INTERVIEW WITH OPA MIZIK
1. WHAT INITIALLY INSPIRED YOU ABOUT KONPA MUSIC?
Well it is my culture and my roots. It is good to represent where you come from and who you are. I like music and our most popular rhythm is Konpa so it is natural that it is one of the kinds of music that inspire me…
2. HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN MUSIC?
I have been singing since I was 3 years old for Candy for Paul Villefranche at Calsyrd in Port-au Prince. I was 14 when for the first time I performed in front of five hundred people. I also participated in a lot of concerts named “Femme” where I performed with Orlane and Emeline Michel. I also participated in a lot of other occasions such as “Soiree Magique de la guitar with the Widmaers , Raoul Denis Junior, Claude Allien and Yole Derose. I was the lead singer of my school choir at Roger Anglade for seven years. As time went by, I realized that music (singing) was part of me. My mom is an actress and she helped me a lot as far as supporting me and my music aspirations and carrying me around My involvement in music took a decisive turn when I met Haitian producer Jeff Wainwright of Kreyol Music for the first time in 2002. With his help, I have been performing live on a regular basis since then. For the past two years, I have released two albums.
3- CAN YOU DISCUSS ONE OR TWO ARTISTS WHO HAVE INFLUENCED YOUR APPROACH TO SINGING?
Since I was a kid, I always loved Emeline Michel, Lara Fabian, Yanick Etienne and Yole Derose.
4. HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE YOUR VOCAL SOUND TO A PERSON WHO HAS NEVER HEARD YOU SING BEFORE?
I DESCRIBE MY VOCAL SOUND AS BEING SENSUAL, SWEET AND STRONG AT TIME. MY VOICE IS ONE OF A YOUNG FEMALE ARTIST WHO IS REACHING TO A LOT OF PEOPLE THROUGH MY MUSIC, MY MESSAGE.
5. YOUR LAST ALBUM “KONPA A GOGO”, CAN YOU TELL US WHO WERE INVOLVED IN THAT PROJECT?
My second Album “Konpa A GoGo” came out at the end of April. Jeff and I were the most involved in the album from the standpoint of creating, writing, conceptualizing and producing it. Abner Louima of Babou’s Enterprises also played a big role in the development of my career and much respect to him. Like in my first album “Plus pre the toi”, my producer Jeff Wainwright suggested to reach to different artists to help us shape the final product; so he called on several known musicians.
For the sequence part, we worked mostly with Pierre Huberson, Patrick Bonhomme, Marc Goncalves and Thierry Delannay. I would like to take the opportunity to thank my producer for his trusting in me. I also would like to say special “thank you” to Robert Martino, Jean Claude Jean, and Steve Derosiers at the guitar, Laurent Ciceron and Norman Hohns at the bass, Andre Dejean for Horn, Alaye and Ellie Lapointe for the unconditional support. Pete Massitti our all time engineer and Alix Nozile for his conga played in “hear the tam tam”…Thierry Cham, Kaysha and Herly Jacques….thank you for your beautiful voices.
6. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MISTY JEAN’S SONG?
To tell you the truth, I don’t have a favorite, I love them all. They are like my children. Each one of them has meaning and purpose …and represents a part of my expression of my music and me.
7. DO YOU HAVE YOUR OWN BACK UP BAND?
I have been performing live in the US since the Summer of 2002 when I met Jeff. He was promoting some artists from Guadeloupe and Martinique and we used to perform with them regularly. I joined the three piece band that he formed, as a background vocalist. Zo de TiLesly was the Maestro. We had a good time for the almost two years that it lasted. In May of 2004, After Zo left, management suggested that we do a band together solo artist Top Adlerman, unfortunately that band was short lived and did not last. The whole marketing plan fell apart and I had to start from scratch with my first album just being released. I stopped performing for about nine months. At the beginning of 2005, I started looking for the right musician to play with steadily. The journey started back in October 23 of that year. After the Hurricane, the entertainment industry was hit hard in South Florida.
Things were slow at the beginning. After the release of my second album “konpa a gogo” in April 2006, management and I decided to add a drummer to our line-up, Ruben Vincent, nephew of Famous bass player Tiness Vincent, a background singer by the name of Sarah Bertrand, she is the “2005 Miss Teen Florida”…Daniel Lebrun at the bass…and finally, for the past two month we have greatly benefited from the services of senders solon at guitar and Stephane Gilles who has blessed us with his experience and good humor. This formation with which I am recording a live album has already performed in Miami, Atlanta and Fort Meyers.
