Tiga, whose real name is Sophie Alladoum Tiga Ducasse, was born on March 1, 1983 in Cotonou, Benin, to a Central African mother, director of an art gallery, and a father from the Landes, a literature teacher. Bilingual, she grew up in Burundi and traveled to many countries on the African continent before moving to France at the age of twelve, after her parents divorced. When she arrived in France, she was enrolled in a secondary school in the Landes. She practices many sports including dance, and participates in several French school championships and local shows. In high school, she put on her first shows and created her troupe called Tribales. The group went on tour for two years and performed in particular at festivals and the first parts of concerts.