Girard

Girard is a Papua New Guinean born, Afro-Canadian rapper/producer based in Vancouver, B.C. 

For Girard, making hip hop beats was a way to channel elements of his Papua New Guinean heritage into a creative outlet. Growing up in two distinct cultural environments –  the southwestern Pacific island and Comox, British Columbia – Girard riffs off of his surroundings to craft his records, using a multimedia approach to lyricism and music production.

Girard’s beats create an understated yet evocative musical landscape that emphasize his narrative. His sonics are melancholy and minimalistic, with heavy distorted tones, warped synths and ominous drums. His lyrics are both introspective and hedonistic, vacillating between stories of sex and drugs and the complex journey of a man discovering himself. Influenced by the people, places and circumstances around him, Girard bottles his experiences through time and space into rhythms and rhymes.

Witnessing his friends struggle with depression and suicide during his high school years in Comox is what motivated Girard to pursue music. Without any formal musical training or background, he vowed to follow his passion, moving to Vancouver in 2015 with hopes that chasing his dream would inspire others to do the same.

After relocating to the rainy city, Girard searched online to find opportunities to perform, with his most notable gig to date being the Lonely Hearts Club Show at Vancouver’s iconic Fortune Sound Club. The performance took place on March 4, 2018 and showcased an array of acts, with several musicians hailing from Girard’s hometown.  

In December 2017, Girard released his debut project, a 7 track EP titled Sincerely Urz the Homo Sapien. During the two-year recording process, Girard stopped cutting and combing his hair altogether, to distance himself from human vanity and create from a more spiritual headspace.

Currently, a more groomed Girard is working on launching a weekly hip-hop night in downtown Vancouver, Workout Wednesdays. He plans on helping host the event and will be performing at the grand opening on April 18, 2018.