Nathalie Joachim Gives Voice
The artist’s first solo album is an aural journey to the past, an exploration of her roots, and a celebration of the women of Haiti.
Images courtesy of Nathalie Joachim. Originally published in AphroChic magazine Issue 3, Spring 2020.
Her voice is full of life — vibrant and soulful with an unflinching clarity. Its sound is a declaration of identity, a definitive statement of existence, and an unapologetic claiming of place in both history and the present day. In her Grammy-nominated solo debut, Fanm d’Ayiti, Nathalie Joachim’s crisp vocals pair beautifully with her stunning arrangements of flutes, strings, and electronics to seamlessly blend the weight of history with a rising sense of wonder and joy. In every song we hear not only Joachim herself, but the voices of the brave women of Haiti — the ancestors for whom she sings. Recasting songs with centuries of history in modern arrangements, the album recalls the struggles and resilience of the past as a means of gathering the strength to meet the challenges of the present. We spoke with Joachim about what drove her to create this seminal work.
AC: What first drew you to the world of music and composition?
NJ: I’ve been drawn to music as long as I can remember. The truth is that from the moment I became aware of music, it has been what I’ve loved most and is quite simply part of the very fabric of my being. I started playing flute in my public elementary school band, and soon thereafter auditioned and was admitted to the Music Advancement Program at The Juilliard School and then to Juilliard’s Pre-College Division and College Division, where I did my undergrad. In reality, making music with my voice came to me far before I’d ever encountered a flute, particularly through my relationship with my grandmother.
AC: Your first album is an ode to Haiti, but you were born in Brooklyn. How did your relationship with Haiti take shape?
NJ: My parents immigrated to this country to escape the dictatorships of the Duvaliers, so we were not traveling there frequently when I was young. My grandmother came to live with us in the States during that time, which was amazing for our relationship, but it was also very clear that she missed her life in the countryside. She returned to Haiti as soon as it was safe to do so. It wasn’t until I was older that I started to travel to Haiti with regularity and frequency, and as an adult it’s been a real priority of mine.
AC: You are a part of the band, Flutronix, and were a member of Eighth Blackbird. What was the experience like creating your first solo album?
NJ: This work was entirely different than anything I’ve ever made before, and was an extremely vulnerable place for me personally and artistically. For the first time, I was not only representing my artistic leanings, but my family’s heritage, hundreds of years of Haitian music history, and narratives that did not belong to me. Not to mention the fact that everyone previously knew me as a classical flutist, and here I was putting out a vocal record of music entirely composed and arranged by me. I wanted to tell the world who I am and what I’m about. A big part of my leaving Eighth Blackbird was a very strong desire to shed the final remnants of what the classical world expected of me in my career, in order to stand in my own truth as an artist and commit myself to work that nourishes my artistic practice. With Flutronix, I’m proud to be in an ongoing creative relationship with another phenomenally talented black woman, and that we are thriving together as artists and entrepreneurs. Fanm d’Ayiti and Flutronix are allowing me to represent my identity in its entirety, in addition to giving me total ownership over my creative voice and professional career. They are my evolution sonically and otherwise.
AC: For this album, you were inspired by Haitian women — Carole Demesmin, Emerante de Pradines, and Toto Bissainthe, as well as your grandmother. How did you seek to tell their stories in this work?
NJ: All of these women, my grandmother included, are and were forces to be reckoned with. And each of them made it possible for me to be doing the work that I’m doing today. My grandmother is the first person who encouraged me to be myself, share my story, and to use my voice in service of both of those tasks. She was the first person in my life to see and accept me entirely for exactly who I chose to be, because that is what she had to do for herself in her own life. In meeting Carole, Emerante, and Milena Sandler (Toto Bissainthe’s daughter) while researching this project, I found that they too had that in common, in addition to a deep desire to uplift our history and the people of Haiti by reconnecting us to our roots. They each lived lives of service to our people through their music. Carole as a champion of the storytelling practice of vodou that connects us to our African history; Emerante as a feminist against all odds; and Toto as an international advocate and truth teller.
AC: For many of us in the Diaspora, Haiti is symbolic for its overthrow of French rule. But like all places, Haiti is not bound to a single moment in history. What do you want us to know about the Haiti of today from this album?
NJ: In my heart, I hoped to share so much of the beauty and strength of Haiti through this album and these stories. That’s relevant as much in our history as it is today, and, to me, the women of Haiti have been so critical in carrying that legacy forward. The country certainly still has its challenges politically, socially, and economically, but Haitians are fighters. We continue to be makers of beautiful somethings sculpted from what, to the naked eye, appears to be virtually nothing.
AC: Diaspora is not always, nor is it required to be, a harmonious set of relationships, yet music is one of the strongest cultural ties that we maintain — and that maintains us. What music from the Diaspora inspires you and how do you weave them into your own music?
NJ: I think it’s clear that the rhythmic roots of West African music never left any of us. It’s the essence of what connects us, and I think is what’s most prevalent in my own music. I think that’s not just because it’s interesting or evocative, but because it is in our bones. That keeps us close to one another, whether we tap into it actively or not. However, I am being deliberate about using music as a connector. For example, Flutronix’s forthcoming work, Discourse, is an evening-length musical production and a community-centered social change initiative rooted in connectivity. In response to the fear, uncertainty, and frustration now dividing America, Discourse uses oral history, music, and immersive performance to honor individuals’ stories, foster collectivity and create a sonic picture of community. It’s been a remarkable experience to create work of this nature, and it is really a continuation of the type of work that Fanm d’Ayiti ignited in my practice.
Experience the album at www.nathaliejoachim.com
Explore the Aesthetic
