DESCRIPTION:
Stella Gonis Biography

Stella Gonis is a world music entertainer, singer, dancer, tanbouyée (1) of Bèlè ( 2 ), traditional and roots musics of Martinique (French West Indies)

Born in Martinique (French department in the Caribbean), Stella Gonis was from her very early age rocked by ancestral rythms of her home town Sainte Marie particularly from the countryside of Mornes des Esses.
Her career will begin nevertheless within the choir "the choir of Morne Des Esses" where she will be respectively a chorus-singer and a soloist and there will perform a lyrical and classical repertoire.

In perpetual search for the perfection, Stella Gonis integrated, full-time and during 5 years, the Hight Institute
of Training for Performing arts (which formed Valérie Louri, Vaïty, Vwa Bel Danm), where she was
confronted with the artistic transversality of music, dance, and theater. Strong with this professional
training dispensed by IFAS, she were able to enter directly a professional career.

Her rich, generous and powerful voice allowed her to be sought by the Vwa Bel Danm group
with which she embarked for a Caribbean expedition ; and with the groups "Le Béloka",
Tambou Bô Kannal, Ballet Apple Kannel, Racinn Nwel and Eric Virgal... she got on a Europe Tour.

At the same time, she teaches music and traditional dances at the "House of Bèlè" in Martinique.




Main Stages

Festival International de Montréal (Canada)
Festival Météores de Douai (France)
Festival Lokans Voix Sacré (Guadeloupe)
Festival du Gwo Ka (Guadeloupe)
Chant des Sirènes Atrium (Martinique)
Concert 9 Semaines et 1 jour Atrium programme télévisé de France Télévision
Francofolies de Montréal (Canada)
Atrium (Martinique)
Festival Bèlè Gwo Ka (Paris)

Discography
Vwa Bel Danm' 1 « Akodé Lé Danm » / Autoproduction
Vaïty « Duo Bèlè » / Mizik Label
Racinn Nwel 1et 2/ Chabine Prod
Vwa Drésé Vol 1 et 2/ Mizik Label
Vwa Bel Danm « Mi Nou » / Chabine Prod
Single with Cyril Cinélu (French Tv Show Star Académy 2006)
Bèlè Légliz / Mizik Label
Bèlè Légliz « Live au Grand Carbet » DVD / Mizik Label
Stella Gonis "An Ti Sinn" / Bèlè Label Muzik










(1) drum player
(2) bèlè is a generic term that refers tothe musico-choreographic genre ; the instrument,
the bèlè drum; the context, the evening bèlè and in general, a way of being together and
values: solidarity, sharing and cultural resistance. " Bèlè" means nice place, good time.