What do you get when you mix Creole and Haitian roots with jazzy folk and acoustic soul? You get one amazingly eclectic artist that has the ability to move a variety of people with her sound alone. Born into a family of musicians and singers, Mikaelle Aimee Cartright’s path appears to be destined for greatness, and her perseverance alone is something to aspire to if one is to succeed in the music industry.
When did you start singing and performing? What inspired you to do so?
It all started when I was a child…about 11-years-old. My family is musical so it was a no brainer…Mom led the choir. Dad played guitar. My older sister was singing opera. We listened to a lot of music at home, so I was absorbing quite a bit before I started trying it myself… I joined the church choir and that was my life till I was about 22…Music was sort of like a path. I could always find my way if I just followed it… If I practiced, I could be a source of joy to others through my music, so, I always worked at it. Music has brought me favor in my own personal life that I don’t ever see turning my back on it. I will always follow the next lead because I know I am meant for this.
You have a very eclectic style, how would you define your sound? What and who are your biggest influences?
My sound is pretty varied… I am a product of so many different styles of music. I am a Jazzy Folk artist, I say Acoustic Soul sometimes. I think a definition can only go so far in classifying an artist… My influences can be traced back to specific times in my life… Growing up, we weren’t allowed to listen to secular music in the home unless it was instrumental. We were home-schooled, so all hours of the day, my siblings and I would listen to vinyl records of ‘60s pop music (American and French), mad classical music, and of course, church music…
I, the nonconformist, would sneak a radio into my bed at night and listen to late night music shows where I fell in love with Whitney, Shania Twain, and Celine Dion.
I was in Port au Prince, Haiti at the time but I had no interest in Haitian popular music…We spoke English in the home, so I don’t even think I understood it… As a teenager, my brother (the other rebel) brought home Rock and Blues music. From Jimi Hendrix, to The Doors, Johnny Cash and BB King…Later came Puddle of Mud, Disturbed, and System of a Down. My mind was blown…lately I’ve been delving into the blues, getting cozy with Albert King, Muddy Waters, and CCR. I eventually found my way to the likes of John Mayer and Coldplay…Later on, it was Death Cab for Cutie, Snow Patrol, and Postal Service that really got me going. The folky sound, great stories, and interesting lyrics really left a huge impression on me… The one style of music that I was the most drawn to and influenced me most was Jazz music.
The vocal standards of the ’30s, ‘40s, and ’50s have helped me grow the most as a vocalist. I am forever grateful for that era and constantly count on their voices for inspiration.
If you could perform with anyone in the industry, dead or alive, who would it be?
John Mayer. He’s crazy talented. In fact, you can credit him and Coldplay for my learning guitar and wanting to write music. No lie. JM gave me so much as far as amazing guitar sounds and beautiful songs. He marked such an important era in my musical education and I feel so drawn to the way he expresses himself through music. I feel such a connection, so to be onstage with him would be amazing. I would perform with Brandi Carlile too. Her songs are too perfect.
I see that you rep your Creole roots, what makes you most proud of your culture? How do you infuse it into your sound?
Haiti is everything to me. I love that place so much. I am proud of our history but mostly for our accomplishments as individuals in modern society. There are a lot of amazing Haitian out there. We Rock! We’ve also inherited some serious issues and I don’t think we are coping well with the daunting task that is creating a stable country, but a lot of us are going in the right direction. I have a lot of hope in that aspect. The sound that I draw on from home is our roots music. The drums still with us from our West African ancestors. You’d be surprised how many different African rhythms persist on Haitian soil. We have different names for them, but they are the same and they can drive a Folk song, a Pop song, and a Jazz song. The mix is captivating and I love singing with them.
What’s your most proud moment thus far? And what has been the most challenging as an artist?
Proudest moment … in public: Having fifty fans show up to cheer me on at the Apollo Amateur Night competition in 2018. In private: My mother telling me both she and my father cried they loved one of my songs so much. Most challenging moment or time was in 2015 when I left Haiti, just to take a little break and couldn’t go back immediately because my passport was expiring. While I was getting everything together to go back, all my musical equipment was stolen from my parents home, another season of political unrest had begun and I had nothing to go back to.
Realizing that I needed to stay in the US and that it meant starting over… that was really really hard.
How do you define success and what advice would you give to yourself if you were talking to a younger version of you right now?
Success is work. The ability to work in the field that you love. The honor to grow in it. I’m not trying to be a big pop star, I wanna be a folk artist that travels the world and shares intimate moments with a smaller crowd. Success is breathing life into others and letting them breathe it right back into you. Advice… get the Masters in Urban and Regional Planning. Be of some use before going back home… That and take guitar lessons in University.
Have you performed internationally yet? If so, where? If not, where would you like to perform?
I’ve performed in a few cities in Haiti… Port au Prince, Jacmel, and Cap Haitien. Also, I visited Spain and stayed with an artist for one month to sing for his art show in Olot. I did 2 other shows afterwards. The crowd was spectacular. I have never sung for a more attentive group of people. Amazing, awakened souls. I can’t wait to sing in more places in the US like Seattle, Colorado, Louisiana. Also, Scandinavia. I feel like there’s a Folk music producer with a penchant for trance that is gonna “get” my sound. You asked so I’m just putting it out there.
What can we expect to see from you in the future?
You are going to be hearing a lot of different styles of music from me. I am going to do everything I find to do in music. Dope performances, trippy videos, eclectic sounds… Writing music for film and TV is on the table. Writing for other artists is on the table. Even acting is on the table. And… I am going to submit my music to every festival out there cause I can’t wait to share all this music inside me with all of you.
Dakari Eli
