BAYO turns Barclays Center into a celebration of Haitian music and culture

“BAYO is world culture through the lens of Haiti,” Michael Brun told a cheering Barclays Center audience on June 28.

The Port-au-Prince-born EDM producer assembled a lineup of Haitian artists and dancers for a high-energy concert celebrating the vibrancy of the Haitian diaspora in Brooklyn.

Anie Alerte and Zili opened the evening with a spirited konpa set. Paul Beaubrun followed with an iconic moment—playing the Haitian national anthem on electric guitar as thousands in the arena stood, sang and waved flags.

Brun’s first musical collaboration of the night was with Riva Precil, who delivered a soulful, roots-inflected medley.  Fatima Altieri followed with a performance of “Hello,” the lead single from Brun’s recent album Pwoteje M. The energy shifted as Anthony Ramos brought a Puerto Rican flair, opening his set with the reggaeton anthem “Gasolina.” Later, DJs K9, Bullet and Ted Bounce took over the booth, giving Brun space to join animators Chiwawa and Pdous in engaging the crowd.

J. Perry, whose real name is Jonathan Perry,  later joined Beaubrun and performed a medley with Shabba from Djakout Mizik that included “Haiti Cherie.” 

Other artists appearing throughout the night included Toby Anbake, Trouble Boy, Kenny Haiti, Shirazee, Naïka, Carlo Vieux, Roberto Martino, Tony Mix, Arly Larivière, Rutshelle Guillaume and J. Ballin. A troupe of dancers kept the energy going in the interludes, while images of Haiti flashed on the jumbo screen.

Brun and his sister Gabriella performed “Ayiti Se,” dedicating the Mikaben song to their late mother, Sharon, and to Mikaben himself.

New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani also made an appearance, standing alongside Brun as he addressed the crowd. “When elected, I am going to fight to get Haiti off the travel ban. We are going to stand up for Haiti because you taught the world about freedom,” Mamdani said, to sustained applause.

BAYO’s roots trace back to Haiti, where Brun and fellow artists, including J. Perry and DJ Walshy Fire, turned a spontaneous street gathering—illuminated by car headlights—into a night of music that drew a crowd. 

In an interview with, Afropop.org about BAYO’s origins, Brun recalled being in Jacmel with several artists, including J. Perry and DJ Walshy Fire.

“One night we started playing music and thought, ‘You know what? Let’s take it to the street right in front of this restaurant in Jacmel,’” Brun said. “Somebody’s car was there, so we turned on the headlights, brought out a speaker and started playing. Artists began freestyling, I was selecting songs, and a crowd just naturally came together. That was literally the first version of BAYO.”

What began as impromptu street parties has since evolved into a global tour that’s included New York City stops at Central Park’s SummerStage in 2023 and Hudson Yards in 2022, drawing thousands of fans each time.

Brun, who began his career blending electronic music with Haitian genres like konpa and rara, has earned global recognition. His 2019 album, Lokal, featured collaborations with Haitian and international artists, helping to solidify his reputation as a producer who bridges cultures. He has also worked with J Balvin on “Positivo,” the 2018 FIFA World Cup theme for Telemundo, and performed with Arcade Fire and Diplo.

The evening concluded with Haiti Troubadour performing alongside Brun’s father, Patrick Brun. As the concert ended, a rara band paraded through the concourse and onto Flatbush Avenue, leading hundreds of fans into the summer night before dispersing near Empire Boulevard.

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