PORCELAIN ID

PORCELAIN ID

Porcelain id's maverick style and commanding voice have become a champion for authenticity. The Rwandan-born twenty-something grew up in a small Belgian village. Here began a journey into the world of music at a young age, guided by perseverance. 

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You just moved to the big city, you end up at a party where you don't know anyone and someone walks up to you and asks: "Hey, are you alone here?". That is exactly the feeling that Porcelain id describes on their debut album Bibi:1, short for the Arabic pet name Habibi. Porcelain id is the pseudonym under which Hubert Tuyishime (they/them/their) has been unleashing unique songs since 2020.

The album - inspired by their move from a quiet provincial town to Antwerp - is the soundtrack to walking into city traffic during rush hour and trusting to get out of the chaos in one piece. It is an ode to exciting encounters with complete strangers and to the friends you can come home to afterwards. A story about being a stranger in a city you've romanticized for so long, the rejection that comes with it, and the false nostalgia with which you look back on it all later on.

At first hearing, the completely English-language Bibi:1 may seem like a brusque farewell to the autobiographical intimacy and lo-fi singer-songwriter music on the previously released EPs Mango and Reprise, and especially on songs like Vlaanderen. But to Porcelain id it feels like an organic evolution. One towards more abstraction, experimentation and electronics, but never detached, and still building on the core of Porcelain id.

The new sound is the result of an intense collaboration with producer and partner in crime Youniss Ahamad, who, despite their different musical backgrounds, immediately felt challenged after Porcelain id's legendary elevator pitch: 'I want to make something that is situated between Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Yeezus by Kanye West'.

Together they drew the blueprint for Bibi:1 in Youniss' home studio. Track by track, without looking back. A sporadic, but rigid process that added to the intensity of the album. In the studio, the songs were taken to a higher level. The two invited a pack of talented friends and young musicians to the studio to add parts, a stark contrast to the solitary approach of previous EPs. Aram Abgaryan (recording engineer/synths/vocals), Nard Houdmeyers (guitar), Tim Caramin (drums), David Idrisov (bass), Alban Sarens (sax) and Emma Hessels (vocals) came by. Aram Santy was at the controls during the mixing sessions.

The result sounds like the ultimate symbiosis of Porcelain id and Youniss. Lofi, but ambitious. Fragile, but rough. Poppy, but disruptive. Sometimes challenging. Then welcoming again. Sometimes even danceable. Each song forms a small vignette that is part of a diverse, but coherent unity. Adam Coming Home and Low Poly are closest to the melancholy of Porcelain id's earlier work, while Lights! strikes a new path. First single Man Down, on the other hand, is inspired by the Antwerp students who drown every year and sounds like a wandering nightly stroll through the city. For Brilliant, David Idrisov was asked to 'play bass as if Chet Baker were not a trumpet player, but a bass player', a bizarre assignment that he accomplished with verve. And Cellophane flirts with emo trap and was sung with raspberries between the teeth, to simulate the effect of grills.

Bibi:1 will be released on Unday Records in February 2024. Porcelain id has emerged in recent years as one of the promising talents on the Belgian scene, won the renowned Sound Track competition, built a solid live reputation and was called 'a folk singer for new times' by national newspaper De Morgen. With this unique and crushing album, Porcelain id seems to be on its way to conquering a place all its own, far away from formats and from the beaten path.

Tourdates

No upcoming shows

Tour History

Date Band Location
15-04-2023 Hnita Jazz Club PORCELAIN ID Heist op den Berg, BE
14-04-2023 Emerge! @ Eden PORCELAIN ID Charleroi, BE
12-04-2023 Kernbom PORCELAIN ID Wilrijk, BE
26-03-2023 Open Book @ CC Mechelen PORCELAIN ID Mechelen, BE
26-03-2023 Waargebeurd @ Arenberg PORCELAIN ID Antwerpen, BE
21-03-2023 Herman de Coninckprijs @ Platform Bernaerts PORCELAIN ID Antwerpen, BE
11-03-2023 Grasnapolsky PORCELAIN ID Scheemda, NL
28-02-2023 CCHA (+ Meskerem Mees) PORCELAIN ID Hasselt, BE
17-02-2023 Koninklijke Stadsschouwburg (+ Meskerem Mees) PORCELAIN ID Brugge, BE
16-02-2023 Toneelhuis (+ Meskerem Mees) PORCELAIN ID Antwerpen, BE

Press

14-02-2024

"Tuyishime finds a fine tension between fragility and disturbances. Porcelain id's another unique Belgian pop songwriter." DE STANDAARD wwww

13-02-2024

"An eclectic infusion of inspired folk with raw soul and edgy electronica. (...) A particularly idiosyncratic debut, as poetically evocative as it is confrontational." FOCUS KNACK

08-02-2024

"'Bibi:1' is an unforgettable experience. This is one of those records that people later make documentaries about: utterly unique and ahead of its time." DA MUSIC

