In the 1990s, they were considered one of Konpa’s most powerful groups, and the one band known to have brought New Yorkers out five days a week. With monster hits like “Ti Poul la,” “14 Fevriye,” “Lanmou nan kalalou,” “Pa bouje,” “Pump up the volume,” “Ayiti an kòbòy,” “Vagabon,” “Don’t you know I love you,” and many more, Phantoms were on the verge of mainstream crossover success. Unfortunately, internal turmoil, changing times, the rise of new “lightweight” bands, and some involvement in Haitian politics led to Phantoms going into hibernation for several years. They made several attempts at a comeback, but nothing could bring them back to the pinnacle of the Haitian music world. Many of their core musicians even tried to forge their own paths, but these efforts were largely unsuccessful.

Throughout this period, the love and admiration from their fans and the general Konpa music community never waned. Whether it was sharing great memories of the band or expressing frustration that such a talented group of entertainers wasn’t active in a scene desperately in need of real entertainment, Phantoms always managed to remain a topic of conversation. More recently, they sparked a public outcry when they announced plans to retire the Phantoms name forever, replacing it with “Sak Pase” to signify a move past their former glory. However, under pressure from fans and their new record label, these plans were scrapped, and Phantoms embarked on another attempt at a comeback.

Today, Brooklyn’s most famous musical “zombies” are back in the studio, working on what promises to be their ultimate comeback. They are more focused, determined, prepared, and energized than they have been since their successful years. From what I’ve witnessed in the studio, they are more likely to succeed this time around. They have twelve new songs in the works, including “Dife,” “Premiye Janvye pa’p pran’m deyò” (written by Bethova Obas), “I’m sorry,” “M’damou” (sung by Sharon), and a duet between Cassandra and Sharon called “Dance.”

After so many years of uncertainty, I had become one of the skeptics who thought these guys had traded their musical prowess for clown outfits. But after hearing just a snippet of their new work during a few short studio sessions, they made a believer out of me once again. As a previously disillusioned fan, I am not only ready to give them another chance but am also eagerly awaiting the release of their upcoming album.

Due to restrictions in their new contract with EMI, Opa cannot share any audio samples of their work with its viewers at this time; however, we are excited to share some exclusive photos from the studio sessions. We hope you enjoy these glimpses into the rebirth of Phantoms, and rest assured, as soon as any part of their latest work is legally available to the public, we’ll be right here to bring it to you.

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