Michel Martelly
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| His Excellency Michel Martelly |
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|---|---|
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| 56th President of Haiti | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 14 May 2011 |
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| Prime Minister | Jean-Max Bellerive Garry Conille |
| Preceded by | René Préval |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Joseph Michel Martelly[citation needed] 12 February 1961 Port-au-Prince, Haiti |
| Political party | Farmers' Response Party |
| Spouse(s) | Sophia Martelly |
| Children | 4 |
| Profession | Musician Composer |
| Sweet Micky | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Michel Joseph Martelly[citation needed] |
| Born | 12 February 1961 Port-au-Prince, Haiti |
| Genres | Compas music |
| Occupations | Musician Composer |
| Instruments | Vocals Keyboard |
| Years active | 1988–2011 |
Joseph Michel Martelly (born 12 February 1961), also known by his stage name "Sweet Micky", is a Haitian politician, former musician and businessman, and is President of Haiti.[1]
On 4 April 2011, a senior Haitian official announced that Martelly had won the second round of the election against candidate Mirlande Manigat.[2][3]
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[edit] Early life
Martelly was born in Port-au-Prince, . The middle-class son of a Super Market supervisor, Martelly is a self-taught keyboard player and Mango seller. After graduating from high school, Martelly briefly worked for a construction company in the United States before he enlisted in the Haitian Military Academy. In 1986, after one semester, he returned to Haiti just as Jean-Claude Duvalier, then president-for-life, was heading into exile. Martelly later on returned to the U.S. with his then-girlfriend, Sophia, whom he later married in a small ceremony in Miami, Florida. Upon their return to Haiti, Martelly had his first breakthrough in the musical industry when he began playing keyboard as a fill-in musician in local venues in Pétionville and Kenscoff, some of the upscale suburbs of Port-au-Prince.[4][5]
[edit] Music
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Michel Martelly has been heralded as a pioneer of a unique brand of kompas music, a style of Haitian dance music sung in predominantly Haitian Creole language. Originally, Compas, or Kompa, was the creation of Nemours Jean-Baptiste. Martelly, a keyboardist and the self-proclaimed President of Compas, popularized a nouvelle génération, or "new generation" style, of smaller bands with few members that relied predominantly on synthesizers and electronic instruments to reproduce a fuller sound. Martelly's and Sweet Micky's live performances and recordings are sometimes laced with "burlesque" and humorous sociopolitical commentaries and satires. While the most recognized and applauded musician and public personality in Haiti, Martelly's performance style has sometimes ignited controversy throughout Haitian communities. After completing his high school at the Saint-Louis de Gonzague, he tried a career in engineering, however, his musical talent and his entertainer's skills took over his professional life so he became a popular recording artist and entertainer.
[edit] Recording career
By 1988, Martelly's musical talent, charismatic persona, and his pattering style of compas had gained tremendous popularity at El Rancho Hotel and Casino and The Florville, another local venue. That year, he recorded his first single, Ooo La La, which became an instant hit, followed by "Konpas Foret des Pins" which was released in 1989, also a number hit from his debut album "Woule Woule". During the period of about 1988-2008 Michel Martelly using his stage name Sweet Micky recorded fourteen studio albums and a number of live CDs. His music blends Haitian music with fresh interpretations of compas, zouk, reggae, salsa, Caribbean soca and jazz-fusion. In 1997, Martelly's appeal to other musical genres was evident when Wyclef Jean of The Fugees featured him on the title track for Jean's solo effort Wyclef Jean Presents The Carnival featuring the Refugee Allstars. As Jean proclaims on 'The Carnival,' "Surprise - it's Sweet Micky, y'all!" Also in 1997, Martelly released an album containing one of his most celebrated hits, Pa Manyen ("Don't Touch"). The song is an adaptation of "Angola", composed by the renowned artist/composer/record producer Ramiro Mendes (of the Mendes Brothers), first recorded by Cesária Évora, the legendary Cape Verdean singer. Pa Manyen went on to be featured in various compilation albums, including the popular Putumayo Presents: French Caribbean in 2003. The song was also covered by Venezuelan singer, Soledad Bravo as "Canta, Canta Corazon" and by Jose Luiz Cortes of Cuba. See also the Mendes Brothers' original version of the song, performed by Ramiro Mendes included in the group's 1997 album - Para Angola Com Um Xi Coracao. Martelly is also notorious for his cursing on stage as well as using homophobic slurs.
