Musician, speaker and psychology student- Elder Charlot Jeune Joseph
“Try to take the time to look around you every chance you get! You’d be surprised how many things you overlooked in your immediate surroundings ”
Elder Charlot Jeune Joseph
Musician, speaker, psychology student
As a musician studying psychology, I want to use lyrics that can unlock people's emotions. I sing, dance and write songs for the very same reason!
Catch one of Elder’s performances in Pestel on 4/20!
I personally know Elder since 2009. We both started medical school at Université Notre-Dame d’Haïti and all I can remember is how well he played the guitar on the school grounds during our breaks. He used to sing in a band and everyone on campus would gather to enjoy their music. Now he is a psychology student, a well-known musician with akoustik band and a public speaker.
“I think what I do is important because it helps me connect with people better especially my people! Music helps me meet people helps me connect with them and it’s very important to me since I aspire to help my community in any way that I can! It is the very same thing that attracted me about psychology, you get to know people more than what’s just on the surface and in doing so you’re able to better serve and help them.”
1- Describe how you came to be a singer
I don’t know how I came to be a singer! It just sort of happened! I’d say out of a necessity... I always enjoyed listening to music but I never thought I’d one day be a performer. It just happened because of circumstances I’d say.
2- As a Haitian, explain the taboo behind your career choice, if any, and how it impacted your success.
In my country it was believed that my line of work is not the most prestigious ( to say the least). Every parents want their kids to become doctors, lawyers and politicians, engineers or at the very least a successful businessman! This taboo comes from historical challenges and continuous crisis that we have face throughout the years! Being a musician certainly didn’t seat well with my parents, I have been asked and forced numerous time to stop all activities relating to music but in the end we were able to get to a common understanding that allow me to continue with what I want to do instead of going along with their plan.
3- Did you have a support system when you were following your career path ?
I had a very specific group of people that pushed me to become a musician and I am blessed to still have those people around me! My very own support system is comprised of people who went through what I had to go through, musicians that always saw my potential and helped me get a start and friends that would do anything for me.
4- Does your family and close friends respect your career choice ?
It’s still a little bit of struggle to get my family to truly respect what I do but they are now making the effort to at least understand my choices! So I’d say for now, we are more in the acceptance phase! But some other are fully on board... as for my friends! Most of them are musicians, or artists performing some other form of art. Or other misfit toys such as me!
5- Tips for people who want to become artists in Haïti or abroad
Be humble but master your craft, be patient, always be willing to learn! Don’t be too hard on yourself! Be dedicated, disciplined and make friends: it’s very important to venture in this world alone! And most importantly if it’s not fun then you’re doing it wrong! If it’s stop being fun stop doing it!
6- What hope do you have for Haiti ?
I don’t have hopes for Haiti I have a plan! I dream of a country where people can live and not just barely surviving, a place everyone can call home and feel valued regardless of their genders, religions, orientation and I will work to make that swarm a reality so no hopes just plans !
