OK RYOS is from Maré Island in New Caledonia. This group was created in 1992 by Edward Wamejo, singer and songwriter, with his two sisters and young people of his village. Since then, the best musicians in the country have joined the original trio.
The strength of OK! RYOS lies in the quality and originality of the arrangements and compositions, as well as the purity of the vocal parts. The themes sung in « Nengone » native language Edouard Wamejo ‘s, deal mostly everyday life in tribal traditions Kanak and Oceanian and an inexhaustible subject: love.
Over the past seven years, OK! RYOS knew developed an original style, while remaining in the « Kaneka » movement, and earned an audience of more and more people across the country.
This is from the album « K’APADRAN », the second CD of the group, his popularity was confirmed, with the success of the song « MAYLAN ».
In 1998, the group went to Fiji for « Fiji Music Festival », on an invitation from the French Alliance where he seduced the local public, acoustic configuration as in electric concert. That same year, OK! RYOS participated in Pacific Tempo Festival in Noumea, in the company of artists from Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.
The album « CO ERA SO », released in late 1998, was a new step in the artistic progression of OK! RYOS Edouard Wamejo have introduced new sounds and rhythms in his music, without losing the spirit of Kanak musical tradition.
Two video clips produced in super 16mm by a New Zealand team were able to promote this album in the eyes of an increasingly wide audience and helped to OK! RYOS to be more widely known in the Pacific.
In 1999, the group adopts a trio sound, certainly most revealing potential, and the originality of Edward Wamejo ‘s style by experiencing on many stages, including Napuan Festival Port Vila Vanuatu Festival « Live in August » in Noumea, and Tjibaou Cultural Centre, concert celebrating the 10 years of Mangrove label.
That year also saw the release of « WACOCO the best RYOS OK » compilation featuring the best songs of the group.
In 2000 Edward Wamejo dedicated to the project « Wayly » with many major artists of Kaneka movement.
In 2001, the group will participate in the Rainforest Music Festival in Borneo in Malaysia where he obtained a great success.
The album « Kuni » will be released in 2002, recorded in Noumea and Auckland, this output was accompanied by a series of concerts at the Cultural Centre of Mont-Dore in June 2002.
This will be the band’s latest album, Edouard Wamejo continuing a career under the name « Gulaan. »
Discography:
– MESSIA 1995 (MGV CD 540)
– K’APADRAN 1997 (MGV CD 780)
– CO ERA SO 1998 (CD MGV 1000)
– WACOCO the best OK RYOS 1999 (CD MGV 1100)
– KUNI (MGVCD 1410)
– WACOCO « the best RYOS OK » Vol 2, 2009 (CD MGV 2520)
MAIN EVENTS
1998: Concerts Fiji
Pacific Festival Tempo
Funk Festival Women
1999: Live in August Noumea
Concert 10 years Mangrove CTC
Festival Napuan, Vanuatu
2001 Rainforest Music Festival, Borneo, Malaysia
2002 Concerts Mont Dore