Rebecca Jean (Canada / Haiti)
Updated: Aug 14
Rebecca Jean was born in Montreal to Haitian parents, her mother from Petit-Goâve and her father from Jacmel, in a city home to one of the largest Haitian communities outside Haiti itself. She calls herself “Haïbécoise,” claiming both her Québécois and Haitian heritage. A multidisciplinary artist working as a singer, songwriter, and arranger, she has released five albums and written lyrics for contestants on Quebec’s Star Académie and La Voix. Her Creole songwriting favors capturing the emotional essence of a text over literal translation, drawing on expressions rooted in Haitian culture.
Featured Song:
“Zetwal k ap file” (Shooting Stars) reimagines “Les Étoiles Filantes” by Quebec’s popular folk rock band Les Cowboys Fringants as a Haitian Creole reggae number, not a direct translation but a reworking from a Haitian perspective. It continues her ongoing project of bridging Haiti and Quebec, alongside songs like “Haïbécoise,” which traces her roots from Petit-Goâve and Jacmel to the Saint Lawrence River. “We’re always on the run, there’s never enough time / Will we only realize when it’s all said and done / That we were shooting stars?”
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