[edit] Political career
In 1997, Michel Martelly participated in "Knowledge is Power", an HIV educational music video with a message about preventing the spread of HIV. His humanitarian work as the President of the Foundation Rose et Blanc, created by his wife Sophia and himself, to help the poor and disenfranchised of the country, was the basis for his choice as the Good Will Haitian Ambassador for the Protection of the Environment by the current Haitian Government. In 2010 he ran for President of Haiti where he challenged the results as to whether he placed second, making the runoff, or third. On 3 February 2011, it was announced that he would participate in a run-off election scheduled for 20 March 2011.[6] Martelly proposes to re-instate the Armed Forces of Haiti, which were disbanded by former president Aristide in 1995.[7]
On 4 April 2011, a senior official announced that Martelly had won the presidential run-off election against candidate Mirlande Manigat with more than 60% of the vote.[3]
[edit] Presidency
Martelly was sworn in as president on 14 May, 2011 following the Haitian general election, 2010-2011. The following day, the incumbent Prime Minister, Jean-Max Bellerive resigned to allow Martelly to choose his own Prime Minister.[8] Martelly was quick to pledge reforms the post-earthquake reconstruction process.[9]
In August 2011, Martelly announced a plan to reinstate the nation's military. This plan was met with controversy as many human rights activists were concerned about bringing back a military which had been responsible for many atrocities in the past.[10]
In September 2011, Martelly formed an advisory board that included business executives, bankers, and politicians such as former President of the United States Bill Clinton, that he hopes will improve business and economy in Haiti.[11]
[edit] Personal life and later music career
Martelly currently lives in Haiti, but held several homes in Palm Beach, Florida. He lives with his wife and former manager, Sophia, and their four children, Olivier, Sandro, Yani, and Malaika. In 2006, Martelly announced his unofficial retirement from recording and performing but two years later announced a return to music with a new single, Magouyè, and the video/short film, "Bandi Legal yo ki rive". He is a cousin of Port-au-Prince hotel manager and musician Richard Morse.[12]
[edit] Discography
| Title | Released | Type | Label | as... |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woule Woule | 1989 | Studio | Geronimo | Michel Martelly |
| Anba Rad La | 1990 | Studio | AP | Michel Martelly |
| The Sweetest | 1992 | Studio | Josy | Michel Martelly |
| Min Koze-A | 1993 | Studio | Josy | Michel Martelly |
| I Don't Care | 1994 | Studio | Josy | Michel Martelly |
| Pa Manyen | 1995 | Studio | Josy | Michel Martelly |
| Tout Cé Mately | 1996 | Studio | Déclic | Michel Martelly |
| Aloufa | 1997 | Studio | Antilles | Michel Martelly |
| Best of Sweet Micky | 1997 | Compilation | Déclic | Sweet Micky |
| 100.000 Volts | 1998 | Studio | Mini Records | Michel Martelly |
| An Bolewo | 1998 | Live | Anson | Sweet Micky |
| Dènye Okazyon | 1999 | Studio | Geronimo | Michel Martelly |
| Jojo Ban'm Nouvel Micky | 1999 | Live | Exit | Michel Martelly |
| 100% KaKa | 1999 | Live | Mad Dog | Sweet Micky |
| Michel Martelly Live | 2000 | Live | Créon | Sweet Micky |
| SiSiSi | 2001 | Studio | Créon | Michel Martelly |
| Live au café des arts: Vol. 2 | 2001 | Live | Geronimo | Sweet Micky |
| 200% KaKa | 2001 | Studio/Live | Mad Dog | Sweet Micky |
| Rale Kow La | ???? | Live | Geronimo | Sweet Micky |
| 400% KaKa | 2002 | Live | Mad Dog | Sweet Micky |
| Live at best western | 2002 | Live | Geronimo | Sweet Micky |
| Best of Michel Martelly | 2002 | Compilation | Créon | Michel Martelly |
| Totot | 2003 | Studio | AD | Sweet Micky |
