Jean Émilien

With his dynamic vocals, harmonica, and amplified kabosy (a small guitar-like instrument), Jean Emilien has been compared to Bob Dylan. Emilien, who is a Betsileo, indeed began his performing western music but eventually felt that he was losing touch with native culture. Rather than descending into hidebound traditionalism, Emilien started to adapt the country's traditional vako-drazana songs, setting them to a modern dance beat. He has since recorded for the French Mlodie label. ~ Leon Jackson