Overview:
Moonlight Benjamin returns to the U.S. together with her Vodou-rock fusion, delivering highly effective performances and messages of unity.
By William Farrington
HOLYOKE, Mass. — Moonlight Benjamin’s lyrics are sung in Haitian Creole and communicate to a Haitian viewers, however the highly effective juxtaposition of melody and rhythm in her music appeals to listeners on a visceral degree. Nearly from the second she walked on stage at De La Luz Soundstage on a quiet Sunday, the well mannered reserve of the viewers dissolved. Her melodies — impressed by Vodou, grounded in Haitian conventional music, and backed by crashing rock chords and sensible guitar work — had a noticeably highly effective impact.
Benjamin returned to the US for just a few East Coast dates earlier than persevering with her tour in Europe. It was the primary likelihood to listen to the Toulouse, France-based Haitian singer since her breakout performances at globalFEST and NPR’s Tiny Desk live performance sequence in New York Metropolis in 2023.
Earlier than her March 30 present in Holyoke, Massachusetts, Benjamin spoke to The Haitian Occasions about discovering chance in problem and about reaching out to find the richness in our variations. The set that adopted drew from her new album, “Wayo,” and earlier releases “Siltane” (2017) and “Simido” (2020).
“All my music is tied to Vodou, though all of the devices aren’t Vodou, they’re devices that play the blues, all of it derives from the slaves’ music,” Benjamin stated.
“Rock comes from blues and ultimately, I’m taking part in our ancestors’ music. This option to merge [to make this fusion] is exactly to satisfy others.”
Her band consists of longtime collaborator and guitarist-arranger Matthis Pascaud, together with Matthieu Vial-Collet on guitar and Quentin Rochas on bass. Brooklyn-based drummer Matthew Bent joined for the U.S. dates, changing Simon Lemonnier. The consequence was a sonic soundscape that includes interlocking guitar work that, at occasions, broke free from conventional 12-bar blues constructions whereas constructing rigidity and ambiance.
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Moonlight Benjamin performs with longtime collaborator and guitarist-arranger Matthis Pascaud, together with Matthieu Vial-Collet on guitar and Quentin Rochas on bass and Brooklyn-based drummer Matthew Bent, changing Simon Lemonnier on March 30 at De La Luz Soundstage in Holyoke, Mass. Picture by William Farrington for The Haitian Occasions -
Picture by Invoice Farrington for The Haitian Occasions. -
Picture by William Farrington for The Haitian Occasions.
“I feel the soul of music roams all around the world. Each time you go to those locations, Louisiana, Haiti, Chicago, we really feel the soul of the slaves, of Africa, so inevitably there’s a connection, as a result of their soul nonetheless lives there,” Benjamin stated.
“It’s attention-grabbing that to complement ourselves, we’ve got to go to others, that’s why I make this combine, rock — a music that Westerners play — with my tradition, with what I’m. It’s to satisfy others and for the opposite to come back to satisfy me.”
Whereas all her songs are about Haiti and she or he sings in Creole, her message to Haitians and non-Haitians is common.
“It’s true that we’re all completely different, even inside the identical tradition, music reveals me that distinction is a richness,” Benjamin stated.
“As a lot as we should go in the direction of the opposite, it’s essential to know oneself. For this merger to be a wholesome merger, and for it to happen in a pleasant ambiance, we should know ourselves.”
The set included her latest single “Bafon,” which Benjamin says is “a message of hope” about Haiti.
“My nation of origin grips me, and what occurs there doesn’t go away me with out a cry. The music is a metaphor; it evokes the burial and the tip of Haiti, as if it’s a particular person,” Benjamin stated.
Within the music, Haiti arrives on the cemetery, however nobody — not even the lifeless — desires this burial to occur. The guardian of the cemetery, the chief of the lifeless, Grasp Baron, declares that he doesn’t have the inexperienced gentle from Grasp Kafou, who opposes the burial and affirms that “no, Haiti is just not lifeless, she nonetheless carries life in her!”
Her musical journey started whereas rising up in a spiritual household and singing within the choir. When she was launched to Vodou tradition and Vodou-inspired music.
“I used to be involved in that tradition, the outfits and the music, and I wished to know extra, what was happening with that music,” Benjamin stated.
Her curiosity ultimately led her to France, the place she studied music formally and later shaped her personal band. Dwelling overseas, she stated, has deepened each her inventive expression and her understanding of herself. The expertise of being exterior Haiti gave her a brand new perspective on identification, self-reflection, and development — in addition to a stronger sense of connection to others via music.
Her modified perspective on Haiti after residing overseas is deeply mirrored in her album “Wayo.”
“It allowed me [living in France] to see the struggling of those those who I didn’t see after I was there as a result of we suffered collectively, which was regular for me. However as quickly as you journey, you notice that this struggling was not regular,” Benjamin stated.
Because the launch of “Wayo,” she has composed and collaborated with worldwide artists, together with the Latin band Bongo Hop, and is scheduled to carry out in Brazil in October
She stated she would like to carry her band to Haiti.
“We had been planning to some years again, however COVID got here, and the safety state of affairs made it unimaginable,” Benjamin stated.
Regardless of the challenges, Benjamin stays guided by hope.
“There are not any small goals. Regardless of the hardships we’re going via, you will need to hold our goals alive,” Benjamin stated.
“That is my line of conduct for years: because of our goals, our needs come to life. Awaken your goals, consider in your self and so they turn out to be a purpose and never a fantasy!”