Shay (rapper) Biography: Age, Net Worth, Parents, Brothers, Songs, Albums, Awards

Shay is a Belgian francophone rapper and singer whose presence in the music scene began when she featured on Booba’s track Cruella in 2011.

Her solo career took off with the release of Jolie Garce in 2016, which drew widespread attention through bold and honest lyrics combined with a distinctive blend of hip-hop, urban pop, trap, and R&B.

Profile

• Full name: Vanessa Lesnicki
• Nickname: Shay
• Date of birth: 16 August 1992
• Age: 33 years old
• Gender: Female
• Place of birth: Brussels, Belgium
• State/Province of origin: Brussels
• Nationality: Belgian
• Profession: Rapper, singer, songwriter
• Parents: Father Belgian (of Polish-Jewish ancestry), Mother Congolese (Kinshasa origin)
• Siblings: Twin brother Dimitri and brother Olivier (Le Motif)
• Spouse: N/A
• Children: N/A
• Relationship status: N/A
• Religion: N/A
• Ethnicity: Mixed (Polish-Jewish and Congolese)
• Net worth: $1 million

Early Life and Education

Vanessa Lesnicki is now 32 years old. She was born on 16 August 1992 in Brussels and grew up in the neighborhoods of Molenbeek-Saint-Jean and Saint-Josse-ten-Noode.

She is the granddaughter of Congolese rumba singer Tabu Ley Rochereau, who influenced her introduction to music and gave her the stage name “Shay,” which in Yanzi means “she who brings light”. Her twin brother Dimitri and brother Olivier (known as producer Le Motif) supported her early creative projects.

Personal Life

Shay keeps her personal life private. She is single and has not publicly disclosed any romantic relationships or children.

Career

Shay’s career began when Booba invited her to collaborate on Cruella (2011), featured on his mixtape Autopsie Vol. 4. In 2014, she signed to Booba’s 92i label and released singles like XCII and 1200.

Her breakthrough came in 2016 with the single PMW, which earned platinum certification, followed by the album Jolie Garce released in December 2016—this debut was certified gold and later platinum, featuring impactful singles like Biche, Cabeza, and Thibaut Courtois (the latter dedicated to the football goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois), all of which garnered significant certifications.

In 2019, she returned with her second album Antidote (May 10), which featured the single Liquide with Niska and achieved gold certification. She also joined the jury of Netflix’s Rhythm + Flow: Nouvelle École alongside Niska and SCH.

Her third studio album Pourvu qu’il pleuve was released on 19 January 2024 under her own label, Jolie Garce Records, in partnership with Because Music and Virgin.

Shay was honored as Female Artist of the Year at the Flammes (French hip-hop awards) in May 2025, and had previously won the Victoire de la Musique in the Audiovisual Creation category for her video Commando.

Awards

• Victoire de la Musique – Audiovisual Creation (for Commando video) – 2024
• Flamme de l’artiste féminine de l’année (Female Artist of the Year) – Flammes Awards – 2025
• Flamme de la révélation scénique de l’année – Flammes Awards – 2025

Net Worth

Shay is now estimated to be worth well over $1 million.

Social Media

• Instagram: @shayizi

Filmography

Television:

• Rhythm + Flow: Nouvelle École (Judge) – Netflix series

Discography

Albums:

• Jolie Garce (2016)
• Antidote (2019)
• Pourvu qu’il pleuve (2024)

Singles:

• XCII
• PMW
• Biche
• Cabeza
• Thibaut Courtois
• Jolie
• Cocorico
• Notif
• Liquide (feat. Niska)