NEW YORK, Aug. 28, 2025 – Gary Didier Perez, the velvet tenor whose voice helped launch Zenglen into prominence before he went on to form the band Ozone, passed away today around noon while on life support. He was 59.

Perez had been battling complications from diabetes and chronic kidney failure for many years, enduring dialysis, the amputation of a leg, and in October 2023, open-heart surgery. In recent months, he was under hospice care as his condition worsened. Despite these struggles, he remained a beloved figure in the Haitian music community, admired for both his artistry and his resilience.

Earlier this year, Perez made a public appeal for help, launching a GoFundMe campaign on May 1, 2025, titled “Restore Gary’s Smile: A Singer’s Recovery.” The goal was to raise $40,000 to offset the mounting costs of his care, but by mid-summer only $7,346 had been collected from 163 donors. His candid words on the fundraiser page reflected both vulnerability and dignity: “I’m a Haitian singer people might know from Zenglen and Ozone… I’ve been sick for a long time.”

Though the campaign fell short, Perez was not without quiet support. A few members of the Haitian music community, including his former Zenglen bandmate Jean Brutus Dérissaint, offered assistance on a regular basis, easing some of the burdens in his final months.

Born on December 5, 1965, in Port-au-Prince, Perez’s journey into music began in the late 1980s. He became one of Zenglen’s earliest lead singers, working alongside Dérissaint and maestro Patrick Martineau. Together they built the foundation of what would become one of konpa’s most celebrated groups. His voice, both tender and commanding, marked Zenglen’s rise and inspired a generation of frontmen who would follow.

Perez later carved his own path by founding Ozone, a band that delivered enduring hits such as “Anba La Tè.” His artistry stretched back to recordings from the Rache Pikan era, including the song “Kool Claudy,” and he earned international recognition with tracks like “Fidel.” His catalog, still available on streaming platforms, continues to showcase the clarity, warmth, and emotional depth that defined his singing.

Family’s Statement

Perez’s family confirmed his passing in a statement:

“We are writing to share the heartbreaking news of Gary Didier Perez’s passing today, August 28, 2025. He was born on December 5, 1965 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. A legend in his own right, Gary was a multi-instrumentalist, writer, and composer of Haitian Konpa. He led vocals for the bands Zenglen and Ozone. Among his numerous international hits, the most notable are ‘Fidel’ and ‘Anba La Tè.’ He has mentored countless artists over the course of his career and will be sorely missed by his fans and family. He is survived by his four children. After years of battling complications from diabetes, he had a prolonged hospitalization and died suddenly of a cardiac arrest at Robert Wood Johnson in Hamilton, New Jersey.”

Perez’s passing has struck a deep chord across the Haitian diaspora. His final months have reignited discussions about how the Haitian music industry and community care for its veteran artists. While tributes will pour in now that he is gone, many have questioned why sustainable support was not available when he needed it most.

For fans and fellow musicians alike, Perez leaves behind more than songs; he leaves a reminder of both the triumphs and the vulnerabilities of Haitian artistry. His legacy is cemented in:

• A defining role in Zenglen’s rise and influence.

• A second act with Ozone, producing songs still celebrated on dance floors worldwide.

• A timeless discography that includes “Anba La Tè,” “Fidel,” and “Kool Claudy.”

Funeral arrangements and official tributes have not yet been announced. The Haitian music community mourns the loss of a man whose voice and presence shaped an era, while also reflecting on the urgent need to protect and honor its cultural bearers during their lifetimes.

Gary Didier Perez, ansyen chantè Zenglen ak lidè Ozone, mouri a laj 59 an

NEW YORK, 28 out 2025 – Gary Didier Perez, chantè ki te pote vwa velours li nan gwoup Zenglen anvan li te fonde gwoup Ozone, mouri jodi a nan midi pandan li te sou aparèy respirasyon. Li te gen 59 an.

Perez t ap goumen ak maladi dyabèt ak pwoblèm ren depi plizyè ane. Li te sou dyaliz regilyèman, li te sibi operasyon kè an 2023, epi pita yo te oblije koupe youn nan pye li. Pandan dènye mwa yo, li te anba swen ospis akoz sante li ki t ap vin pi grav. Malgre tout difikilte sa yo, li te toujou rete yon figi respekte nan mizik ayisyen an.

Nan 1 me 2025, Perez te lanse yon kanpay GoFundMe ki te rele “Restore Gary’s Smile: A Singer’s Recovery.” Objektif la se te pou ranmase 40,000 dola pou ede ak depans swen li yo. Men jouk mitan ete a, sèlman 7,346 dola te ranmase pa 163 moun. Nan paj kanpay la, li te ekri: “Mwen se yon chantè ayisyen moun ka konnen nan Zenglen ak Ozone… mwen malad depi lontan.”

Malgre lajan an pa t rive, gen kèk moun nan kominote a ki te toujou pote l sipò, tankou ansyen konpayon li nan Zenglen, Jean Brutus Dérissaint, ki te konn ede l sou yon baz regilye.

Gary Didier Perez te fèt 5 desanm 1965 nan Pòtoprens. Nan fen ane 1980 yo, li te vin youn nan premye chantè prensipal gwoup Zenglen, ansanm ak Jean Brutus Dérissaint ak maestro Patrick Martineau. Vwa li te ede mete gwoup la sou pye epi make jenerasyon chantè ki vini apre yo.

Apre eksperyans li ak Zenglen, Perez te kreye pwòp gwoup li, Ozone, kote li te lage plizyè mizik ki vin klasik, tankou “Anba La Tè.” Li te gen lòt chante popilè tankou “Fidel” ak “Kool Claudy.” Mizik li yo ap toujou disponib sou platfòm difizyon yo, kòm prèv talan ak emosyon ki te nan vwa li.

Deklarasyon fanmi an

Fanmi Perez konfime lanmò li nan yon deklarasyon:

“Se avèk anpil lapenn nou anonse lanmò Gary Didier Perez jodi a 28 out 2025. Li te fèt 5 desanm 1965 nan Pòtoprens, Ayiti. Gary se te yon lejand nan dwa pa l, li te multi-enstrimantalist, konpozitè ak ekriven nan konpa ayisyen. Li te chantè prensipal nan gwoup Zenglen ak Ozone. Pami mizik entènasyonal li yo, ‘Fidel’ ak ‘Anba La Tè’ se de ki pi popilè. Li te sèvi kòm yon mentor pou anpil atis pandan karyè li. Li kite dèyè 4 pitit li. Apre plizyè ane ap goumen ak konplikasyon dyabèt, li te fè anpil tan nan lopital, e li mouri ak yon kriz kadyak nan Robert Wood Johnson nan Hamilton, New Jersey.”

Lanmo Gary Didier Perez frape tout kominote ayisyen an ak dyaspora a. Istwa li nan dènye mwa yo ouvè yon lòt fwa ankò gwo kesyon sou kijan pou nou soutni atis yo pandan y ap viv, olye nou tann pou nou fè bel omaj sèlman apre yo fin mouri.

Li kite dèyè:

• Yon wòl enpòtan nan monte Zenglen kòm youn nan gwoup ki make konpa.

• Pwòp gwoup li, Ozone, ak mizik ki toujou ap jwe nan fèt ak sou radyo.

• Yon katalòg mizik ki gen chante tankou “Anba La Tè,” “Fidel,” ak “Kool Claudy.”

Jouk kounye a, fanmi ak ansyen konpayon mizik li yo poko anonse detay sou fineray ak omaj ofisyèl. Men, yon bagay ki sèten, Gary Didier Perez ap toujou sonnen nan kè fanatik li yo atravè vwa li ki make epòk konpa a.