Michaël Brun

DJ/producer Michael Brun blends EDM styles like progressive house with influences that honor his Haitian roots, such as the salsa-like kompa, and rara, a style of festival music that incorporates call and response, driving rhythms, and brass. After notching several hit releases, including 2013's Gravity EP, Brun gave back to his community by founding the Kid Coconut label, which he intended as an outlet for other Haitian artists as well as his own music. Born in Port-au-Prince, Brun learned to play violin and piano as a child and began experimenting with DJ software a few years later, making mash-ups and ultimately becoming a DJ in his teens. Brun initially wanted to become a doctor and volunteered at nearby hospitals; he eventually attended Indiana's Culver Military Academy thanks to a scholarship program. The discipline he learned there helped him balance pre-med courses at North Carolina's Davidson College with his growing interest in music production. Brun began releasing singles in the early 2010s, including 2011's "Shades of Gray" and "Dawn," which was issued by Dutch DJ Hardwell's Revealed Recordings. "Dawn" won him a fan in Dirty South, who invited Brun on tour and released the single "Rise" on his Phazing Records label. Phazing also issued 2013's Gravity EP, which reached number two on Beatport's charts. That year, he also remixed tracks by Tiësto, Calvin Harris, and Armin van Buuren. Brun made his Ultra Music Festival debut in 2014, becoming the first Haitian artist to perform there. In addition, he released the singles "Zenith" and "Sun in Your Eyes" on his Kid Coconut label. In 2015, he released "See You Soon," one of his most successful singles to date, as well as the Roy English collaboration "Tongue Tied July." Brun also became an ambassador for Paul Haggis' Artists for Peace and Justice, a charity supporting programs in education, healthcare, and dignity through the arts. One of his first projects for the organization was 2016's "Wherever I Go," a single he made with students at Jacmel, Haiti's Artists Institute, which benefited the school. While there, he met Lakou Mizik, an all-star Haitian roots music collective; the group, Brun, and Haitian pop star J. Perry then collaborated on "Gaya," a song for 2017's Carnival celebration that also benefited the Artists Institute. He teamed up with Strong G later that year for the single "Danse Konsa," and with Janelle Kroll on "Easy on My Love." A string of collaborations marked his 2018 output, including "Positivo" with J Balvin, "Soweto" with Shirazee, and "Spice" with Kah-Lo. In 2019, he issued another standalone single,"How About This," with Uniiqu3. In June of that year, Brun released Lokal, a Haitian-influenced set that marked the first full-length release of his career. ~ Heather Phares