Toulouse: Wallicorn, a born hard worker, in the land of influencers
After two years of forced absence due to the Covid, Wallis launches his communication agency and returns to animate the social networks of the bar Chez Tonton on the occasion of the 43rd anniversary of the heart of Place Saint-Pierre.
You probably know him as Wallicorn, or Wallis. After two years of forced absence due to the Covid, he returned to animate the social networks of Chez Tonton on the occasion of the 43rd anniversary of the heart of Place Saint-Pierre. On the TikTok account of the bar he initiated for the event, his quirky creations have been viewed millions of times.
He is Charlie Bosse, a multifaceted artist. Graphic designer, videographer, photographer, DJ, rapper… At almost 25 years old, the Toulousain is setting up the offices of his communication agency DRD2 place de la Trinité in the city center, above the Chez Mamie bar. The place is run by Françoise Pujo, known as “Mamie”, the owner of Chez Tonton. “So the circle is complete,” says the entrepreneur, amused by the situation. The community manager [NDLR : en charge de la gestion des réseaux sociaux d’une société ou personnalité] ephemeral gave us an appointment in the establishment for lunch. Seated between a Toulouse sausage and his basket of fries, Wallicorne gradually fades away to make way for Charlie.
“My father would have liked to call me Wallis. It became Wallicorn after a photo posted on Insta where I wear a unicorn helmet, ”he explains simply about his nickname. In 2016, Charlie performs a communication scene at the Couleur de la Culotte,
bar next to Chez Tonton also run by Françoise Pujo. Things are going well and when he leaves ESMA, the Ecole Supérieure des Métiers Artistiques where he studied graphic design in Auzeville-Tolosane, the 19-year-old returns to the bar. In the kitchens this time, where he prepares tapas for a year.
” I’m an artist. Basically I just made my friends laugh with my bullshit.
“Once I came to work in flip flops. Grandma started calling me the tourist, it has remained since, “says Charlie, a smile on his face. But the budding cook does not crack. Charlie begins to frequent the night world, and to shoot [NDLR : prendre des photographies pour alimenter les réseaux sociaux] for several Toulouse nightclubs, notably the Ice Club.
“I started photography at the Fonsorbes club at 11 years old. Immediately I knew that I wanted to make it my job,” says Charlie. In March 2020, confinement forced her into technical unemployment. The nightclubs and restaurants he communicates with are closed. Never mind, Charlie sets up his communication agency, DRD2, with Lucas, a student from the Toulouse Business School. “We are just as capable of going on tour with artists as of advertising a hairdressing salon or Biocoop”, specifies Charlie, who notably draws the portrait of DJs Bob Sinclar, Tchami or Vladimir Cauchemar. At the same time, he learns to mix and will be performing at his first festival this summer. Charlie posts his own tracks on streaming platforms.
“I had 200,000 plays for a remix of Lady by Modjo”, indicates the rap and electro fan. Hands-on, “Wallis” also participates in the competition launched by Marseille rapper Jul to create the cover for his album Loin du monde. He also creates microsidewalks in Place Saint-Pierre, where “we always end up coming back” by his own admission. Charlie doesn’t end up with his fries. He is exhausted, attests his little finger bruised by 38 hours spent on Instagram in a week to invent crazy stories for the anniversary of Chez Tonton. “It’s a self-made factory,” he says of the bar.
When asked if he is an influencer, Wallicorn replies: “I am an artist. Basically, I just made my friends laugh with my bullshit,” he says. While he is affected by the syndrome of the impostor, which consisted in denying the legitimacy of his success, rarely has anyone yet carried his name so well as Charlie Bosse.