Top Haitian music artists

There’s that one person in your life who you cherish like no other.

That one person, who, if you woke up one day and found out that they hadn’t seen the new day—the news would totally devastate you. Take out some time to listen to the songs below. Surely, there is one that is appropriate to dedicate to that individual. Don’t waste anytime, don’t wait for a special day. Just tell them how you feel. Pa pè. Don’t be wont (Kreyol wont).

Perhaps that special person hasn’t arrived in your life as of yet? Well, serenade yourself then. Mè wi! Love yourself, while you wait for the appropriate moment for that special someone to come into your life.

One of the songs selected below is “Chante Lanmou”. That we have so little time in our life span, is the whole theme of the song. We should love and sing love everyday. Listening to this song, one truly doesn’t know where to begin to eulogizing its beauty. Is it in the beautiful, lyrical-caliber lyrics: “La vi pa bon pou ti moun peyi Dessalines [Things aren’t good for the little children of Dessalines’ country] or its roots-jazzy melody that is most appealing to the ear? Now, that’s what is called a love song!

Now, those are just the fellas. The ladies sing their heart out too. There’s Misty Jean (pictured to the left) and her zouk-inflected ballad “Plus Près de Toi” [Closer to You] and there’s Emeline Michel who counts the pleasures of love, and finally Tifane, outlining the pitter-patter, oh so lovely emotions that love inspires.

T-Vice’s “Toi et Moi” makes it fully evident that love does not always come easy. There will be naysayers, and skeptics. But if the pleasures of love must be put into the spotlight, so must the pains and agonies that love provokes, such as in the song “Destine” (Kdans). A man takes his girl to the airport. Unbeknownst to him, the aircraft is set to be attacked by terrorists! The singer Jude Jean is truly talented and his low-key voice extremely powerful, and the song, credited to a songwriter by the name of Carl-Henri Desmornes, has a theme rarely explored in Haitian music (that I’ve listened to at least).

And what about Alan Cave’s “Se Pa Pou Dat” [It’s About Time] that celebrates childhood love coming full circle? In “Si m te Gen Zèl”, Mika Benjamin sings about climbing clouds and going to pluck off stars. According to information gotten from NASA’s website, we are several light years away from the closest cluster of stars, so that would be some journey to go and keyi zetwal nan syèl, as Mika puts it. Oh, the lengths we go for love!

Each of these songs are special in their own way. Do you remember where you were when you first came across some of these songs? Or the first time you discovered some of these artists?

Now Kreyolicious boys and girls, it’s time to sit back, relax just a tad bit, and serenade!
And without further ado, and in no particular order, other than the order of meaningfulness to your lacerated little heart, here is the list.

1.
Song: “Chante Lanmou”
Group/Artist: Zekle
Year of Release: Er…circa 1980s
Unforgettable Line: “Men lanmou yo pran rasinn/Karès ap fè mizè tankou zigoulin…/Bel pawòl ki ka efase move jou[But their love grew profoundly/Hugs and kisses make sad times fade like a river stream/Sweet words that make bad moments not matter]

2.
Song: “Pouki Lanmou”
Group/Artist: Ayenn
Year of Release: 2004
Unforgettable Line: “Santiman nan fò kè nou/Tou lespwa bare/Pouki lanmou/Souri jodi lapènn demen [Emotions deep in our hearts/All hope blocks/Why love/Brings a smile today/Plenty of Pain the next]

3.
Song: “Se pa Pou Dat”
Group/Artist: Alan Cave
Year of Release: 1999
Unforgettable: “Depi nou tou piti/Se ou menm men te chwazi…Tanpri, tanpri, retire mwen nan lapli” [I chose you/Since we were little/Oh, please rescue me from the rain]

4.
Song: “Back to Back”
Group/Artist: Krezi
Year of Release: 2006
Unforgettable Line: “Yo te mèt di mwen fou/I don’t give a damn baby [Let them say I’m crazy]

5.
Song: “Kriye Chante”
Group/Artist: Jacques Sauveur Jean
Year of Release: Circa 1980s
Unforgettable Line: “Ou fèm sote, ou fè-m vole, menm jan ak papiyon sou flè” [You make me jolt, you make me fly/Like some butterfly on flower buds] Wouch!

6.
Song: “Avè w”
Group/Artist: Daan Junior
Year of Release: 2003
Unforgettable Line: “Mwen sanlè pèdi tèt mwen” [I’m this close to losing my mind]

7.
Song: “Si’m Te Gen Zèl
Group/Artist: Mika Benjamin
Year of Release: 2005
Unforgettable Line: “Si m te gen zèl tankou yon swazo mwen ta vole/keyi zetwal nan syèl” [If I had wings/Like some bird/Pluck some stars up from the sky]