Jean-Michel St. Victor

Sunrise, Florida, December 16, 2023
On a somber Saturday afternoon, the All Saints Catholic Church in Sunrise, Florida, witnessed an outpouring of admiration and grief as family, friends, and fans came to bid farewell to Jean Michel St Victor, the revered Haitian musician affectionately known as Zouzoul. The funeral brought together a community united by music, memory, and the legacy of a voice that resonated deeply across generations.

A Legacy Immortalized by a Friend’s Words

Delivered by Lesly Condé, former Haitian Consul General in Chicago and a close confidant of the family, the tribute offered both reverence and warmth. Condé reflected on Zouzoul’s legacy:

“We gather to say a final farewell to a man whose work now forms part of our rich artistic heritage… A mourning filled with respect, admiration, and unalterable gratitude to an irreplaceable legend.”

Recounting teenage memories of Zouzoul performing in Les Cayes with his band Skah Shah, Condé spoke of Zouzoul’s humility, charisma, and the lasting bond between their families before he had even become a household name.

From Les Cayes to International Icon

Born August 8, 1945, in Cap Haïtien, Zouzoul began his musical path with the band Shleu Shleu before rising to prominence as a lifelong member of Skah Shah Number One, the Compas Direct band that played a pivotal role in Haiti’s musical heritage. His rich voice and magnetic presence cemented him as a cultural touchstone.

As Condé reminded the mourners:

“Skah Shah has become an institution, and Zouzoul an international icon. There are voids that can never be filled.”

A Life Celebrated, A Talent Lost

Zouzoul passed away on Sunday, December 10, 2023, at age 78, at his home in Florida, leaving behind a musical legacy and an ache of collective loss.

His death marked a poignant close to a chapter in Haitian music, a narrative of artistry, endurance, and impact. Condé’s final words anchored the moment in faith and unity:

“The end always comes too quickly when we are so loved… let’s ask the Lord to receive Jean Michel St Victor… to grant him an eternity of harmony, peace, and love.”

A Presence That Endures

No obituary can capture all that a voice like Zouzoul’s carried. Not just the songs, but the presence. The tribute offered at All Saints was not just a farewell; it was a recognition that though his body is gone, his music lives on in memory, on stage, in hearts across Haiti and the diaspora.