Tina: the princess of zouk

By Ardine IsmaSpecial to CSMS Magazine From Cayenne with love could have been the perfect title for Tina’s upcoming album due to be released this month. Ever since this charming singer from French Guiana was discovered in 1987on RFO (Radio France D’outre-mer), many in the Caribbean music world seem to have a thrilling crush on her style, following her every move. Then, she was only 9.            With her album set to hit record stores from coast to coast this month, rumor spread that she has already scheduled a music tour set to begin in two weeks at the Marabu Café nightclub in Pembroke Pines, Florida. CSMS Magazine has checked on the rumor, but could not confirm it. However, her new duet with Carimi’s star Richard Cave released last month clearly solidified both artists as the new sensations in the Konpa/Zouk world.      Born on May 4, 1979 in French Guiana, Tina began to sing with her father, who was a French music composer, at a very young age. In 1987, she released two songs written by her father. Both songs were highly requested on RFO Guyane and other French channels. In 1991, she participated in an album titled Le monde musical d’Yvon ROLLUS with some of the best Guyanese singers.              Ten years later, after the success of the album Le monde musical d’Yvon ROLLUS,Tina was landed the record deal of a lifetime from Section Zouk records for her debut albumTina, which featured production from hit zouk producers Peggy Bajal, Steeve-Pierre Louis, Ludo and Laurent Tournier. The album Tina reached the top of the Caribbean music charts. This humongous success has landed Tina the award for best female singer in the Dynamitch awards in France in May of 2002.            In 2003, she released her second album Di moi tout with production from Harry Diboula, Ali Angel, Peggy Bajal, and Steeve-Pierre Louis. The first single from the album Sans Tricher was the one of the highest requested songs in NRJ Antilles radio in Martinique, Guadeloupe, and in her homeland French Guiana.            Four years after her second album, Tina is set to release her third album Couler du monde this month with production from Ali Angel and Nickenson Prud’Homme of Zenglen. This album features a special duet with Richard Cave of Carimi (mentioned earlier) in the song A tes cotés. Released on You tube on October 10, 2007, the video A tes cotés has already received an estimated 16,000 hits. The video was choreographed so well that rumors were flying that Richard Cave and Tina were a couple. Both artists have denied the rumors and said that they’re just friends and nothing else.            Tina is a wonderfully talented singer with a beautifully model-like look and great zouk melodies with a hint of Konpa in songs like Tchimbe, Je t’Aurai, and A tes cotés. Many believe that Tina will continue to have more success in the kompa/zouk music genre for years to come.Also see Whatever happened to famed Zouk singer Lea Galva?              Jocelyne Labylle: A remarkable Zouk artist              Gessy Nataly: An upcoming new artist              Dwindling record sales forces Zouk producers to call Konpa to the rescue