Wikimizik - Tande mizik, Eksplike lyric

Nothing gets us in the spirit like holiday music. That got us wondering what jams and traditions make our artists merry. So we asked.

Nathalie Cerin aka Talie

Singer-songwriter. Editor of Woy Magazine. Voice like whoa. No, seriously - you have to hear her sing.

Favorite Christmas song
Choosing a favorite Christmas song is hard for me. Between the carols we would sing at church and choir, and the many Konkou Chante Nwèl songs I love, I could list so many favorites. But today, I'll go with Max Aubin's 1998 Konkou Chante Nwèl song "Pè Nowèl." Max Aubin was an amazing talent I'm sure would have blessed us with so much more great music had he lived longer. I love this particular song because it's different from most Haitian Christmas songs in Kreyòl because it's happy. It's happy while still remaining Haitian. So many of our Christmas songs are depressing, but I love a lot of the depressing ones all the same lol

Favorite holiday memory
Christmas break 2009 was one of the happiest moments of my life. I can't point to one specific event. I was in Haiti for that break, I did the usual going out with friends to bal, reveillon, get togethers, the beach etc. But something was special about that break. Haiti seemed more peaceful and hopeful. My friends and I were uncharacteristic for that entire holiday season. It felt as if the universe wanted us to have the time of our lives right before sending that devastating earthquake.

Favorite holiday tradition
Premye janvye! Our family would go to church the night of December 31st. People would share their testimonies of what God did for them throughout that year. I won't lie, 90% of the testimonies end up being hilarious. And we would invite the New Year in prayer. That is my favorite way to begin a new year: in prayer. Then once service was over, we would all go drink soup joumou together in the church yard. (Then maybe head to whatever party or bal we were invited to that night.)