8. PERFORMING KONPA AS FEMALE ARTIST CAN BE VERY INTIMIDATING; ONE MUST BE CLEAR OF ANY SENSE OF EGO. HOW DO YOU CONTROL YOUR EMOTION DURING A LIVE PRFORMANCE?
I am myself while performing on stage. I go with the flow and I feed off the people who come to see me. While on stage, they become my priority and I try my best to please them. Everything that you see and hear while I am performing comes from my heart and soul. It’s like I get transformed. I just love the feeling and I think that explained why I can spend hours just singing and dancing…they are part of me.
9. TALK ABOUT YOUR RANGE AND VOCAL STRENGTHS … HOW DO YOU CONTROL AND IMPROVE YOUR TALENT? DO YOU TAKE VOCAL LESSONS?
I am somewhere between an alto and a soprano. I try to practice with songs of other great singers and try to reach their notes and ranges. I have been singing since I can’t even remember and I think that I have developed an understanding of where my range and strength are. As an artist, you have to be able to express your feeling. Let me say that I worked on my vocal on a daily basis. I know some vocal practice techniques that I work on all the time. I have started taking piano lessons for the past eighth month and that has helped me a great deal. I am always looking to improve so it is an ongoing thing.
10. HOW DO YOU WANT YOUR MUSIC TO INFLUENCE PEOPLE?
I want my music to encourage people to pursue their dreams and work hard to become who they want to be. I want my music to make people feel good and to accept who they are and represent.
11. YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED “ELEGANT” “SEXY” … YOU PORTRAY YOURSELF AS SUCH. DID YOU PLAN THIS AS YOU STARTED YOUR CAREER OR DID IT JUST EVOLVED OVER TIME? HOW HAS THIS ATTITUDE AFFECTED YOUR MUSICAL LIFE?
I believe that God gave me a gift and when I was growing up a lot of people saw the talent that I have, either as model, beauty queen, artist, singer and performer. I used to dance at Tempo Plus and that’s where I was first approached by a Haitel representative for a photo shoot and to appear in their ad as a model. I was also coached very early by Claude Marcelin as far as how to walk on stage; Nancy Bernard, together with Armstrong Jean Louis and Andolph Guillaume taught me pageantry manners…I thank all my fans for this compliment because that’s what this represents for me. I think my career just evolved like this over time and has been shaped by the people I’ve met along the way.
I think my election among twenty three participants in St Martin as “Miss West Indies” in 2001 was a big turning point for me. It just gave me more confidence. Meeting Jeff Wainwright the three years after, was also a big turning point in my musical career…he gave me direction and rules to follow in order to have a chance to become successful in the music business. I view being elegant and sexy as good tools to have and control in this business. If you have it, you must use it to your advantage. At the same time, you have to put things in perspective and make sure that you also give equal attention to all the other elements that are important in making you who you are and making you successful in this business. Being well educated, and having respect for all people are also a big plus. This attitude is continuation of my musical life.
12. ANYTHING THAT YOU HAVE DONE IN THE PAST THAT YOU WOULD DO DIFFERENT IF GIVEN A SECOND CHANCE TO DO IT OVER?
Everything in life happens for a reason. Life is a learning experience. Whatever happens in life, I try to be prepared to deal with it in the best manner that I possibly can. I don’t like to look back and I am pleased with where I am today and I am looking forward and getting prepared for the challenges of tomorrow and that is in all aspect of life.
13. MANY ARTISTS HAVE FAVORITE ARTISTS, BUT FEW TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY HAVE TAKEN FROM THEM. IS THERE ONE ARTIST YOU HAVE TAKEN SOMETHING FROM?
I have been influenced by a lot of artists…like Emeline Michel, Yole Derose, Yanick Etienne, Orlane, Lea Galva, Tanya Saint Val, Lar Fabian, Mariah Carey, and Beyonce Knowles. I think that every artist has something that can inspire another one. I just love these people, their voice, their music and what they have accomplished. I also like Marc Anthony, Usher, Bookman Eksperyans, Jude Jean, Tvice, Magnum Band, Reginald Cange, Michael Benjamin, Eddy Francois and Buju Banton.
