Misty Jean, Interview
By Pradel SAINT-FLEUR
Besides her beauty and talent, Misty is a perfectionist and hard working artist. She understands the way that the game is playing in the industry. She participates in it with respect, grace, and faith. 
This is why I say very loudly that SHE WILL ALWAYS WIN.
Boyomag.com: You are the kind of artists who can say that they were born to be musicians. Nevertheless, can I ask you how you were introduced into the music world?
Misty Jean: Yes indeed, I was born to be who I am today. I can only give thanks to God the almighty for giving me the talent and to my producer and business partner Jeff Wainwright for believing and investing in me. I started singing since I was three years old. Around my neighborhood, I used to sing for candy at any house party. My fan base started to grow and expand from there. During my teenage years at Roger Anglade (school), I used to be invited to sing at all kind of events. I was the lead soloist of my school choir and I used to open for my mom who was an actress playing in the theatrical group called Jessifra. In 1998, I participated at "La Soirée Magique de la Guitare" with the Widmaier brothers and with well known pianist Raoul Denis Jr. who later invited me to sing the song "Caressse Mwen" on his solo album "Caribbean Escape". Then, in 2001, I represented Haiti among twenty two countries in the election of "Miss West Indies" which I won on Febuary 21st for best talent. Later on during the same year, I participated at the event entitled "Femme" of well known Yole Dérose. Overall, I can say that it is really in 2002 when I moved to the United States and met Jeff that I was truly introduced to the real deal because I was more exposed internationally and that is when all the real challenges started.
Boyomag.com: You are exposed to the big crowd since the age of seven when you really started to sing. Year after year, success after success, you became more experienced. Because of your beauty and talent, today, you are known everywhere in the world. What keeps you moving? And where do you find the energy in this “crazy” environment?
Misty Jean: Trying to be the best that I can be is what keeps me moving. Music is a very competitive business and you always have to be at it if you want to stay at a high competitive level. You must understand that the ultimate goal is to be one of the best and this requires a lot of sacrifices. It does keep your mind occupied. I find the energy to pursue my goals in music from the support of my fans around the world. I thank them very much. For everything else, God is responsible for all the blessings of yesterday, today, and the future.
Boyomag.com: Female artists tend to be very rare in the Haitian Music Landscape. While the more experienced like Yole Dérose, Emeline Michel, Georgy Métellus, Yannick Etienne, etc. are retiring, we don’t really see any females who are willing to continue the adventure. Don’t you think that the presence of female artists in the Haitian Music Industry is in jeopardy?
Misty Jean: Yes, I think so because of the structure and the major players of the Haitian Music Landscape. It is indeed very hard for most bands and even harder for solo and/or female artists to make it and to be successful. Our industry is not organized at any level. We do not have any authorship and performing rights organizations in Haiti. We do not have any album sales tracking system nor do we have a hit song billboard. You can have a song that is being played for a long time on the radio and neither the author, the composer nor the publisher gets a penny out of it. I have been a member of SACEM for the French territory and of BMI for the rest of the world since 2004.
I write and compose songs and I get paid for their airplay and commercial use for those territories. It's about time that we do the same back home where it really matters. The problem is widespread and it is not a male and female issue. Of course, we females get it even tougher. This mediocrity in the HML will probably remain for a long time if the people who are in charge of promoting our culture don't address the problem and try to fix it by getting it better structured. There will always be talents (males and females), especially in our homeland. If you look around, in other culture there are even more female singers who are successful than their male counterparts. Now, in other for the presence of female artists in the HML not to be in jeopardy, we have to change our mentality and our perception of the role of our female artists in the music business. Just to name a few: First, because in our mentality women are seen differently than in most countries, it becomes very difficult to please even though we have more women than men. We are most of the time seen as housewives or sex objects. Second, men in position of power with money to invest usually are more interested in womanizing with female artists rather than really investing in the development of their careers. Thirdly, the fight of cats, in our society usually females do not support females, I will never be able to understand why but it is what it is. Forth, we do not support our own, we rather criticize, envy and destroy. We would rather pay $80 to go see an American artist than support our own. “Nou pa sipote Lokal” ... Besides all these, I remain optimistic because I am a fighter and I know one day we will get the credit and the place that we female artists deserve.
Boyomag.com: Is it easy for young women musicians to make career in this Haitian male jungle?
Misty Jean: No, it is definitely not easy at all for the many reasons that I just stated previously. In the HML, the producers and promoters mostly beleive in bands/groups and mostly in "Bals". Most of their investment is spent on organizing these venues and they will only promote bands that are on the top. Because of this lack of vision and knowledge of the business, there is hardly any attempt made to develop artists from the middle of the pack. In the past decade, I have seen a lot of male and female talents wasted. Let's face it, artists like Yole Dérose, Emeline Michel, Yannick Etienne, Georgy Métellus, and many more and even myself should have been on top of our games and everything else that comes with it in terms of accomplishments. In the American Industry you only need one hot single, just one to be on top.
Boyomag.com: Most of us know that 2011 is one of the busiest year for you. For those who don’t take time to follow what is going on in the music world, as a reminder, in term of achievements, could you tell them, until today, what your year looks like?
Misty Jean: In March of this year, I was awarded "A certificate of Recognition" by the Mayor of the City of North Miami for my dedication and commitment to showcasing Haiti's art, music and culture throughout the world. During that same period, I was invited to Guadeloupe with my band by France Television to participate in a television live shows series "2 Mo 4 Not" (Read it bin creole) that showcase artists from different parts of the world and of different background. At the end of April, I was awarded the trophy of Female Artist of the Year in New York at The Linclon Center by Compas Of Broadway. Just last month (October), I was featured in the prestigious BocaMag, an upscale magazine published in Boca Raton, Florida (P.86 & 87 Sept./Oct. issue).
Boyomag.com: If searching, what will one find in your discography?
Misty Jean: From 2004 till today, I have released three studio albums: "Plus Pres De Toi" in 2004, "Kompa A Gogo" in 2006, "Li Pa Two Ta" in 2008. During that time, I have also released two live albums, one in 2006 and one in 2009.
I'm currently finishing my newest album entitled "Just Like That". I think it will be my most creative, diverse and commercial of my work up to date. In this new album, I wrote, with the help of my producer Jeff, most of the songs. I also wrote a duet called "Nou Kwè" that I sing with Tanya St Val. On the album, I also have a couple of Reggae songs "Sa Red" & "Peyizan"; a couple of Salsa/Merengue songs "A Gogo" and a salute to Lumane Casimir "Lakansyel". Other songs are: "The Only One", "Ababa", "M'pap Fon Pa", "Gradiasyon", "Sispann Koupe", "Jwi La Vi". It will be a total of fourteen songs.
I am also almost done with my american album. We just finish shooting the first video out of it
called "I Want You Back". Both albums are due out early next year. My ultimate goal is to crossover internationally without ever forgetting my Haitian roots and culture.
I believe in hard work, dedication and faith.
Boyomag.com: Is there any secret you would like to reveal to your fans before it comes to light? (Wedding, pregnancy, etc,).
Misty Jean: Just Like That ... Lol
VideoMisty Jean & Yannick Etienne VideoMisty Jean
