The Guinean group Balla et ses Balladins — named for its trumpet player Balla Onivogui — originally released “Paulette” in 1980 on their album Objectif Perfection. It’s unerringly handsome, with pinwheeling, casually virtuosic guitar, reverent massed vocals, a quavery, bleating brass section, and a cooled-out, questing horn solo. To the extent Balla et ses Balladins have a presence on modern streaming services, this is their hit, with 4.6 million streams on Spotify — close to ten times as many as the group’s second most popular track.
One of Onivogui’s many devotees includes the DJ and producer Alain Diamond, who has been filling dancefloors since July with a groove-forward, highly percussive update of “Paulette.” Diamond knows the original gives him a lot to work with, and he lovingly rearranges the gently biting guitar riff, which seems to tie itself in a pretty knot, and the steamrolling brass, which maintains the magnificently shrill sound you hear on older recordings, around a thumping beat heavily syncopated with extra hand drums.
The resulting track is a wonderful collision of time periods — 1980 and 2021 seem to keep trading lead — and tones: The slickly programmed modern drums nod to the latest afro-house, but the guitar and horns blare with the force of tradition. The new “Paulette” is as danceable as it is dissonant.
Monaleo has steadily built a strong connection with listeners over the past few years. She is an MC known for sharp lyricism and a high level of energy that shows up on every record. 2026 is shaping up to be an important year for her, with growing speculation that a larger project may be coming soon. That idea feels even more likely with the arrival of her latest release, “Crossroads Freestyle.” The brief, one minute track landed on YouTube on Tuesday and has already been getting a lot of positive reactions. Once again, Monaleo leans into her confidence, delivering tight verses over a smooth, consistent beat. It is a solid release that fans will definitely want to tap into.
Release Date: April 14, 2026
Genre: Hip-Hop
Album: N/A
Getting cake by the pound, I'm greater than britain
I'm greater than Alex on top like a attic (Uh-uh)
You pushing for Clipse I'm peeping a Malice
But fear ain't a factor I'm up for the challenge
The queen of my palace from Houston, not Dallas
