NJIE Caribbean Queen of Jazz

June 2, 2013 6:49 AM

NJIE was born with the birth name of Muriel Ako in Guadeloupe in the Caribbean. Guadeloupe is part of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles, a protectorate of France and part of the European Union.

NJIE was raised in a family of musicians and dancers. Her aunt, in particular, was a talented flamenco dancer and sang opera as well. NJIE remembers hearing Bizet's Carmen played on the phonograph often. As she grew older, she decided she wanted to study opera, but her family didn't have the money to send her to France. Instead, NJIE found herself hanging around the local clubs in the afternoons after school. It was there she got her start as a singer, jamming with local jazz musicians.

NJIE - KELIA Music Video

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Eventually she began touring with her band throughout the Caribbean. In 1990, she landed in France, where she had once wanted to study opera, but had found her true calling as an interpretive jazz vocalist. In 1993, she and her band were signed to a record contract and their first album Tempo 106 was issued. Four years later she released a second album Chaye.

NJIE - Charmant

Videos from NJIE

In 1996, she released a third album Dadoué to great success, the breakout recording that brought her to the attention of a larger segment of the record-buying public. One of the tracks on Dadoué won "Song of the Year". NJIE's voice has been described as one of the most beautiful voices in the Caribbean. Today N'jie tours yearly and is a sought-after artist for jazz festivals in France.

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