The single “Lespwa” (Hope) was released on September 15 and is available on all streaming platforms.
This artistic project was born from the meeting of Yves Thôle Jr and Jean-Marc Douared, but the two artists had already worked together as they are part of the Karibean Griots quartet (a kind of Afro-Caribbean laboratory), founded in 2021 by Pascal Ecanvil (bassist) and Mélahel Pajaniandy (percussionist).
Yves Thôle Jr is a songwriter and performer who has collaborated with local artists and groups (Stevy Mahy, Dissonance, Konvwaka, among others) and has performed on stages in Guadeloupe and Martinique.
Jean-Marc Douared, for his part, is a songwriter and self-taught pianist who has already performed on major stages in France (Printemps de Bourges, opening for Macéo Parker at the Zénith with the group Back Beat). His musical universe is very mixed (jazz, soul, RnB, fusion, etc.). His influences are not Caribbean and include Americans Stevie Wonder and Erykah Badu, Nigerian Keziah Jones, among others.
This desire to sing about hope – by highlighting only vocals and piano – has emerged during an artist residency called “Créations hybrides III” (Hybrid Creations III), initiated by the Guadeloupe Departmental Council in April 2024. “With this duet, the artists embark on a sonic and poetic exploration where the piano and voice meet in their simplest truth. “Lespwa” is a search for authenticity: a dialogue between Afro-Caribbean tradition, contemporary influences, and openness to the world”, we learn. Suffice to say that, from the outset, “Lespwa” is not just a song…
The first verse in Creole of the track underlines the importance of eye contact between individuals. “I am seen, therefore I exist”, one might think…
“On gadé, zyé kwazé / É ou pé pa imajinéw / tou sa sa pé potéw. / On palé, yo gadéw / É sé lèw ka réalizé / kè tou sa té maké”. (English translation: an exchanged glance, eyes that meet, and it’s hard to imagine all that this can offer / a conversation, eyes laid on you (you are seen and considered), and at that precise moment, you realize that everything was written in advance). For the duo, “‘Lespwa’ evokes an encounter, sometimes seemingly insignificant, which becomes revelation. The exchanged glances are not accidental: they highlight a person who doubted, who needed to be seen to believe again. It is precisely the moment when hope is reborn, when life has a new meaning, as if everything had been written in advance”.
The two Guadeloupeans have a lot of ambition because, in addition to the archipelago, they want to conquer the Greater Caribbean with “Lespwa Éditions”, which they founded last May to “promote an authentic and independent musical creation”, “become a key actor in the Caribbean music landscape, by building bridges between local talent and regional and international stages (…)”.
In the meantime, the Douared-Thôle duo needs to be known, so it is available to participate in intimate concerts (piano and vocals), festivals, artistic residencies, and educational workshops.
