Acclaimed Haitian songstress will perform with special guests Princess Eud
and Riva Précil at Aaron Davis Hall on Friday, November 15, at 7:30 p.m.

Music lovers will have the chance to hear the work of a titan of world music as City College Center for the Arts (CCCA) presents “Emeline Michel’s Black Pearls,” a special one-night-only concert on Friday, November 15. An acclaimed artist and an icon of Haitian music, Emeline Michel has brought the music of her homeland to stages across the world for more than two decades. The 7:30 p.m. concert will feature Michel and voices of the new generation of Haitian singers, Princess Eud and Riva Précil. The trio, having joined forces for their recent hit song “Egzotik,” are sure to delight audiences with the energetic and mesmerizing sounds of their storied island nation.

Praised by the New York Times as a “dancing ambassador with a voice serene and warm like the breeze,” Michel was born in Gonaïves, Haiti, and began singing with a gospel choir there. After studying at the Detroit Jazz Center, she returned home to Haiti and musical fame soon followed. Captivating audiences with her unique fusion of Haitian rhythms, pop, jazz and blues, the skillful singer-songwriter amassed a long list of hit songs including “Flanm,” “A.K.I.K.O,” “La Chanson de Jocelyne,” and “Pran Mem M (Take My Hand).”

The “Black Pearls” concert — its name a nod to the rare excellence of its performers as well as to Haiti’s moniker as “the pearl of the Antilles” — will also feature the talent of the rising generation of Haitian performers: Eud, a talented rapper and singer known for hit songs such as “Hey” and “Eudomination,” and Précil, a Haitian-American singer-songwriter celebrated for her mix of jazz and Haitian beats.

“We are excited to welcome this musical icon to Aaron Davis Hall and present New York audiences with the chance to hear the sounds of Haiti,” said Gregory Shanck, managing director of CCCA. “As we near the ten-year anniversary of the 2010 Haitian earthquake it provides us with the opportunity to focus on the glory and promise of that nation.”

“Black Pearls” will also feature the Sacred Heart Children’s Choir of the Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church in Cambria Heights, New York. Tickets for “Emeline Michel’s Black Pearls” are $40 general admission and $32 for students and seniors and are available for purchase online at www.citycollegecenterforthearts.org or by calling the box office at (212) 650-6900.

Tickets can also be purchased in person at the Aaron Davis Hall box office Tuesday through Friday from noon to 6 p.m. Aaron Davis Hall is located on the campus of the City College of New York at West 135th Street and Convent Avenue (129 Convent Avenue).

About the performers:

Vocalist, songwriter and performer Emeline Michel is internationally acclaimed for fusing pop, jazz, blues and traditional Haitian rhythms to create deeply moving and joyful music, delivered with a charismatic live show. A master entertainer, Michel has shared her message with audiences across Europe and the Americas for more than 20 years, including appearances at New York’s Carnegie Hall, the United Nations, Montreal International Jazz Festival, New Orleans Jazz Fest and on MTV’s Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief. Now based in New York City, Michel is a Red Cross Ambassador and runs her own production company, Production Cheval de Feu. Her most recent albums include Quintessence (2013) and 2015’s Gratitude (Live).

Born in Brooklyn and raised in Haiti, Riva Précil was exposed to traditional Haitian music and culture which greatly influenced her eclectic music and fashion palette. She studied under some of Haiti’s greatest artists, dancers, actors and musicians. A singer, songwriter, Haitian folkloric dancer and choreographer, jeweler, artist and children’s book author, Précil performs throughout the U.S., Canada and Haiti.

Princess Eud (Iyoudi) is a rapper, singer and actress. A versatile artist, her repertoire includes several genres of music including rap, R&B, soul, worldbeat and more.  In 2007, Eud became the co-host of W’a Rap at Telemax (Haiti). Having participated in several projects for the Mystik703 group, Eud officially joined the group in 2009. She participated on the album Decade of Mystik703 as an official member just before making an international tour with the band in France, Belgium and some islands of the French Antilles.

About the City College Center for the Arts:

The City College Center for the Arts hosts an ambitious, year-round calendar of student and professional performances. The mission of the City College Center for the Arts is to provide a creative arts center and focal point for the City College of New York, building a sense of community within the

College, elevating the profile of Aaron Davis Hall in the greater New York area, and connecting the College to the surrounding community through the arts.