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An Interview With The Techies Behind Haitian Music Site WikiMizik

Wikimizik Haitian music lyrics site
Wikimizik is what happened when two techies (later joined by a third), with a love of Haitian music, came together. Florida State University graduate Guignard Vilmar, Florida A&M University grad Darryl Dieudonné, and South Florida-educated Sergio Seide are the webpreneurs behind Wikimizik, the fastest growing Haitian music lyrics site on the internet.

There was a previous interview with Vilmar. Now, it’s Boston-bred Darryl Dieudonné’s turn. A self-described “lover of all things konpa”, who will never have enough sòspwa in his system, the one-time public relations student primarily takes care of the communications aspect of Wikimizik.

Kreyolicious: Did you have any educational/work experience that has helped you in running Wikimizik?
My background in storytelling, advertising and branding has been a huge help. Whether it’s designing our logo and identity or coming up with new ways to push our brand. For example, we amplified our launch with “From Hi to I Do”—a short story that uses different songs to propel the narrative.

Kreyolicious: Did you come across any obstacles as you prepared to launch?
Figuring out the technical details of the site’s architecture and functionality gave us a few headaches. We were fortunate to connect with Georges Dugué. With his help, we were able to iron out the kinks. Some lyrics were impossible to decipher and when we’d ask artists to send the text, we’d get a Soundcloud link in our inbox.

Kreyolicious: What sort of feedback have you been getting from users of the platform?
It’s been overwhelmingly positive. People are excited about the platform’s potential and how it puts the focus on the drama in the songs, rather than the drama in the bands.

Kreyolicious: What are your favorite lyrics from a Haitian song?
Nu Look, Souvenirs. When Arly belts out, “Ou se yon istwa, yon istwa ke gòm lavi a pap janm efase menm si ou pa bò kote mwen” [You’re a story that life’s eraser can never erase/Even when you’re not around] I’m usually singing along. Pirogue – “L’Escalier”. This Hans Peters classic distills so much wisdom. These are words to live by: “Tout otan w pa mi, pa jwe ak lavi / W aprann pasyans, aprann lasyans / Dlo lavi ka pouri w, dlo lavi ka beni w. [Don’t mess with life/If you’re not old enough/Learn patience/Learn some science/Life’s water won’t rot you/Life’s water’ll bless you].

Kreyolicious: Do you think Wikimizik has gone as you envisioned it?
Our primary goal is to elevate the conversation and we feel that we’ve been doing just that. We’re able to provide historical and personal context that enrich people’s understanding of their favorite songs.

CHECK OUT THE WIKIMIZIK TEAM AT WORK BY CLICKING HERE TO VISIT THE WIKIMIZIK WEBSITE!

K St. Fort
K St. Fort
ABOUT K. St Fort K. St. Fort is the Editor and Founder of, well, Kreyolicious.com and wishes to give you a heartfelt welcome to her site. She loves to read, write, and listen to music and is fascinated by her Haitian roots, and all aspects of her culture. Speaking of music, she likes it loud, really, really loud. Like bicuspid valve raising-loud. Her other love are the movies. She was once a Top 50 finalist for a student screenwriting competition, encouraging her to continue pounding the pavement. She has completed several screenplays, with Haiti as the backdrop, one of which tackles sexual abuse in an upper middle class Haitian family, while another has child slavery as its subject. She is currently completing another script, this time a thriller, about two sisters who reunite after nearly 10 years of separation. A strong believer in using films to further educational purposes, and to raise awareness about important subjects, she has made it a point to write about social issues facing Haiti, and making them an integral part of her projects. She has interviewed such Haitian-American celebrities as Roxane Gay, Garcelle Beauvais, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Briana Roy, Karen Civil, and many, many more. And that’s her writing this whole biographical sketch. She actually thinks writing about herself in the third person is cute. MY WEBSITE Kreyolicious ™: kree-ohl-lish-uh s: Surely an adjective…the state of being young, gorgeous, fine and utterly Haitian. Kreyolicious.com™, the hub for young, upwardly mobile Haitian-Americans, is akin to a 18th Century cultural salon but with a Millennium sensibility–an inviting lair, where we can discuss literature, music, problems facing the community, and everything on the side and in-between. Kreyolicious is the premier lifestyle, culture and entertainment blog and brand of the hip, young, trend-oriented, forward thinking Haitian-American. It’s the definite hot spot to learn more about Haiti our emerging identity as a people, and explore our pride and passion about our unique and vibrant culture. Within the site’s pages, Kreyolicious.com is going to engage you, empower you, and deepen your connection to everything Haitian: the issues, the culture, our cinema, the history, our cuisine, the style, the music, the worldwide community. Make yourself at home in my cultural salon. If you’re looking to learn more about Haiti, Kreyolicious.com invites you to board this trolley on a journey–on our journey. For me too, it is a process, a non-ending cultural odyssey. If you’re already acculturated, I can certainly learn something from you. We can learn from one other, for certain. With my site, Kreyolicious.com I look forward to inspiring you, to enriching you, and to participating alongside of you, in the cultural celebration. And being utterly kreyolicious. How do you wear your kreyoliciousness? On your sleeves, like I do? Kreyoliciously Yours, Your girl K. St. Fort, Ahem, follow me elsewhere!

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