Michael Brun Releases Bayo’ + Music Video
Out Now via Kid Coconut
WATCH MUSIC VIDEO HERE: http://bit.ly/2o9ju8v
STREAMING/PURCHASE LINKS HERE: https://fanlink.to/Bayo
In Haitian Creole, ‘Bayo’ means ‘to give’, which refers to both generosity in Haitian culture and the sense of duty that a new wave of Haitian musicians feel toward the country that they hope to represent on a global stage. Today, Michael Brun’s Bayo conveys this uniquely Haitian concept.
Bayo follows Michael’s turn away from EDM to focus on a body of work inspired by his homeland, which included Wherever I go and Gaya, which became certified hits in Haiti and amassed millions of play on Spotify. Like those, Bayo is rich with Haitian-cultural influences - Afrobeat, Rara, Konpa, Hip-hop, and Reggaeton beautifully weaved into Michael’s own contemporary electronic style, resulting in a track that’s distinctly Haitian but fits squarely in the current pop moment.
Bayo is the sound of contemporary Haiti. Featured on the record is Haitian pop sensation J. Perry, whose infectious voice makes the track shimmer, the king of Haitian Hip-hop Baky and rapper Strong G, who Brun discovered during a recording session on the small island of La Gonave, deliver powerful verses in traditional Haitian Creole.
As Brun recently wrote in an op-ed piece for Billboard:
“We are writing our own Haitian anthems… These are the voices that will be heard by the next generation of Haitians and these sounds will define Haiti to the rest of the world in years to come”
Today, Michael also releases a visual accompaniment to the track. In the video Brun is giving a new generation of Haitians the chance to present their country - the song's message is that Haiti refuses to be defined by tragedy, and that the new generation must shape their own destiny. Featuring local children from the area of Jacmel, representating Michael, Baky, J Perry, and Baky in their youth.
The last twelve months have been a whirlwind for Michael Brun as he turned away from EDM to focus on his Haitian Heritage - becoming the first non-Jazz performer to close the Haitian Jazz Festival in Port-au-Prince, remixing and collaborating with the likes of Maxwell, Fletcher, One Republic, and racking up millions of plays and curating the first national playlist on Spotify, ‘Haitian Heat’.
2018 will see Michael explore his new ‘Bayo’ live show concept, following a sold-out debut at Music Hall of Williamsburg in November.