Flashmag september 2017 www.flashmag.net
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And the saddest moment, which one would you choose?
Still Africa This time it is Ivory Coast where grandeur and decadence was visible. The presidential palace with its immensity and its gilding, and the incalculable number of handicapped who give alms, the children who work or beg, ready to follow you to the end of the world. This deep distress.
It was very moving and very evocative for us to set foot on the land of our ancestors. Besides, I wrote a song called "Africa" which will be released in 2018. It tells the day when for the first time we set foot on African soil. and that as soon as you walk out the plane, this first puff of air makes you feel something: "Africa salt of the earth, part of my heart". Mama Africa, grew up without you, without knowing you, setting foot on you; As an orphan, I often dreamed about you ...
Speaking from the personal point of view, does your private life influence your art?
Yes undeniably! I write what I live and feel. I sing my own emotions and convey them. I sing my joys, my sorrows, my desires, my hope.
Speaking of the Afro Caribbean music these days, do you think it is going in the right direction? Jocelyne Béroard, for example, felt that the Zouk to its detriment is no more sang in Creole what would you say about?
I have another vision but understands the point of view of Jocelyn Béroard, which is quite defensible. The defense of the heritage and what says heritage means, authenticity the Creole. But a whole industry would have to be set up for that. It would take an industry like the one that was at the time of Mr. Henri Debs to produce, sell, and export our music. For now, the Caribbean Artists are left to themselves without any conclusive outlet for distribution, and without any official organization around that while it is a real industry.
Most Caribbean artists do not live from their craft properly, always running after their money that is paid in the downlow. It is a whole mechanism that should be put back to keep alive the music industry, that is dying and which is yet a huge heritage.
The trade has become "underground" or almost non-existent. Caribbean music , which represents our islands (Martinique, Guadeloupe) remains the Zouk that differentiates us from the others. Apart from our "folkloric" music: Gwo ka or Bèlè, the Zouk is just beginning to be known in the world. Thanks to Kassav, and Zouk Machine, who helped it to cross boundaries in Creole. But in my opinion since we are French, the Zouk could also be sung in French. Because we speak, and think in French why not write lyrics? And some have a very beautiful pen in French, why deprive themselves.
The problem is elsewhere in this music industry that we no longer have and that we lack. Whether in Creole or French. The new generation is in the ragga or the dance hall, which does not belong to us and which we can hardly represent in the outside world but which our youth consumes at all costs.
With the advent of the new technology platforms, we feel that the Afro music has suffered a serious blow, instead of benefiting from the technology, it has experienced a setback in terms of sales, in your opinion why?
It's very complicated, we are all suffering from this new era that is suffocating us, because we do not see any solutions, but this does not concern only Afro-Caribbean artists. The singers of French varieties also accuse the blow. After touring the top 50 (2016), I realized that it was a real chance to come back and make the biggest scenes of France today. The number of artists who stumbled and who have disappeared is amazing! Because they no longer have a record company, either as artist