Chris Combette

Chris Combette is a French Guianese musician born and raised in French Guiana, known for blending Caribbean, jazz, French, and African musical traditions. He was raised on the French West Indian island of Martinique and has been a prominent cultural ambassador of French Caribbean music since the mid-1980s. Combette gained recognition with his 1995 debut album Plein Sud, which earned him five SACEM award nominations and the title of “Songwriter of the Year.” His work, including the 1997 video for Salambo, explored his Creole heritage and earned a finalist spot at the Radio France International Video Festival. He taught mathematics in France while pursuing music, later leaving teaching in the mid-1990s to focus on his career. Combette has performed internationally, including a notable showcase at South By Southwest in 1998, and continues to captivate audiences with albums like Les Enfants de Gorée, which addresses climate change in tracks such as “Kon Oun Lotomat.” His legacy is rooted in promoting the rich musical identity of French Guiana and the wider Caribbean.