on donnait la paix”, Harmonie Byll Catarya develops a writing that is both lyrical and militant, where each word seems weighed, each image carefully chosen to convey a deep reflection on the breaks that scar humanity. In addition to building emotion in the heart of the listening experience, the artist uses a series of stylistic figures to amplify the central message of the work.

In this sense, the metaphor of "fire" and "ashes" strikingly illustrates the destruction caused by inaction, while the personification (as a means of accentuation) of peace and war, which "flee" and "rejoice," highlights the almost living dimension of these opposing concepts. Through the repeated use of anaphora in the chorus, the highlighted choir, and the slam artist, the work encourages collective awareness, making this call universal. Hence the rhetorical question, "Et Si on donnait la paix" does not expect an immediate answer but invites the listener to question their own position in relation to their practices of controversy and antagonisms.

This writing, nourished by contrasts (antitheses, oxymorons), sometimes implicit comparisons, and oxymorons emphasizing the tragic, serves to intensify the message, the warning, and the urgency to seize it as an immediate concern. This stylistic richness, supported by a simplicity of formulation, allows Harmonie Byll Catarya to find the right tone despite the gravity of what she evokes. And beyond the form, it gives her the strength to denounce, to question, to shake, to provoke, to awaken, to disturb, to stir, to awaken consciousness, to challenge, to inspire indignation, to ignite minds, to raise awareness, to mobilize, and, ultimately, to propose a path toward reconciliation and peace.

Just as she seeks to debunk the structural chiasmus she describes and criticizes: "The leader takes aim at the people who elected him, forgetting that he is also part of them," it also highlights the irreversibility of certain human actions: "Men prefer to lose by letting the ashes take over the logs they could have saved from the embers." By confronting the melancholy of the times with an optimistic vision, Harmonie Byll Catarya offers a true lesson, even a perspective of peace, where speech becomes not only a warning but also a path to healing.

In ''Et Si on donnait la paix", the use of multilingualism proves to be a powerful tool to build bridges between cultures, to mend broken ties, and to make belonging communicate. Through the alternation between French, English, and Fongbé, Harmonie Byll Catarya offers a transversal approach to peace, where each language represents not only a community but also a space for mutual sharing and understanding. This linguistic choice reflects the artist's desire to help us surpass borders, to go beyond cultural shores, and to reach a form of unity in the valorization of uniqueness. Indeed, from the beginning of the work, where a child's voice carries the opening line as a call to the future, to the closing choruses, where the plurality of voices and languages resonates like a call to a common clamor, the artist structures her discourse around this coherence of intention.

She thus reminds us that peace must be passed on to future generations, offering them the keys to healthy and purified interaction. Through this multilingualism, the work emphasizes the need to teach children the importance of empathy, mutual respect, and solidarity. At the same time, it reminds adults that they have a crucial role to play as models. Their behavior, actions, and choices are silent teachings that children intuitively absorb by observation, learning through imitation. Adults are therefore called to constantly improve, embodying the values they wish to pass on and sing about, in order to guide the youth toward a more just and harmonious future.

This message is all the more powerful as it unfolds in a threefold dynamic: through Fongbé, a Beninese language that anchors the artist in her roots; French, the everyday language of function; and English, the language that opens up to the international. By doing so, Harmonie Byll Catarya invites us to bridge local realities and global issues. Ultimately, through the languages used, "Et Si on donnait la paix" becomes an anthem to transversality, a reminder of the unity of peoples, and an encouragement to unite our forces to repair the rifts that divide us, to open the way to a synergy for all.

Beyond its sonic beauty and the depth of its lyrics, "Et Si on donnait la paix" is first and foremost a manifesto. It is a work that invites personal and collective commitment, to rise against injustices and seek peace through dialogue and solidarity. Harmonie Byll Catarya does not just describe the world as it is; she offers a vision, a possible utopia. This utopia is neither naïve nor idealized, but grounded in the reality of current tensions. Peace is not presented as an unattainable ideal, but as a process that everyone must undertake.

Like the armistice that Harmonie Byll Catarya calls for, the work finds its strength in its message of hope and transformation. It urges us to transcend divisions and to question the mechanisms of division, while offering a positive alternative, a path to a more just world. In this sense, her work, at the crossroads of paths, raises a challenge and, at the same time, a promise: that of a better world, provided we accept to connect our bonds. "Et Si on donnait la paix" by Harmonie Byll Catarya is an act of resistance, resilience, and a statement of faith in humanity.