It’s been months now that we have been hearing about Sliimy, the French pop sensation who made his name on Myspace. Having been praised by Les Inrocks (famous French magazine), insulted by Nolleau, made a star by Perez Hilton, welcomed in Belgium by having cans of beer thrown at him and gracing the cover of the Guardian in the UK, he is admired just as much as he is hated. But what’s more is that it is our admiration and our hatred of him that makes him who he is today.

If in his interview with Spank the famous French fashion creator Jean-Charles de Castelbajac states “ that Pop has the capacity and the versatility of transforming even the darkest things into something up lifting” then it is Sliimy who achieves this to perfection.
So of course, when we see him moulding play dough whilst wearing multi coloured clothes, it seems more natural to make fun of him than to take him seriously. It’s sad but true that today it’s often considered cool to look down on someone who chooses to be so individual and expressive than to praise them. Except Sliimy couldn’t care less. He experienced a lot at a very young age, he tragically lost his mother, came to terms with his sexuality and started sporting his own extravagant look. The advantages of not fitting the mould, as Sliimy has discovered, is that you become less hesitant about going to extremes and exceeding the limits. Stop trying to please everyone around you when pleasing yourself is more important. Learn to be happy with who you are.

So Sliimy may not just be the colourful figure we see in his videos but someone with a darker side, someone who as a child given half the chance would rip the head of his favourite doll or pull the stuffing out of his teddy bear. We made a photo shoot of this side and, as if by magic, it illustrates perfectly the ideas which are found in the great track Magic Game.

« You said i’m gay, but i’m cool
Maybe anorexic, but look at you »

« Do you like to hurt me, yeah that’s cool
But when i’m crying, it’s not you »

« You should taste my cupcake, it’s for you
Cause Mister Sliimy can kill you with some food »

« Congratulations ’cause now i have a big inspiration guys
What kind of magic game can i play with you
I whisper ‘abracadabra’
Listening time now »

Listen to Magic Game in this topic (GO TO « SCORPION »)

Sliimy on Myspace : www.myspace.com/sliimy

TEXT : Raphaël Cioffi
PICS : Ludo Martin
Thanks to Sam and Sophie for the translation.