By Ardine Isma 

 Special to CSMS NewsCalling it Zouk or calling it Kompa, it almost makes no difference for young people of Martinique, Guadeloupe, and Haiti. Driving down the streets of Port-au-Prince, going to a picnic in Miami, listening to a Caribbean station in Paris, the presence of Zouk or Kompa is always overwhelming. And when it comes to Christiane Valjeo, the public doesn’t seem to be able to get enough of her. She is one of the hottest Zouk artistes out there. Christiane Valjeo, the nouvelle queen of Zouk Love, was born on May 7, in the town of Sainte-Marie, a town in northern Martinique. From the youngest age, she was attracted to music; and when she was fifteen years old, she joined the choir of her parish. There, she had her first solo; and that was when her Mezzo-Soprano voice was appreciated. In 1987, Ronald Tulle, who gave her first demo, discovered her. Then numerous recordings followed with close collaborations with important groups and solo artists such as Eric Virgal, Malavoi, Tabou Combo, Henri Guedon, Paulo Albin, Harry Diboubla, Kali, Monique Seka, Beethova Obas, and Tanya Saint-Val. In 1995, she appeared in the Chant Des Sirenes with Emeline Michel, Tanya Saint-Val, and Celiene Fleriag. By 1998, after eight years of collaborating in albums for various artists, she had her first solo experience with a short-lived group called the Atomes with two huge hits, “Assassins” and “Ricole.” Then a year later, she released her first album called, “Autrement”, with hits including “Pesonn pa ni dwa” and “A quoi bon.” In 2000, she wrote four songs for the compilation album called, “Tempo Zouk,” which also introduced new upcoming artists such as David Saint-Felix, Jean-Marie Ragald, Aude Lamartiniere, and Stephane Moreau. A year later, she produced eight songs for the album, “Sans Faux Semblants”, with the cooperation of the best producers of Zouk music such as Harry Diboula, Richard Birman, Patrick Andrey, and Tony Deloumeaux. In late 2003, Christiane’s latest album features her most mature and complete masterpiece, experts say. In this latest album, Christiane is once again giving joy to her fans by providing new upbeat melodies that Zouk listeners of all ages will enjoy for years to comeArdine Isma is a high school student at South Plantation High in Plantation, Florida