14. WHERE DOES THE AMBIANCE AND THE SEXY ATTITUDE OF MISTY STEM FROM?
It stems from a growing confidence in what I am doing, from the support that I receive from my crew, from members of my band and from the deep belief that I am here for a purpose. Right now, we are the youngest konpa band on the market and we are all having fun while accomplishing the other things in life that will make us successful in the future. I have been paying my dues and I just feel good about where I am now. I think that the Haitian Music Industry is finally ready for a dominant female singer with a band and we are all working very hard to make it happen. It is not easy and there are a lot of doubters or people who do not support or understand our efforts but we are out to prove them wrong, God willing.
15. HOW DO YOU PERCEIVE THE HAITIAN MUSIC INDUSTRY?
This is a very big topic. There are a lot of issues to talk about; I will try to focus on the most important ones. First of all, I think that most of the producers, record labels, promoters in the HMI, lack vision for the music industry. The goal should be to reach a large audience and to promote the music in a way to maximize our record sales, marketing deals, live performances ect….Unfortunately we are not there yet. Very few want to invest n artist development and when finally some artists and bands break out, they become very rapidly limited to doing the same thing over and over again.
I think we need to get organized as an industry. There are no publishing and copyright laws in Haiti that I know of. There is no common objective. From the experience that I have had so far, it’s all about making quick money and waits for the next opportunity. The industry is very sectarian. It operates by clan and it’s all negative in that aspect. I don not think language is the barrier for our music to become international. We need people to expose our music and our talents to international markets and venues where we can reach bigger audience and gain more revenues. We need to organize things where we invite big names from other markets to our events. This is how you will get exposure.
That’s what Latin music and reggae did in the early 90’s. We should not limit ourselves to the status quo. The public also need to be more receptive to new concepts, new initiatives. They should understand in order to be known world wide, we must learn to respect and gig up “bagay lakay”…We are too easy to criticize and do not support “made in Haiti” as a whole. We must also do something about piracy, bootlegging and the respect of other people’s work. On a good note, I have noticed that some artists are making a little more now that they used to in the 70’s and 80’s and even 90’s….but it is just the beginning. We need to work a lot harder. We need also to give female artists more opportunities to show their talent and make money.
16. IF THERE IS ONE ISSUE IN THE HMI YOU COULD FIX AND SET STRAIGHT, WHAT WOULD THAT BE?
The fact that women are viewed in the industry as either housewives that should stay home to take care of kids and husbands…or as sex objects that should do background vocal and shake their thing in mostly male dominated bands. There is nothing wrong in motherhood or having a family, but as women we should not be stereotyped only that way. We are one of the few cultures where female artists do not occupy any significant role in the music industry; put aside a few roles in music management that has started to emerge in the past few years. I personally want to challenge that.
I also think that we as female artists should portray ourselves a certain way; we should be respectful of ourselves and others and be very disciplined. Finally, I would like to see the promoters invest in artist development and also to give chances to artist with potential.
17. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE MISTY JEAN TO THE OPA READERS … USING YOUR OWN WORDS?
Optimist, down to earth, kind, straightforward, hard working and fearless on stage.
18. DOES YOUR STYLE/MOOD IN YOUR VIDEOS MIRROR THE REAL MISTY JEAN?
Yes, I believe so. I am always myself and my videos are one of the reflections of just that.
19. WHO CAN I SAY IS YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE? WHY AND WHAT STATEGIES DO YOU HAVE IN PLACE TO REACH OUT TO THAT AUDIENCE?
I want to be appreciated by everybody. I don not choose any specific audience. That’s why my music is a mixture of different backgrounds and culture, Haitians and foreigners alike. Music is universal and the people who I work with believe in International exposure among Creole, French, English, Spanish and Portuguese speaking people. I believe that because of that strategy we were able to quickly reach out to a lot of these markets in just two years. I am thankful to Kreyol Music for the strategy; Babou’s Enterprises who helped us carry it out and Section Zouk for their representation in the French Caribbean market and African market.
20. SOME SAY YOU HAVE THE HAITIAN COMMUNITY ON THE BACK BURNER FOR NOW IN TERM OF YOU MUSICAL CAREER… YOU ARE MOSTLY CONCENTRATING ON THE ANTILLES MARKET … ANY TRUTH TO THAT?
