Infertility is the big story in Haitian band Gabel’s latest song “PKFP”, the acronym for Pa Ka Fè Pitit (Can’t Birth Babies). What a great idea! And how brave of this band to come forward with a song on this sensitive, nearly taboo subject in some circles and communities.
Turns out that infertility is becoming a major preoccupation even for people in their twenties and thirties! According to WCNC.com, more and more Millennial-aged women are freezing their eggs, and women are getting married later and later in life, and putting off having children. The fear of infertility is so strong, The Knowridge Science Report stated that more employers are offering egg freezing as a health benefit for their employees.
What Gabel has done essentially, has been to take this increasing problem and turn it into a sort of anthem–albeit private anthem. Will this song be a dancefloor hit? Or will it be one of those songs that couples comfort themselves with in the privacy of their homes? There’s this stigma with infertility and all.
I could not help but be reminded of another song called “Pitit Deyò”, that figured on my list of Top Haitian Music Baby Mama Drama songs. People may sing and dance along to “Pitit Deyò” in public, but I wonder if they will embrace “PKFP” the same way. The difference between “Pitit Deyò” (The Sidechick’s Kid) and “PKFP” is that the narrator for the first mourns over circumstances (illigimacy) beyond his or her control, and whereas “PKFP” is even more personal. When you listen to the lyrics, there’s some undercurrents of self-blame even.
In the video for the track, director ISmittyProduce gives us a shot of a crushed baby girl’s cup, and a weathered, beatdown book that looks like it may have been a pregnancy or expectant parent guide in dryer days. Then in-between scenes of the wifey delivering the news of infertility to the guy, we see a First Reader-type-of-book in flames. Some powerful visual metaphors.
It would have been even better to put a male and a female infertility storyline side-by-side to emphasize that infertility can stem from both sides. Have to mention though…the female lead in the video has a very supportive husband. He didn’t accompany her to the clinic to help her take in the infertility diagnosis, but at least he’s doing his share of chores in the house!
The main message of this song is that it takes a great many sacrifices to sustain true love. It may mean keeping your work, remembering your vows, even if this may mean never procreating with the person you love.
This band really went went out of their element for this track. So, like, bravo, and major—actually thunderous—applause for Gabel.
Have you heard the Gabel PKFP song? What did you think of it?
CLICK HERE to buy Gabel PKFP and other music from this band! CLICK HERE to read previous articles on this band!
