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BRG Hollywood announces "The Kid That Did", a first EP set for 11/11/26
World Creole Music Festival: night one, Ridge and Pudaz at 5:25 am, DJ MJ at 6:30 am
Triple Kay closes day three of Ti Vilaj Kwéyòl, Shelly and Signal Band play White Sunset
Billy BYBF puts "MALIBU" on screen, a seventh song with Magbeatz
Khallion and Reo: "Rum Dat Do Me Dat" passes 100,000 views, nine months after release- EEZEE WMN releases "Souke sa", a first title under the artist's own name, on the Jumbie Riddim
Reo and Maurane Voyer: "Joli BB" passes 100,000 views, eyes on Martinique- Ti Vilaj Kwéyòl 2026: four days of Creole culture, bouyon on the bill
"La Chaise": 1T1 and Pierre-Édouard Décimus, founding member of Kassav', ahead of four nights in France
BONNA: "Never Be Real", one title, two names
Klass Money and Krys, "Drop Down": Dominica and Guadeloupe on a first shared single
TIITII NBA in Dominica News Online: "Bouyon isn't ours"
1988
Dominica
- I Before bouyon Before the drum machine, before the electric carnival, before Roseau. How Dominica cultivates in silence the soil where Bouyon will germinate.
- II How WCK built bouyon WCK isn't a band, it's a kitchen. From 1988 to 1996, in Dominica, they forge the grammar of Bouyon out of cadence-lypso, jing ping and lapo kabwit.
- III The battle of the bands Carnival is not a feast, it's a fight. From 1996 to 2010, Bouyon Boss takes over Dominica with Triple Kay International, Carnaval Roseau and Killa Laurent's arena.
2007
Guadeloupe
- IV Bouyon reaches Guadeloupe Bouyon didn't migrate, it was carried. From 2007 to 2013, Vador, DJ Joe, Suppa, Doc J, Yellow Gaza and the Gaza Girls open the first wave in Guadeloupe.
- V Guadeloupe bouyon restarts The relaunch doesn't shout, it plugs the cables back in. From 2016 to 2022, Bilix, DJ Weez, Kevni, Edday and Lunik revive Bouyon in Guadeloupe via studios.
- VII The New Bouyon Wave The wave does not arrive at once, it begins when the network dares to name itself. From 2022 to 2026, TIITII NBA, 1T1, DJ Softee, Aknose, Nils, Theomaa, Le Juh and Lucky lukee name the wave.
- VIII Warm Up: bouyon slows down From DJ Taffy's sets in 2021 to Krys's "God Bless" and "In Di Corner" by 1T1 and Miimii KDS, bouyon learns to roll slower.
- X Women of bouyon From Gaza Girls to Carlyn XP, Holly G, MiiMii KDS, Totally Spice's, Faithii, Theodora and masked duos Anonymous Gyal's and Thesmsgirls: global export reveals a line the story has told too little.
- XI Bouyon producers Vador, Dada, J2MO, DJ Taffy, Mr Ridge, Litleboy, 1T1, DJ Softee: behind the voices, Bouyon travels through the people who program, mix and export it.
- XIII Beyond the New Bouyon Wave Outside the New Bouyon Wave: Le Bluff, LeYou, TedLa, Cocotteland, Pinpin OSP, Billy BYBF, tenslay and DJ LEGUSTE · the parallel circles powering Gwada Bouyon 2022-2026.
2015
Saint Martin
- VI Sandy Ground, 2015 A small island hears Bouyon everywhere, then decides to make it in its own name. From 2015 to 2025, Saint-Martin builds its scene with Tolly Boyz, YMW and Sandy Ground.
2019
Trinidad
- IX Bouyon goes global When Bouyon leaves its local circle, it does not only change audience: it changes responsibility · and Dominican origins still need to be named.
- XII Recognised, but told wrong Bouyon finally receives awards, festivals, media and stages. The question now is how far it can grow without letting others tell its story in its place.
