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As the 2026 World Cup approaches, Haitian singer Ayiti Coles, known by her stage name Ayiiti, is unveiling an ambitious musical project conceived as a bridge between football, identity, and culture.
As the 2026 World Cup approaches, Haitian singer Ayiti Coles, known by her stage name Ayiiti, unveils an ambitious musical project conceived as a bridge between football, identity, and culture. More than just a song dedicated to the sporting event, the track aims to be an anthem of unity for Haiti and its diaspora. In a meeting with the editorial team of Le Nouvelliste, she reflects on this work.
Produced with the legendary band Boukman Eksperyans, the production brought together a team of experienced musicians and producers, including producer T-Ansyto and Paul Beaubrun. A collective approach that gave birth to a hybrid work, between musical heritage and modern sound. For the artist, this song is above all a message: one of unity and Haitian pride at a global moment.Everything begins with a conviction: bringing Haitians together around this wind of hope that seems to blow beyond the national territory. The country’s qualification, 52 years after its first participation in the World Cup, is not without effect: several members of the diaspora are considering returning, if only for the time of a celebration. Ayiiti feels it, lives it from Colombia where she currently resides. She needs music that speaks to all Haitians, regardless of their class, rank, or place of residence.She is not the only one to have had this idea. Since the qualification, several Haitian artists have composed for the occasion. But what sets Ayiiti’s project apart is its musical gamble. Marrying Rasin, this genre rooted in Haitian Vodou and cultural roots in which Boukman Eksperyans has become a master, with other sounds and a decidedly modern touch.
The answer comes by itself: Kè m pa sote, the legendary title of Boukman Eksperyans released in 1990 for the carnival. “This music is a heritage,” she believes. The backbone is found with this carnival atmosphere that so well characterizes the country. But the theme must go beyond borders, because it is for the World Cup. It is then that her father talks to her about Zi pim bo w, the music of Haiti’s first participation in the World Cup in 1974. A bridge between two generations, two qualifications, the same pride.Then follow the virtual rehearsal sessions with the Colombian producer Tenso. The first ready demo is sent to Manzè, the lead singer of Boukman Eksperyans. Exchanges begin, ideas are refined. “We worked with remote and studio sessions. There was a lot of exchange with T-Ansyto and other musicians. Everyone brought something: ideas, sounds, energy,” explains Ayiiti. Then she leaves Colombia and returns to Haiti to finalize the work.The music has a carnival-like atmosphere. It is conceived this way because the World Cup is a celebration, an atmosphere quite similar to the carnival in Haiti,” explains the artist. The video ends with a gathering where the audience, under the colors of the bicolor, reprises the music in rara style. A strong, symbolic choice; rara as the ultimate popular expression, as the language of the street and of resistance. “It’s not just a song, it’s really a team effort. That’s what makes the piece rich,” she insists.The project also draws on an older musical memory. Zi pim bo w holds a special place in the creative process. “My father told me about this music. I went to listen to it and found it incredible. There was already this energy of gathering around football and Haitian identity.” The goal was not to reproduce the past, but to reinterpret it. “We wanted to keep this spirit of unity, but in a more current, more modern version, which also speaks to the younger generations,” says Ayiiti.Because Ayiiti carries several worlds within her. Having lived in Haiti, France, and Colombia, her musical identity reflects her journey: plural, open, rooted. “I sing in Creole, French, Spanish, and sometimes English. Each language has a different emotion. French is more analytical, Spanish more passionate, and Creole remains the emotional heart,” she says. A plurality that has not always been easy to embrace. “For a long time, I had to respond to preconceived ideas about what it means to be Haitian. Being Haitian is not an appearance or a stereotype. It is a culture, an energy, a history. And today, I carry it proudly in my music,” emphasizes the artist.This is precisely the message she wants to convey with this project. “We often talk about Haiti through negative things, but there is also an immense cultural, artistic, and human richness. This song is there to show that.” In a context where the country is too often reduced to its crises, Ayiti chooses celebration, not naive celebration, but one that knows the pain and chooses nevertheless to sing.
The teaser for Ayiti nan batay, already available on social media, does not leave internet users indifferent. The official release is expected in the coming days. A music, a team, a country, and 52 years of waiting that finally find their soundtrack.