I do not think there is any truth to it because we have to take what is given to us. I grew up in Haiti where I graduated from High School. I have been in the States for only four years now. If I have more requests abroad…so be it, because in my mind it’s Haiti and music and my culture that I am representing and promoting. Even when I became “Miss West Indies” in St. Martin, it was Haiti that I made proud. In 2002, when I started performing as a background vocalist in Miami, for Kreyol Music, it was mostly in venues where the band was backing up some artists from the French Antilles…like Thierry Cham, Leila Chicot, Sonia Dersion, and Jacky Rapon, lea Galva…who were represented in the State and Haiti by Jeff. He and these artists first noticed my talent in performing live here in the States. By working with Section Zouk, I got exposed in the Antilles market. In the month of August 2004,
I spent the whole month touring there where I performed in more than twenty venues. I would love to have a tour of Haiti and to play regularly in the Haitian American market in the US, but so far the logistics are not easy to work out. People have to understand that it is for a solo female artist. My management and I must always make sure that the requirements for US to travel, to play and to provide a good show are met. Now when the minimum that my management is asking for me to perform in adequate conditions are not met, than we’ll rather not play. If the show is not good than I loose my fan base.
I try to avoid that at all cost. I have a good product but in order to deliver a good product promoters have to guarantee the minimum. I think that I have to be patient as far as the Haitian Market is concerned…everything I’m doing is so new. Sometimes Haitians in general do not support their own…sometimes Haitians promoters will prefer to invite in big bals or concerts some Antillean artists instead of giving the exposure to our own. I am not saying that they should not invite artists from the Antilles. I am probably the one artist that has performed with a live band the most in the US market for the past three and a half year…but what about inviting some of us to big festivals and concerts too.
21. WHAT WERE YOU LIKE WHEN YOU WERE A KID?
I was very outgoing. I was also a little bit stubborn as a kid.
22. IF YOU WERE HOSTING A DINNER PARTY AND YOU HAVE TOTAL CONTROL OF THE GUEST LISTS … WHO WOULD BE ON YOUR GUEST LISTS?
I would invite members of my family and all my friends I grew up with in Haiti. I will also invite my management crew and my musicians so we can have a blast.
23. DISCUSS WHAT ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE OF MUSIC YOU ENGAGE IN AND HOW THEY PROVIDE FULFILLMENT TO YOU?
I enjoy reading. It is a way for me to educate myself and escape reality. As a professional ballroom dancer, I very much enjoy dancing especially Latin Music. It helps me to stay in shape feel free and have fun. I also enjoy shopping.
24. ARE YOU SINGLE?
Yes, I am single for now, I go to school and I also devote full time to my music career and my band. With everything else I have I do not have a lot of time left for myself and to entertain a relationship, which usually requires, communication and understanding. So it’s all good for now.
25. MAJORITY OF YOUR FANS ARE MALE …. DO YOU KNOW WHY? ANY SPECIAL MESSAGE YOU WANT TO SEND TO THEM?
Maybe, it is the combination of my good music and singing together with my sex appeal. Well it is also partly true because I have a lot of female fans who am representing. As far as a message for my male fans, I thank them for their support and I will try my best not to disappoint them with my music and my talent.
26. WHO WOULD YOU CALL YOUR “POTO MITAN” IN YOUR LIFE?
In my life, God is first than my mother.
27. YOU HAVE JUST ONE 50 MILLION DOLLARS IN THE LOTTERY …. WHAT IS YOUR FIRST BIG PURCHASE?
My first big purchase will be a house and then a child day care business.
28. HAVE YOU ENCOUNTERED ANY BARRIERS BUSINESS WISE OR MUSICALLY …. JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE A FEMALE ARTIST?
Just being a female makes it very hard primarily because of our mentality and ways, but I consider myself very lucky to be where I am so far. It is very important to have a good team of people (management and musicians) you work with that believe in you and that is ready to invest and back you up. For that I am blessed and humbled by it.
29. SOME VERY CRITICAL PERSONALITIES WITHIN THE INDUSTRY HAS SAID YOU HAVE THE VOICE, THE BODY, AND THE CHARISMA FOR A FEMALE KONPA ARTIST, HOW DOES SUCH PRAISES AFFECT YOUR DRIVE AND THIRST FOR FURTHER ENDEAVORS?
