Bio
Paris-born Tiki Black is a singer-songwriter who was raised in France and Cameroon and currently lives in Manchester, England. Her passion for words and music sustained her during challenging teenage years when family hardship forced her to become self-reliant very early on.
Her songs reflect her many and varied experiences and her multicultural influences.
Tiki Black sings her deeply personal lyrics and accompanies herself on the piano. She is now following her personal dream and is increasingly found at some of the more popular open music events in and around Manchester. Her songs, sung in English, French and her native Douala, never fail to move the audiences who attend her website and live performances.
Tiki writes all her own music and lyrics, with inspiration gleaned from artists from every corner of the globe. In France she has been inspired by Charles Aznavour, Georges Brassens and the classical melodies of the Polish composer Frederic Chopin. Her African heritage has given her Manu Dibango and Eboa Lotin. Caribbean influences have mainly come from Bob Marley. UK favourites include Queen, Sting and the Beatles and favourites from across the Atlantic include Michael Jackson, Dolly Parton, Alanis Morissette, Tori Amos and Fiona Apple.
In 2009 one of Tiki's songs, "Swollen", was a finalist in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest after she won a membership to the Broadjam website on the strength of another of her songs, "Free Like Smoke".
Having played widely in North West England, Tiki is now finalising gigs in Europe and North America. She has just released her first album "Out of the Black" on July, 16 2013 and filming the corresponding videos.