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pressview

07-03-2024

"An exciting newcomer in the broad field of the modern folk+singer/songwriter cosmos. " MUSIKREVIEWS.DE

album
04-03-2024

"(...) the looks, moves, voice & songs of a star." LEIDSCH DAGBLAD on Porcelain id live at Peels Slowly & See

live
04-03-2024

"(...) on their way to conquer the music-minded Netherlands." 3VOOR12 on Porcelain id live at Peel Slowly & See

live
25-02-2024

"Porcelain id delivers a sensational debut with Bibi:" PRETTYINNOISE

album
24-02-2024

"Seems Crazy? Sounds like it too (...)" GVA wwww

album
22-02-2024

"Echoes of Bowie" Front page + Interview in HAARLEMS DAGBLAD (NL)

album
22-02-2024

"Diamond in the rough" FOCUS VIF

album
21-02-2024

"Epic & intimate" FOCUS KNACK wwww

album
19-02-2024

"A melancholic, experimental and at the same time bloody beautiful collection of songs." DANSENDE BEREN wwww

album
18-02-2024

"(...) as if The Libertines landed in a smokey jazz club, stomping through wild night" NEGATIVE WHITE + INTERVIEW

album
16-02-2024

"A strong debut" KULTUR IM BLOG

album
16-02-2024

"Porcelain id delivers a solid, original and very recognisable debut album that doesn't go by unnoticed." LUMINOUS DASH

album
16-02-2024

"Porcelain id possesses broad musical interests, a creative mind and elastic vocal chords. Porcelain id is an asset." OOR + INTERVIEW 

album
16-02-2024

"On their debut album Bibi:1, Hubert Tuyishime aka Porcelain id shows they are ready to claim a place in Belgian pop history" DE MORGEN

album
14-02-2024

"Tuyishime finds a fine tension between fragility and disturbances. Porcelain id's another unique Belgian pop songwriter." DE STANDAARD wwww

album
13-02-2024

"An eclectic infusion of inspired folk with raw soul and edgy electronica. (...) A particularly idiosyncratic debut, as poetically evocative as it is confrontational." FOCUS KNACK

album
08-02-2024

"'Bibi:1' is an unforgettable experience. This is one of those records that people later make documentaries about: utterly unique and ahead of its time." DA MUSIC

album
22-01-2024

"enchanted the audience with their beautiful, big voice, perfect timing and ravishing songs" LEEUWARDER COURANT

live
15-11-2023

"Adam Coming Home" video premier on PINGUINRADIO (NL)

album
15-11-2023

"Porcelain id brings a beautiful piece of tenderness to life on 'Adam Coming Home'." DANSENDE BEREN

album
14-11-2023

Interview by LA VAGUE PARALLÈLE with Porcelain id 

album
09-11-2023

"One of the best picks on Fifty Lab: Porcelain id" FOCUS VIF

live
25-08-2023

Interview with Porcelain id by BRUZZ

album
04-08-2023

Porcelain id interviewed by DE STANDAARD

album
28-09-2022

"More than rightfully claiming their place in the Belgian Musicscene" INDIESTYLE

album
26-09-2022

"The polyphonic equivalent of a rainbow" OHLALALA on Porcelain id live in Brussels 

live
26-09-2022

Interview with Porcelain id in DE MORGEN

album
17-09-2022

"Reprise shows the versatility of this promising artist" DAMUSIC 

album
30-08-2022

"An amazing song by a damn' amazing musician." LUMINOUS DASH on Porcelain id's 'Blauw'

album
10-06-2022

Interview in FOCUS KNACK + Video premiere of 'Vlaanderen'

album
08-06-2022

Interview with Porcelain id by OHLALALA

album
23-02-2022

Porcelain id in FOCUS KNACK

album
22-02-2022

"So yes, Porcelain id have got it..." LUMINOUS DASH on Porcelain id live

live
26-01-2022

Porcelain id is PROXIMUS PICKX's artist of the week

live
06-01-2022

DANSENDE BEREN interviews Porcelain id

live
19-12-2021

"It didn't take more than two sentences to make the room go completely silent." DANSENDE BEREN on Porcelain id live

live
19-12-2021

"A deserved standing ovation" LUMINOUS DASH on Porcelain id live at Sound Track 2021

live
10-10-2021

"This is honest, furious, in love, hopeful, heartbreaking and fragile in all colours." LUMINOUS DASH on Porcelain id live

live
09-10-2021

For those still wondering why we are such fans of competitions like Sound Track? For magical moments like this. DANSENDE BEREN on Porcelain id live at Sound Track

live
27-09-2021

Porcelain id interviewed by LUMINOUS DASH

live
Video 

Porcelain id - Brilliant

Porcelain id - Adam Coming Home (Live@VrtRadio1 Wonderland)

Porcelain id - Moon (Live@VrtRadio1 Wonderland)

Porcelain Id speelt Brilliant, Cellophane en Adam Coming Home live @ KINK

Porcelain id - Moon

Porcelain id - Cellophane (Official Video)

Porcelain id - Adam Coming Home (Official Video)

Porcelain id - Man Down! (Official Video)

Porcelain id feat. Martha Da'ro - Rhythm Machine (Official Video)

Porcelain id - Blauw (Official Video)

Porcelain id - Vlaanderen (Official Video)

Porcelain id - MONTANA (Acoustic Version)

Porcelain id - NO DENIM (Acoustic Version)

Porcelain id - MUSCHEL (Acoustic Version)

Porcelain id - MONTANA ft. NARD (Official Video)

The Arts (demo)

Photos