IN THE HEARTS OF MAKAYAWith Makaya, his seventh album, Wesli delivers a masterful work at the crossroads of continents and collective memories. Between Haiti, Africa and the diaspora, the Montreal-based Haitian artist weaves a conversation between roots, resistance and modernity through a twenty-four-track musical journey. Deeply anchored in the history and spirituality of the Haitian people, this album project is both a tribute to the ancestors, a cry of hope and a celebration of life.
“Through this album, I want to remind the Haitian people and its diaspora that our
roots are a light guiding the way forward. Our culture is not a burden but a
compass.” – Wesli
Named after a mountain range in southern Haiti, Makaya pays homage to the first maroons, figures of resistance and freedom who led the struggle toward Haiti’s independence in 1804. As a symbol of the living heritage of Africa, Wesli revives the ancestral traditions passed down by the Igbo, Congos, Aladas, Nagos, Yorubas and Dahomés, bringing to life songs in Yoruba, Minan, Fon and Ewe. Preserved over centuries by the Lakous (Haitian Vodou sanctuaries) such as Lakou Kongo, Lakou Dahomé and Lakou Soukri, these intangible legacies remain the guardians of Haitian spirituality, music and identity. In Kikongo, Makaya means “leaf,” a sacred symbol in ancestral Vodou associated with healing, purification and renewal. Despite centuries of colonization and prohibitions, this culture has survived and evolved, still resonating through chants, rara rhythms and Vodou rites. Created in collaboration with an exceptional array of artists, including AfrotroniX, Ilam, Meryem Saci, Tamara Suffren, BIC Tizon Dife and Sika Valmé, each bringing their own universe and
contributing to a harmonious dialogue between tradition and modernity.Throughout the album, Wesli explores a vast and daring soundscape where electronic textures meet ancestral rhythms, blending musical modernity with the depth of Haitian roots.
Plus de spectacles à venir. More to come.
Wesli’s album MAKAYA has reached #7 on the Top 10 Best World Music Albums, as ranked by the Transglobal World Music Chart! A powerful recognition of an incredible album that celebrates culture, rhythm, and global sound. This achievement is so well deserved! 👏✨
ABOUT WESLI
A committed musician known on the international stage, Wesli builds bridges between tradition and modernity, between Haiti and the rest of the world. His art is a tool of transmission, a cry from the heart, and a song of freedom. Wesli’s musical journey is as fascinating as it is inspiring: from crafting an instrument out of an oil can strung with nylon to winning a JUNO Award for World Music Album of the Year.
Born Wesley Louissaint in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, he has established himself as a prolific songwriter, guitarist, and producer. In Montreal, he brings together diverse talents and blends Haitian Vodou and rara with the roots of twoubadou, Afrobeat, and reggae. His albums feature collaborations with renowned artists such as Tiken Jah Fakoly, AfrotroniX, Mes Aïeux, Paul Cargnello, and Radio Radio.
Since being named Radio-Canada Revelation 2009-2010, Wesli has earned numerous prestigious awards, including the Babel Med Music Prize (2010), SOCAN’s Hagood Hardy Award for Composition (2016), an Académie Charles Cros Prize (2019) for his representation of the diaspora, a JUNO Award for World Music Album of the Year (2019), a Félix Award for World Music Album of the Year (2019), and a CFMA Award for World Solo Artist of the Year (2020).
Wesli has toured across North America, Haiti, Colombia, Brazil, and Europe, and has taken part in major events such as WOMEX, Mundial Montréal, and the Atlantic Music Expo in Cape Verde.
His boundless creativity led him to release two albums in 2015: Immigrant, acclaimed by critics, and the more traditional Ayiti Étoile Nouvelle. In 2018, he released Rapadou Kréyol, followed by Tradisyon, launched internationally on October 21, 2022, in partnership with the American label Cumbancha. His new album, “Makaya”, is set for release on November 18, 2025.
16 JULY /JUILLET – LA VISITATION [QUEBEC)
17 JULY/JUILLET – NUITS D’AFRIOUE (MONTREAL)
18 JULY/JUILLET – AFRIK FEST (HALIFAX)
19 JULY/JUIUET – AFRIK FEST (HALIFAX)
27 JULY/JUIUET – HA°iTI EN FOLIE (MONTREAL)
30 JULY/JUILLET – LETHBRIDGE, AB
2 AUGUST /AOUT – DREAM CAFE (PENTICTON, BC)
3 AUGUST /AOUT – REVELSTOKE, BC
7 AUGUST /AOUT – EDMONTON FOLK FEST
8 AUGUST / AOUT – EDMONTON FOLK FEST
9 AUGUST / AOUT – EDMONTON FOLK FEST
15 AUGUST /AOUT BEAR CREEK FEST (GRANDE PRAIRIE, AB)
16 AUGUST / AOUT BEAR CREEK FEST (GRANDE PRAIRIE, AB)
17 AUGUST / AOUT – BEAR CREEK FEST (GRANDE PRAIRIE, AB)
23 AUGUST / AOUT – CENTRE ICI (MONTREAL)
24 AUGUST / AOUT – AFROMONDE (VIEUX-PORT, MONTREAL)
In Haïti, there is a serious problem with juvenile delinquency. Political activism, the trafficking and use of drugs, prostitution, itinerance, violence, car theft, scams and kidnapping are a part of the daily life of most Haïtian adolescents.
Young people between the ages of 12 and 18 are especially affected, while their families are too poor to support their basic needs, much less the cost of education.
In 2014, Ayiti Étoile Nouvelle (New Star of Haïti) was founded by Wesley Louissaint to aid the youth of the Bel-Air/Fort National quarter of Port-au-Prince. The project brings together music education, studio practices and performance.
