Skip to main content

An Interview With The Techies Behind Haitian Music Site WikiMizik

Wikimizik Haitian music lyrics site
Wikimizik is what happened when two techies (later joined by a third), with a love of Haitian music, came together. Florida State University graduate Guignard Vilmar, Florida A&M University grad Darryl Dieudonné, and South Florida-educated Sergio Seide are the webpreneurs behind Wikimizik, the fastest growing Haitian music lyrics site on the internet.

There was a previous interview with Vilmar. Now, it’s Boston-bred Darryl Dieudonné’s turn. A self-described “lover of all things konpa”, who will never have enough sòspwa in his system, the one-time public relations student primarily takes care of the communications aspect of Wikimizik.

Kreyolicious: Did you have any educational/work experience that has helped you in running Wikimizik?
My background in storytelling, advertising and branding has been a huge help. Whether it’s designing our logo and identity or coming up with new ways to push our brand. For example, we amplified our launch with “From Hi to I Do”—a short story that uses different songs to propel the narrative.

Kreyolicious: Did you come across any obstacles as you prepared to launch?
Figuring out the technical details of the site’s architecture and functionality gave us a few headaches. We were fortunate to connect with Georges Dugué. With his help, we were able to iron out the kinks. Some lyrics were impossible to decipher and when we’d ask artists to send the text, we’d get a Soundcloud link in our inbox.

Kreyolicious: What sort of feedback have you been getting from users of the platform?
It’s been overwhelmingly positive. People are excited about the platform’s potential and how it puts the focus on the drama in the songs, rather than the drama in the bands.

Kreyolicious: What are your favorite lyrics from a Haitian song?
Nu Look, Souvenirs. When Arly belts out, “Ou se yon istwa, yon istwa ke gòm lavi a pap janm efase menm si ou pa bò kote mwen” [You’re a story that life’s eraser can never erase/Even when you’re not around] I’m usually singing along. Pirogue – “L’Escalier”. This Hans Peters classic distills so much wisdom. These are words to live by: “Tout otan w pa mi, pa jwe ak lavi / W aprann pasyans, aprann lasyans / Dlo lavi ka pouri w, dlo lavi ka beni w. [Don’t mess with life/If you’re not old enough/Learn patience/Learn some science/Life’s water won’t rot you/Life’s water’ll bless you].

Kreyolicious: Do you think Wikimizik has gone as you envisioned it?
Our primary goal is to elevate the conversation and we feel that we’ve been doing just that. We’re able to provide historical and personal context that enrich people’s understanding of their favorite songs.

CHECK OUT THE WIKIMIZIK TEAM AT WORK BY CLICKING HERE TO VISIT THE WIKIMIZIK WEBSITE!

Music, Haitian, Interview, Site, Techies, Wikimizik
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

10 Questions With Singer-Songwriter Mikaelle Cartright

Mikaelle Cartright has a voice that’s like tropical silk. The New York-born, singer-songwriter has a jazzy style that recalls the styles of singers like Anita Baker with a little hint of Shirley Bassey. How did she develop her jazzy style? What role do her parents play in her support system as a singer-songwriter? Read on to find out. Kreyolicious: Your name is Mikaelle, no doubt stemming from the name Michael, which means Who Can Be Like God ? What is the most extraordinary thing that’s happened to your life that has had you saying the same phrase? Mikaelle Cartright: Correct, my name means “Who is like God”. My existence causes me to ask that constantly. My birth was a miracle. My mother almost lost me. She was placed on bed rest somewhere around the fourth month. The muscles of her uterus were giving out and the doctor said I was going to just fall out. The medication, some hormone treatment, was barely available and when Baby Doc fell, it was chaos. My mother was, thank God, ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Haiti’s First Lady of Rap, and Hip Hop Kreyol?

Eunide Edouarin—the Haiti-based rapper more popularly known as Princess Eud —doesn’t like to do interviews. “When I’m being interviewed,” the raptress contends, “I have so many things going on my head at the same time that I sometimes answer questions they never asked me, and I’m kinda shy.” Yet shyness is a quality that very few would identity with Edouarin. Take a performance for example in which the self-described homebody held her own alongside CaRiMi , one of the most popular Haitian pop bands on the market, during one of her first big performances in New York. Slithering sexily onstage, the singer-rapper rapped effortlessly on the band’s hit “Fanm Nan Move”, before dissolving into a verse of her own song “Hey” . It’s utter confidence and bravado that shines through; no signs of timidity. Edouarin is a self-proclaimed traditional girl, but her start in the Haitian rap music game was far from conventional. While hanging at a local radio station in Port-au-Prince, she was invite...
Post a Comment
Read more

Kreyolicious Interview: Mia Lopez, Publicist/Entrepreneur

Mia Lopez is the CEO and President of M.I.A. Media, Inc, a public relations firm based in Miami that caters to the Haitian entertainment industry. Lopez is a low-key person, but among her peers and industry insiders, her work doesn’t go unnoticed. Of her, Patrick Desvarieux, the founder of Kompa Magazine, said: “She is a natural. A people’s person. One of the best at what she does. A master of her craft.” Nick Jean of KalePwa.com calls her a pioneer. “She helped take the Haitian Community into modern times [in terms of her public relations work],” he contends. After being in the mainstream music industry, singer-songwriter Mickael Music wanted to enter the Haitian music market with her Bel Project, but wanted to go about it the right way. She recalls, “I asked around, ‘Who is the best PR marketing person in the Haitian music industry’? For the people that even knew what that meant all said, “Mia Lopez”, as if she [had] created the title in the Haitian music industry. When I say “ev...
Post a Comment
Read more