MUMBAI: Some guys just don’t get the hint until you paint a picture for them. Fortunately, Darline Desca is working with a full palette of colors. On her new single, the sensuously imploring “Do Me,” the Haitian-born singer makes her intentions plain to a man who can’t quite seem to get with the program. The result is an overtly sexy come-on that’s tough to misinterpret, no matter what language you speak.
“I was in this relationship where the vibes were strong, but there were moments of distance and uncertainty creeping in,” Desca says, remembering her inspiration for the tune. “The song captures that tug-of-war of emotions, how a guy can be amazing yet leave you guessing with his silence.”
Desca’s velvety purr of a voice doesn’t leave much room for guesswork: It’s pure pillow-talking provocation as it slips between Haitian-Kreole pleas like “Sake pase mon bb/ Kote w ye m pa tande q”
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(literally, “What’s going on, my baby? Where you at? I haven’t heard you”) and the broken-English refrain “Like the way u dey do me, Jojo” (repeated 12 times, lest our hapless Romeo not fully get the message).
It’s the music, though, that really seals the deal—a sinuous and hypnotizing blend of traditional Haitian sounds and the allure of Afrobeat. That’s the kind of culturally rich terrain Desca has been standing on since she was a kid, when she was just a fan of local artists like Emeline Michel, Tabou Combo and Coupe Cloué—not to mention global icons from Whitney Houston to Ella Fitzgerald to Nina Simone. But it was when she first performed in public at age 14, and drew a rapturous reaction from the assembled crowd, that she realized music might be not just a fun diversion, but her true destiny.
Which is not to say her path going forward was entirely single-minded: She took the time to earn a baccalaureate degree in business management, just in case. But once that diploma was on her wall, she focused on singing full-time, releasing three albums in rapid succession. There was 2015’s debut, A Plein Temps (which translates to “Full Time”); then the following year’s Rendez Vous; and finally, in 2023, Fas a Fas, which combined traditional kompa rhythms with more contemporary influences on tracks like “Manyen La,” “Mwen Voye” and “This Love.” In the process, she earned the 2015 RFI Discovery Award, recognizing her already significant contribution to the Haitian music industry and her immense potential as an international superstar.
The touchstones for that potential are both mighty and diverse: Bob Marley, M.I.A., Bob Dylan and just about any “people’s artist” you care to name. But when it comes to personal and spiritual inspiration, the influence Desca keeps returning to is that of her countrymen, the Fugees, who she says “really left their mark on my musical journey. Their music is just so incredible, and their connection to Haitian culture really shines through. They proved that you can stay true to your roots while still making music that speaks to people all over the world.”
So, it’s practically kismet that her career is being handled by Nou Vo Music Management, which introduced Lauryn Hill and company to the marketplace and still handles their affairs, as part of its larger mission of promoting and nurturing Haitian music across the globe. They’re partnered with SRG-ILS/Virgin Music Group, which shares the goal of bringing Afrocentric music to a worldwide audience.
The future for Desca promises more of everything: more achievement, more inspiration, more effortless genre-bending. The stylings of kompa, Twoubadou, rara, Congo, Yanvalou and other traditional Haitian genres will continue to guide her melodies, beats and song structures, as will the joy of fusing that artistic inheritance with modern sounds like Afro-Caribbean, soul and pop.
“I dream of creating a musical legacy that will endure through time, connecting with people’s hearts and leaving a lasting impact,” she says. “I hope to be remembered not only for my voice and songs, but also for being a strong voice for Haiti on a global scale.” And that’s the kind of proposition even the dimmest loverboy could easily understand.
