◆ Special · Listening guide · Gwada bouyon
Article written by TIITII NBA, artist of the New Bouyon Wave collective.
Sources: the facts for each artist are sourced in their dedicated profile, linked throughout the article, and cross-checked with the blog's internal editorial synthesis.
You can contribute: leave your corrections and additions in the comments at the bottom of the article.
Position 0 — Bouyon was born in 1988 in Dominica, but Guadeloupe is the place making it explode today. "Gwada bouyon" is the Guadeloupe branch of the genre, which emerged from 2007, faster and harder, and revived since 2023 by the New Bouyon Wave collective. Here are the gwada artists to know, from the pioneers who opened the way to the voices that dominate in 2026.
You hear "gwada bouyon" everywhere without knowing who to play. That's normal: the Guadeloupe scene exploded in just a few years, and the names cross over fast. This guide gives you the landmarks, in order: where gwada bouyon comes from, who launched it, and who carries it today.
Where gwada bouyon comes from
Bouyon doesn't come from Guadeloupe. It was born in Roseau, Dominica, in 1988, with the group WCK [S-MASTER-2026]. Guadeloupe picked it up from 2007 and made its own version: faster, up to 160 BPM for hardcore bouyon, and plugged into dancehall and street codes. That's what we call gwada bouyon.
The first to carry this wave are Asa Banton, Suppa and their circle, who lay the foundations between 2007 and 2013. Without them, today's scene wouldn't exist.
The New Bouyon Wave, the heart of the scene
Since 2023, a collective of young voices has revived gwada bouyon: the New Bouyon Wave. At the center, 1T1, producer and singer behind a large share of today's releases, including Bouwéy (2025) with Theomaa, certified gold and nominated at the 2026 Flammes.
Around them, the core runs nonstop: TIITII NBA and the Warm Up signature, Le Juh called in to hold a track down, Aknose who sums up the genre as "Caribbean techno," plus Nils, DJ Softee and Luky Lukee.
The female voices breaking through
The gwada scene isn't only a men's affair. MiiMii KDS, from Sainte-Rose, is the fastest-rising female voice. In 2026 she crosses a threshold few bouyon artists had reached: she opens for Aya Nakamura at the Stade de France, and she lands a featuring with rapper Niska. Before that, her single Sé Miimii (2025) became the first gwada bouyon release reviewed by US outlet Pitchfork.
Alongside her, Holly G, the first Guadeloupe artist invited to the BET Awards in 2024, and the masked duo Anonymous Gyal's, whose single Anaconda passed a million streams.
The rising names to watch
The scene keeps producing new names. DCAMP, Admiral T's son, released the album Double Impact in October 2025 and keeps the pace in 2026. That's the kind of profile to spot now, before everyone talks about it.
Where to keep going
You have the landmarks of the gwada scene. To widen out to the whole bouyon map, Dominica and diaspora included, check the best bouyon artists to listen to in 2026. And to stay in the New Bouyon Wave energy, lock onto TIITII NBA's releases: that's where we'd point you to step into the movement.
FAQ — bouyon from Guadeloupe
Does bouyon come from Guadeloupe? No. Bouyon was born in 1988 in Roseau, Dominica, with the group WCK. Guadeloupe picked it up from 2007 and made it gwada bouyon, faster and harder, which dominates the scene today [S-MASTER-2026].
Who are the bouyon artists from Guadeloupe? The New Bouyon Wave leads the scene: 1T1, TIITII NBA, Le Juh, Aknose, Theomaa, Nils, DJ Softee and Luky Lukee. On the female side, MiiMii KDS and Holly G rise fast. Before them, Vador, Asa Banton and Suppa opened the way.
What is gwada bouyon? The Guadeloupe version of bouyon, which emerged from 2007. Faster (up to 160 BPM) and harder than the classic bouyon of Dominica, revived since 2023 by the New Bouyon Wave.
Who is the best-known female bouyon singer from Guadeloupe? MiiMii KDS is one of the most visible female voices in 2026, with an opening slot for Aya Nakamura at the Stade de France, a featuring with Niska and a Pitchfork review for her single Sé Miimii.
Sources
Web and press sources
- [S-MASTER-2026] Internal editorial synthesis — TIITII NBA Bouyon blog — tiitii-nba.com/en/bouyon · timeline of gwada bouyon cross-checked with web sources; the sourced detail for each artist lives in their dedicated profile · accessed 2026-06-27.
Read more
- Gwada Transition — Chapter V — How bouyon moves from Dominica to Guadeloupe. - New Bouyon Wave — Chapter VII — The Guadeloupe collective reviving the genre since 2023. - The best bouyon artists 2026 — The full listening guide to bouyon.
Glossary
Gwada bouyon — The Guadeloupe branch of bouyon, which emerged from 2007, faster (up to 160 BPM) than the classic bouyon of Dominica.
New Bouyon Wave — The collective of young Guadeloupe voices reviving bouyon since 2023.