2026
Martinique
- HS Joli BB: a Martinique, Dominica, Guadeloupe bridge A singer from Fort-de-France, an artist from Dominica, a beat from Guadeloupe: three islands on one bouyon single.
What is Bouyon?
Bouyon is a Caribbean music genre born in 1988 in Dominica, founded by the band WCK (Windward Caribbean Kulture). It blends cadence-lypso, jing ping, lapo kabwit with modern electronic codes from dancehall and carnival. The word bouyon means "soup" in Creole, referring to the blend of styles that compose it. Canonical BPM: 152 BPM (classic Bouyon), 160 BPM (hardcore Bouyon Act II Gwada), 95 BPM (original cadence-lypso). Today the movement has extended to Guadeloupe with the New Bouyon Wave (1T1, TIITII NBA, Theomaa, Aknose, Nils, Lucky lukee, Le Juh, Softee) and to Saint-Martin with the Tolly Boyz.
The wave you hear from TIITII NBA runs down from here.
Frequently asked questions about Bouyon
When was Bouyon born?
Bouyon was born in 1988 in Dominica, when the band WCK (Windward Caribbean Kulture) founded the genre's grammar. The 1988-1996 period is the formation phase in Dominica.
Who are the pioneers of Bouyon?
WCK (founders 1988), Triple Kay International (2000), First Serenade and Signal Band in Dominica. In Guadeloupe, Vador, Asa Bantan, DJ Joe and Suppa carry the first Bouyon Gwada wave from 2007-2012.
What is the BPM of Bouyon?
Classic Bouyon is 152 BPM. The hardcore Guadeloupean Bouyon (Act II) runs at 160 BPM. The original cadence-lypso, rhythmic base of Bouyon, is 95 BPM.
What is the difference between Bouyon and Soca?
Bouyon was born in Dominica in 1988; Soca was born in Trinidad in the 1970s. Bouyon is 152-160 BPM, faster than Soca (110-130 BPM). Bouyon blends cadence-lypso and jing ping; Soca derives from calypso. Today, Bouyon-Soca is a documented hybrid category in Dominica.
What is the New Bouyon Wave?
The New Bouyon Wave is the Guadeloupean new generation of Bouyon, publicly crystallized in September 2023 with the single "New Bouyon Wave #1". The canonical collective brings together 8 voices: 1T1, TIITII NBA, Softee, Aknose, Nils, Lucky lukee, Le Juh and Theomaa. Before 2023, 1T1 structures the core through the 3 One Riddim (Keneth, Zézé, TROICROI). The guide Bouyon Guadeloupe: the gwada artists to know maps the whole scene.
Who are the most famous Bouyon artists?
Dominica side: WCK (founders), Triple Kay, Asa Bantan, Mr Ridge, HollyG (BET Awards 2024), Faithii. Guadeloupe side: 1T1 (Bouwéy certified gold, 2026 Flammes Awards), TIITII NBA, MiiMii KDS (Pitchfork review 2025), Aknose, Theomaa.
Does Theodora make bouyon music?
No. Theodora helped popularize the word "bouyon" with the French mainstream, but she is not a bouyon artist: her music is French-language pop. Her listeners come from that pop career, not from the genre born in 1988 in Dominica. Bouyon is carried by artists like WCK, 1T1, MiiMii KDS and Asa Bantan.
Where to listen to Bouyon?
Bouyon is available on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Deezer, SoundCloud and specialized Caribbean platforms. The "Bouyon 2026" and "The Sound of Bouyon" Spotify playlists gather the new releases. The World Creole Music Festival (WCMF) in Dominica presents the living scene each year.
What does bouyon mean in Creole?
The word "bouyon" means "soup" or "gumbo" in French Caribbean Creole: it references the traditional Caribbean dish "coubouyon poisson" (a spiced fish stew). The genre name reflects the idea of a blend of musical ingredients: cadence-lypso, jing ping, lapo kabwit, dancehall, soca, and electronic codes, fused into one fast and danceable sound.
