Haitian Konpa influence grows among West Palm Beach musicians

With May marking Haitian Heritage Month, Haiti’s iconic sound, Konpa, has become so popular that it’s now blending with styles like Afrobeats and soul music — and that energy has reached local artists in Palm Beach County, home to one of the nation's largest Haitian communities.

MOVÈ, a new song released on various streaming platforms, is the latest entry into the growing genre. It's a slow-tempo Haitian song to which fans can dance gouyad — a close, sensual whine dance typically performed to traditional Konpa music.

Haitian-American artist Beni Moun and producer Chris Wishlade describe their new song as a fusion between Konpa and Black-American soul music — and that the newfound popularity of Konpa music has inspired local artists like themselves to test cultural boundaries.

Moun, who is based in Boynton Beach, told WLRN Konpa music — in all of its variations — gaining popularity is long overdue.

Producer and artist Beni Moun (left) and producer Wishlade are longtime music collaborators from West Palm Beach. (1037x1037, AR: 1.0)

“ You're beginning to see people's palettes are a bit more broad. They're looking for it, for lack of better terms, more flavor, different taste,” Moun said.

Co-producer and West Palm Beach native Chris Wishlade, whose worked with artist like rapper G-Eazy and R&B singer Kehlani, played drums for MOVÈ. He told WLRN the songs composition emphasizes instrumentation over vocals, allowing listeners to appreciate details like the percussion and piano.

“ Every sound in the record is intentional,” Wishlade said. “So our goal is to make you move with the song. If you're in a car, if you're with a girl, just really get in the zone to vibe out.”

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Konpa emerged in Haiti in the 1950s. Today, artists like Joé Dwèt Filé, CaRiMi, Rutshelle Guillaume, and Alan Cavé pack arenas across the world, which is inspiring local artists to embark their own journey in the ever-evolving genre.

Haitian-French star Joé Dwèt Filé recently collaborated with Nigerian star Burna Boy on the remix of Filé's global hit song “4 Kampé,” titled “4 Kampé II."

The smash hit helped fuel this era of Haitian music, which has seen a resurgence across streaming platforms and social media, garnering millions of streams and video views from mainstream audiences.

The popularity has reached a cross-cultural fever pitch and Moun says "it's about time."

He said these types of collaborations between cultures are “giving you a different element of the African diaspora.”

The West Palm Beach duo, Beni Moun and Chris Wishlade, released MOVÈ, not only as a way to ride the current momentum but as a creative tribute to Haitian Heritage Month.

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