Metellus

Marie George Metellus better known as “Princess Georgy” has been one of the most controversial women of the past three decades. Making her Haitian Music Industry (HMI) debut in the late 80s with the band Zin; Georgy became one of the most talked about female artists in the industry. Though, throughout the years she’s gain notoriety for her love and hate relationship with her former band mates of the group Zin, no one can deny she has talent.

Georgy dominated the female vocalist/background singer category for the most part of the early 90s. If it wasn’t her sexy dance moves it was her over the top wardrobe and at the time no one had the audacity to pull it off setting Princess Georgy aside from all of the other female artists at the time. Georgy brought something so different, so bold a lot of people didn’t know where to go with it and eventually accepted her and at times glorified her as a diva. But it was neither Georgy’s style nor dance steps that captured the attention of her fans or even her worst critics, it was her voice.

Georgy was one if not the most popular female Konpa music artist during her reign in the early to mid-90s. During the Georgy era in Zin (I call it), Georgy brought a lot of screaming fans to Zin at a time when her kind was, almost unheard of; a young Haitian woman, in a Haitian band, with a sultry voice, electrifying dance moves, and the center of attention. Be that she was marketed that way to attract male fans; she had what it took and inspired a whole generation. The men came and stood in front of the band mesmerized, and the females wanted to be her.

We first heard Georgy’s vocals on the track “Haiti” from the Zin album OPA but it was the song KOK from the album Manyen’m, that highlighted her music career; though several hits were to follow such as Pale W Pale, Koyo, Kenbe’m and duets with Alan Cave… but it was “Kok” that made the fans and even her band mates realized there was more to Georgy than just singing backup on their previous sound tracks. Of course, her story didn’t start there. Her music career began back in 1988 when she was originally set to be a member of the group Phantoms, a band that would later become Zin’s arch rival in the HMI. Jensen Desrosiers, Phantoms’ maestro introduced Georgy to Alex Abellard, Zin’s band leader. When Alex met and heard the young diva sing, he automatically cut a deal with Jensen and Georgy ended up joining Zin.

hqdefault (3)As Georgy’s career progress, it brought with it a lot of drama between her and her band mates. They started having different views to a point which later lead to her dismissal on two different occasions from the band. When Georgy was let go from the band the first time due to reasons not officially disclosed, the media and the fans proved their love for her by going out of their way to call Zin Productions, (a record store the band owned which also house their studio) and calling in on TV shows such as Tele Image, begging for her return. Zin had no choice but to oblige by the fans’ demand. Although she was reinstated but the relationship with her band mates was never the same after that. She didn’t get along with her female band mates or the males with the exception of Romero Devolcy (per Georgy) and she later parted ways for the last time.

Georgy later joined the band Phantoms, the same band she was originally supposed to have been a part of in the very beginning. She joined Phantoms while they were wrapping up their latest CD titled “10 Ans de Sa” Georgy however came just in time to throw in a track “Wayan” supposedly a song about her experience in Zin. Her stay with Phantoms was very brief and till today no real explanations has been released to why this relationship did not last. It was rumored both bands let her go for similar reasons; her lack of discipline and tardiness. A lot of the critics, media and even her fans felt the move wasn’t a good career move for her due to the relationship between the two bands.

hqdefault (4)Georgy took a few years off from the industry until she received a call from a Florida based Haitian music producer by the name Romel Barlatier who was in the process of creating a new band by the name of Hangout. After a lot of negotiations, Georgy moved to Florida and joined the band. The band had all of the ingredients that make a successful band in the HMI. Hangout had talented musicians, good investors and a decent marketing team to boost.

Unfortunately Mr. Barlatier was murdered a month prior to the band making their debut. He was fatally shot 16 times with a machine gun while sitting in a Mitsubishi Montero with a female passenger in front of Fritz Bonheur’s Studio in Hialeah, Florida on June 17, 2004. The murder was never solved. The band still went on citing that’s what Mr. Barlatier would want. The band went on to experience some success but now with Mr. Barlatier no longer around to smooth things out; a power struggle started to take place between the two lead singers Princess Georgy and Pipo Stanis and eventually Georgy left the band.

In 2009 day before Compas Festival rumors started to circulate that Georgy would once again reunite with her former Zin band mates one more time for a nostalgic performance at the festival. The rumors later proved to be true and Georgy put on a great performance and based on the stage interactions it seems there was hope for reconciliation though nothing came out of it.

When Venus International Promotion decided to produce Zin Reunited they negotiated a deal with Georgy and several other former Zin members to perform which Georgy did. Although the event went on without a hitch the behind the scenes dramas were well documented. It was reported Georgy was a pure diva and not in a positive way. She allegedly threw tantrums, insisted her designer be paid for her attire instead of going shopping which she previously agreed upon. After the success of the Zin Reunited party, the promoter decided to take it on the road. The tour didn’t have the success of the first event and was soon put to bed.

georgypics007Georgy took the opportunity to capitalize on the short lived momentum by releasing a single on iTunes titled “It’s Too Late”. If the song was supposed to create an anticipation for her upcoming album it fell short of delivering. However she did make news again when she was asked to partake in the Zin Vs Phantoms 20 years later event. Her management team and the promoter couldn’t reach a contract agreement. The show went on without her and she later did interviews with several media sources alleging Zin maestro Alex Abellard manipulated her into a sexual relationship at the age of 16 when by New York State laws, she couldn’t consent. (17 is the legal age of consent in NY) Alex denied the allegations and stated Georgy lied about her age and was of legal age at the time.

With all of this being said; one can’t help but wonder is Georgy the cause of her own demise in the industry? It’s a known fact that the HMI is a male dominated industry and the boys hardly let the females come out and play. But judging from where Georgy was in the beginning of her career and now, would better choices help sustained her career?

© 2015 Cheyna Pierre OPAMUSIC.COM

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