Passport Season Bonus: Haiti (Feat. Michaël Brun)

Photo by Nayquan Shuler

Ok, so when I was forming my episode for France, it dawned on me multiple times that I had to discuss Haiti, my family’s home. Though our roots extend back to France, Haiti is the primary country that still holds a large portion of my family. It’s one of the countries that made my parents the people they are today and if I’m being honest, it’s a place I’ve had complicated feelings about. Growing up in the states, so much of what I experienced as a kid felt contrary to the values my parents tried to instill in me. It wasn’t until I became an adult and traveled the world, that I started to feel a deeper love and appreciation for my upbringing; essentially the values that come from this small and mighty nation.

Haiti is a prideful country where its citizens deeply care about community, working hard, doing right by people, and being mindful of how you present yourself to others. Throughout the art of Haiti, a continuous quality is artists who’re fostering dignity through liberation, and that right there is what brought me to today’s guest; Michaël Brun.

Michaël is a ridiculously talented DJ, producer, and songwriter from Haiti that’s perpetually manifesting his dreams. In a few short years he’s already collaborated with acts like Ed Sheeran, J Balvin, Maesgo, and honestly, the list is pretty fucking endless. On this bonus episode, I sat down with Michaël to discuss his childhood, the path he’s on with his music, and the ways his Haitian upbringing is integral to everything that he does.

After you hear the episode, be sure to check out Michaël’s track Sak Pase (Featuring Saint Levant and Lolo Zouaï) on the official New Exchange Playlist. Also, be sure to follow Michaël on Spotify, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.