Rapper, MC, lyricist and music maker Papillon is an inspiration in his native Portugal. The artist started with the GROGnation hip-hop crew in the 2010s before releasing solo projects from 2017—each track equal parts melody and energy. His 2018 debut album Deepak Looper, produced by Portuguese legend Slow J, charted his journey to stardom, warts and all. After a subsequent series of collabs with top talents, a greater sense of musical and lyrical maturity was reflected in 2022’s Jony Driver. Papillon isn’t afraid to tackle love and loss—or pop and rock, for that matter—in his work, as long as it’s from the heart.