Why is Bouyon going viral on TikTok?
Bouyon has exploded on TikTok since 2024 for three reasons: its fast BPM (152-160 BPM) which matches short-form energetic video formats, its heavy bass lines perfect for dance challenge soundtracks, and the global export of artists like MiiMii KDS (Pitchfork review 2025) and 1T1 (Bouwéy gold-certified, 18M+ YouTube views). The #bouyon hashtag unites the Caribbean diaspora across France, UK and US.
What instruments are used in Bouyon?
Bouyon stacks three layers: (1) traditional Caribbean instruments inherited from Dominica: jing ping accordion, lapo kabwit drums (goat skin), shak-shak ; (2) Dominican folk rhythms: cadence-lypso, bèlè, quadrille, chanté mas, mazurka, zouk ; (3) modern electronic production: drum machines (notably the TR-505 since WCK 1988), samplers, bass synthesizers, autotune on vocals. This folk/electronic fusion is what distinguishes Bouyon from Soca.
What is the origin of bouyon music?
The origin of Bouyon music traces back to 1988, in Dominica. The band WCK (Windward Caribbean Kulture), with Cornell "Fingers" Phillip and Derek "Rah" Peters, founded the genre with the album "One More Sway". Bouyon emerged from the meeting of cadence-lypso (traditional Dominican rhythm at 95 BPM), jing ping (accordion music with roots in slavery times), lapo kabwit (goat-skin drums), and the new Roland TR-505 drum machines that arrived in Roseau in 1986. The tempo shifted to 152 BPM to support the energy of carnival.
How to dance to bouyon?
Bouyon is danced in groups or solo, on fast BPM (152 classic, 160 hardcore). The base steps draw from Dominica's carnival: fast hip movements on cadence-lypso offbeats, short lateral footwork, free hands for gestures. On TikTok since 2024, several dance challenges have emerged under the #bouyon hashtag. New Bouyon Wave artists (1T1 on Bouwéy, Theomaa, TIITII NBA) often build in an instrumental break that serves as the dance moment in their videos. Get started with bouyon dance steps and a video demonstration.
What is shatta bouyon?
"Shatta bouyon" does not exist as a genre: the label was coined outside the local scenes, by people who don't know bouyon. Bouyon was born in Dominica in 1988, on cadence-lypso and jing ping foundations, at 152-160 BPM. Shatta is a distinct genre, born in Martinique in the 2010s, derived from Jamaican dancehall, around 90-110 BPM. Two genealogies, two tempos, two scenes: nothing connects them. Bouyon's only documented crossover with another genre remains bouyon soca, in Dominica.
What is the difference between shatta and bouyon?
Everything separates them except the Caribbean. Bouyon was born in Dominica in 1988 with WCK, on cadence-lypso and jing ping foundations, running at 152-160 BPM. Shatta was born in Martinique in the 2010s, derived from Jamaican dancehall, around 90-110 BPM. Two islands, two lineages, two tempos: you don't dance the same way to one and the other. The « shatta bouyon » label was coined outside the local scenes and names no real genre. Full breakdown here: bouyon vs shatta, the difference.
Which bouyon artists are the most searched?
Dominica side: Trev Li, Carlyn XP (Giraudel), Kenny G (Roseau) and Gwada G (Layou). Guadeloupe side: Arendi (Gourbeyre). Across the wider Caribbean scene: Skinny Fabulous (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines), and the band Totally Spice's. Each profile covers the journey, origin and releases.
Where to learn more about Bouyon?
Our 13-chapter documentary series retraces the full history: The Roots (1988), The Language (WCK), The Arena (Triple Kay), The Crossing (Bouyon Gwada), New Bouyon Wave (2023 collective), and more. Our specials extend the series: Ka Marron: 1T1 Opens His House (the KMR Héritage label) and New Bouyon Wave & 1T1. See also our 163 documented artist profiles.
Globe: coastlines and land from Natural Earth, public domain.