| Micky Chez Lui (Micky Bolero 2) | 2003 | Exit | Sweet Micky | |
| Sweet Micky Live | 2003 | Live | Geronimo | Sweet Micky |
| New Repertoire | 2004 | Live | Exit | Sweet Micky |
| Babaille Micky Mix | 2004 | Exit | Sweet Micky | |
| GNB | 2005 | Studio | D-Facto | Sweet Micky |
| Sweet Micky with Robert Martino: Live Vol. 1 | 2005 | Live | Touche Douce | Sweet Micky |
| Sweet Micky with Robert Martino: Live Vol. 1 | 2005 | Live | Touche Douce | Sweet Micky |
| Micky ap Trip | 2005 | Live | Exit | Sweet Micky |
| Sweet Micky & Djakout: Live 2006 | 2006 | Live | Feeling | Sweet Micky |
| Jojo Ban'm Nouvel Micky | 2006 | Live | Exit | Michel Martelly |
| Sweet Micky vs Dega | 2007 | Live | Arnold | Sweet Micky |
| Live in Miami (Ouvè Kôw) | 2007 | Live | Acoustique | Sweet Micky |
| Blazin' Live | 2007 | Live | Exit | Sweet Micky |
| Bandi Légal | 2008 | Studio | Antilles | Sweet Micky |
| Micky & Sons | 2008 | Antilles | Sweet Micky | |
| Vin' Pran Kompa | 2008 | Studio | Patrick | Sweet Micky |
| Kompa Prezidantiyèl | 2010 | Live | Sweet Micky | Sweet Micky |
| Prézidan Éspwa Vote #8 | 2011 | Studio | ArnoldZic | Sweet Micky |
[edit] References
- ^ "Singer "Sweet Micky" takes oath as Haiti's president". Reuters. May 14, 2011. http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/14/us-haiti-martelly-idUSTRE74D0ZL20110514. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
- ^ Charles, Jacqueline. Miami Herald "The Miami Herald" Apr 04, 2011. Retrieved Apr 04, 2011.
- ^ a b Archibald, Randal C. Popular Carnival Singer Is Elected President of Haiti in a Landslide "The New York Times". Apr 04, 2011. Retrieved on Apr 04, 2011.
- ^ Ackerman, Elise. "His Music Rules in Haiti: Sweet Micky's provocative music moves Haitians with an infectious beat and political overtones". Miami New Times. May 29, 1997. Retrieved Feb 03, 2011.
- ^ Balmaseda, Liz. The Sweet Life of Michel Martelly Palm Beach Post archived on FindArticles.com. 2007. Retrieved May 07, 2011.
- ^ Waters, Maxine. Haiti's Doubtful Elections Cloud Future Recovery Black Star News. Feb 03, 2011. Retrieved on Feb 03, 2011.
- ^ Nienaber, Giorgianne. Haiti's Michel Martelly: The Election, Fraud, and the Future. LA Progressive December 8, 2011. Retrieved February 7, 2011.
- ^ Miami Herald, May 15, 2011
- ^ http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/07/21/2325320/martelly-to-reform-haiti-reconstruction.html
- ^ "Haiti: Disbanded Army Reportedly To Be Restored". Huffington Post. September 27, 2011. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/27/haiti-disbanded-army_n_983964.html.
- ^ http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Haiti-pres-Clinton-form-board-apf-2417127420.html?x=0&.v=2
- ^ Daniel, Trenton. The former pop singer who could be Haiti’s president. The Miami Herald. Feb 06, 2011. Retrieved on Feb 21, 2011.
[edit] External links
- [1]
- Micky's masquerade: Michel Martelly is Haiti's new president. But the musician has a dark side. Miami New Times. June 9, 2011.
- Martelly's Historically Weak Mandate Center for Economic and Policy Research, April 5, 2011.
- Vote Michel Martelly official campaign site
- Interview: Haitian presidential candidate Michel Martelly challenges political elite, Gary G. Yerkey, Christian Science Monitor, November 19, 2010
- Haitian Musician Campaigns in Miami, Frank Tester, NBC Miami, March 4, 2011
- Haiti candidate Martelly lost three South Florida properties to foreclosure (also Haiti presidential candidate Martelly defaults on three Florida properties), Frances Rhodes, The Miami Herald, March 7, 2011
- Michel Martelly’s Electoral Coup d’Etat Annis, Roger. Haïti Liberte. Volume 4-39.
[edit] Music
- Sweet Micky: Mon Colonel, music video
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by René Préval |
 President of Haiti 2011 – present |
Incumbent |
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