It makes me feel like I am being appreciated for what I am doing, but it also makes me want to work much harder, because it makes me want to achieve higher goals and to further and improve my talent.
30. WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN YOU IN THE STUDIO TO PERFORM WITH?
I would like to try to record with a lot of different artists that I respect and admireHowever, if I have to only limit it to a few, I would have to say: Yanick Etienne, Emeline Michel, Wyclef Jean, Usher, Tanya Saint Val, and Reginald Cange…
31. DOES ANY ONE SUGGEST TO YOU THAT YOU SHOULD CHANGE?
No, people who know me like me for who I am and who and what I am representing.
32. WHAT SEPARATE MISTY FROM ALL THE OTHER HAITIAN FEMALE ARTISTS?
My simplicity and just being myself. I believe everybody is different and each artist that has talent ahs something special to offer. Also when it comes to me, I think that having a strong management team who believe in me and a great group of musicians to play with has set me on my own path.
33. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MISCONCEPTIONS THAT YOU THINK PEOPLE HAVE ABOUT YOU?
I think one of the biggest misconceptions right now is that I am focusing more on the Antilles market than the Haitian market. I would like to prove them wrong but I am working to get good opportunities in our market to prove everybody that I belong there too. Also another one would be that most Haitians promoters do not truly believe that there can be a big female touring band in the HMI. Finally, even though my dream does not stop right there, I want to also join the international market, because I think I am young and that I have the talent and what it takes to give it a try.
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34. IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY I’VE SEEN YOU PERFORM IN LONG ISLAND AT CLUB ELLIAHS A FEW YEARS AGO … AND I HAVE NEVER SEEN YOU PERFORM IN NEW YORK AGAIN SINCE …. THE LAST TIME YOU WERE SCHEDULED TO PERFORM AT SOBS, IT WAS CANCELLED AT THE LAST MINUTE … WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT GIG?
The last time that I performed in New York was in February 2005 with Dega, Tantan and Thierry Cham. New York as I see it is a big important market but once again our requirements have to be met for us to perform and what I am talking about is as simple as travel, hotel accommodations adequate promotion, sound system monies. As far as the SOBS’ gig, we never received a written contract from them guaranteeing a verbal understanding that my manager had reached with their representative from what I know, we were suppose to front the traveling expenses, perform for free and get refunded our expenses at the end of the show. My manager never received the written documents that would have secured and guaranteed just that; my manager decided not to take the risk. The band and I were ready and we were looking forward to play with Zin which is one of the well established bands in New York.
35. THE NEXT TIME YOU PERFORM IN NEW YORK, WHAT CAN PEOPLE EXPECT WHEN THEY WITNESS YOUR LIVE PERFORMANCE?
A band that is mature and professional they can expect to see the youngest Haitian band playing good Konpa band doing a show that will make you proud. I want to play in New York so bad. The promoter who will take a chance with us and provide us with the minimum that we ask for will not be disappointed.
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36. WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR GREATEST CHALLENGE SO FAR IN YOUR YOUNG CAREER?
To be a young female solo artist, with a band in the HMI and to also learn the necessary steps to make it on the American market.
37. DO YOU BELIEVE IN GOD? IF YES … DOES IT PLAY A BIG ROLE IN YOUR LIFE?
Yes I do believe in God and he is a big part of my life. God is the one who gave the talent and the strength to pursue my musical career in particular and my broader goals in life in general.
38. 2007 IS AROUND THE CORNER, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE GOALS YOU HAVE SET FORTH?
In 2007, I want to finish with my college education. As far as my music career, I am currently working on a live album which will feature on the cover all the band members and myself. I think it is going to help establish that we are for real. We also will have a name to be revealed later on. It will be Misty Jean and………….??? We are also about to release a single with a Hip Hop and reggae ton remix all in English of “ Car Wash” and “ Hear the Team” with videos to follow. So I can say that I am very optimistic for 2007.
39. THIS QUESTION, I ASK ON EVERY OPA INTERVIEW … REVEAL SOMETHING TO US THAT NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT YOU …. THAT WILL SHOCK OUR READERS?
I believe everybody likes to have their privacy…but for an artist who interact a lot with people, your life kind of become an open book…so I don not really have any thing specific to say that will answer that question…let the paparazzi do their job.
Thank you Moses and Opa for the opportunity.
