He released his first album with other French producer and friend Quetzal (Al Quetz) in 2006. A Hip-Hop tribute to Soul music which was played several times by Gilles Peterson, Benji B, and covered on Okayplayer.com.
At the same time, he started collaborating with American keyboard player called Byron The Aquarius and released an album under the name of The Big Payback in 2007 on Japanese label Circulations. A project full of different influences such as futuristic hip-hop, spaced out and jazzy broken beats. They also appeared on highly praised compilations such as Beat Dimensions and New Worlds.
In 2006, he went to Vietnam for the first time, the land of his grand-parents, and managed to bring back some 30 old records of Chinese and Vietnamese origin. He then made a full album with this material called Chinoiseries. Currently his most critically acclaimed album, "Chinoiseries" became the trademark sound of Onra since the song The Anthem has been chosen to illustrate a Coca-Cola TV commercial for Beijing Olympics.
He is also part of the 7x7 series by Irish label All City. His 2008 project 1.0.8 was inspired by Bollywood music and had been elected as album of the week by many different shops across Europe.
He recently started touring with his two MPC1000's to play some beats live, and has already been performing in Japan, China, Spain, Scotland, Ireland, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, England, Austria, New Zealand, Vietnam, Switzerland, Netherlands, and France.
A New Dynasty
Onra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shíbā suì shēngrì zài jīnzhāo, Zhēnzhū de xīnlǐ zhēn qímiào
Shíbā suì shēngrì zài jīnzhāo, Zhēnzhū de xīnlǐ zhēn qímiào
Shíbā suì shēngrì zài jīnzhāo, Zhēnzhū de xīnlǐ zhēn qímiào
Shíbā suì shēngrì zài jīnzhāo, Zhēnzhū de xīnlǐ zhēn qímiào
Shíbā suì shēngrì zài jīnzhāo, Zhēnzhū de xīnlǐ zhēn qímiào
These lyrics are in Chinese and translate to "Eighteen years old today, in the golden morning glow, the pearl in my heart really shines. Eighteen years old today, in the golden morning glow, the pearl in my heart really shines." The song expresses the emotions of a person who is celebrating their 18th birthday and feeling grateful for the shining pearl in their heart. The pearl here represents the person's innermost feelings and emotions, which are shining bright on this special day. The use of the golden morning glow further emphasizes the importance and happiness associated with the occasion.
The lyrics reflect the Chinese culture's importance given to the coming-of-age celebration. The 18th birthday is a significant milestone as it marks the beginning of adulthood and is considered a symbol of maturity and responsibility. The shining pearl is a metaphor for the purity and beauty of the person's soul, and the morning glow indicates new beginnings and hope for the future.
Onra's song A New Dynasty is a unique blend of East Asian traditional music and modern hip-hop. It features various elements of Chinese music, including traditional instruments, samples, and vocals. The song was released in 2007 and has been instrumental in promoting Chinese music to the global audience. Onra collaborated with Chinese producers and musicians to create this masterpiece, showcasing a new sound that fuses elements from both cultures.
Line by Line Meaning
Shíbā suì shēngrì zài jīnzhāo,
Eighteen years old, celebrating another birthday, in this present moment
Zhēnzhū de xīnlǐ zhēn qímiào
The genuine and precious heart is truly dazzling
Shíbā suì shēngrì zài jīnzhāo,
Eighteen years old, celebrating another birthday, in this present moment
Zhēnzhū de xīnlǐ zhēn qímiào
The genuine and precious heart is truly dazzling
Shíbā suì shēngrì zài jīnzhāo,
Eighteen years old, celebrating another birthday, in this present moment
Zhēnzhū de xīnlǐ zhēn qímiào
The genuine and precious heart is truly dazzling
Contributed by Jacob C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.