Winner of the 2019 JUNO award for World Music album of the Year, Wesley Louissaint is a born entertainer whose groove machine skillfully cooks up afrobeats, rock and Haitian rara into a unique blend of spicy pot-o-feu.
Since he strung his first oil-can to make a guitar, musician and songwriter Wesli has taken seemingly disparate elements and tinkered with them ingeniously until they turn into a powerful groove. Born in Port-au-Prince, tempered in West Africa and Montreal, the guitarist and songwriter takes Haitian traditions like vodou, street styles like rara, and finds links with everything from reggae to quirky Acadian hip hop.
Putting things together to connect deeply to the past comes naturally to Wesli. His mother, a pastor, incorporated vodou ceremonial music into the music of her church, something many Haitian gospel groups often do. He has performed with icons of African reggae, dug deep into musical friendships with master artists from Guinea and Burkina Faso, and collaborated with some of the edgier global voices on the eclectic Montreal scene. He is a favorite player among Haitians.
His own work brings it all together keeping sight of the musical lessons from home. His message is one of hope amid ongoing frustration and sorrow. Listen: the message is loud and clear.
In 2018, released two new albums: “Rapadou Kréyol” (for which he received the JUNO) and “Tradisyon”, following up on his 2015 release “Immigrand” which reached #15 on the US Billboard world music album charts. For the past years, he’s been actively touring North America, Haiti, Africa, Colombia, Brazil and Europe, showcasing at major events such as WOMEX and Atlantic Music Expo.
This is a standing show.