Michaël Brun ft: J Balvin, Beenie Man, Bounty Killer + Tasan - Touchdown (Single)
GRAMMY winning Haitian DJ and producer Michaël Brun returns with a star-studded cast of collaborators on new single ‘Touchdown’. The track features Colombian reggaeton icon J Balvin, legendary Jamaican dancehall superstars Beenie Man and Bounty Killer as well as upcoming Jamaican singer/songwriter Tasan.
‘Touchdown’ is a cross-cultural hit in which Michaël draws from his experiences growing up in Haiti, a place where he was immersed in many different sounds, to create a vibrant and celebratory record, reflective of his journey. On the track, the powerful dancehall vocals of Beenie Man and Bounty Killer are complemented by J Balvin’s smooth reggaeton flow and Tasan’s delicately sung tones, resulting in an expansive sound with potential to be a global smash.
Dancehall music has had a huge impact on Haitian music, with early Haitian rap taking inspiration from the ‘toasting’ style of Jamaican deejays. The song is a monumental moment for Michaël, who has always been inspired by dancehall and Jamaican culture and is truly honoured to bring legends of the scene Beenie Man and Bounty Killer together on the same track. Furthering his connection with the island and its musical history, Tasan is a frequent collaborator and also the daughter of legendary Jamaican singer Papa San - an artist who profoundly influenced the dancehall genre. Being one of the biggest reggaeton stars in the world, J Balvin also has a deep reverence for dancehall music and his inclusion on the track signals the influence that the genre has had on music worldwide.
With J Balvin being selected as the Monday Night Football Music Curator for the NFL 2024/2025 season, the song was used in promotional adverts for the recent Vikings v Rams Wild Card Game.
‘Touchdown’ follows Michaël Brun’s recent single ‘Safe’, a collaboration with John Legend and Rutshelle Guillaume which was a track showing solidarity with Haitian immigrants in the US who were being targeted in the media.
Michaël Brun was born and raised in Port-au-Prince and is one of the biggest Haitian voices in music today. Throughout his career he has continually shone a light on the country’s rich culture and history, viewing his career in music as a way to give back to the community that raised him. Throughout the years he has worked with an astonishing list of global superstars, including J Balvin, Oxlade, King Promise, Buju Banton, Victoria Monét, Becky G and many more. Accolades throughout his career include hundreds of millions of streams across platforms, winning a Latin GRAMMY for his work with J Balvin, an official in-game jersey in EA FC24 and press support across a wide range of mainstream and tastemaker outlets. A signifier of Michaël’s communal spirit within music is his annual BAYO block party, last year held at Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. BAYO, translated to English means “to give” and the party is a celebration of Caribbean culture in all forms and although it continues to grow in popularity (the most recent event bringing in upwards of 8,000 revellers), BAYO continues to foster a familial feeling, uniting numerous generations of the Caribbean diaspora.
With ‘Touchdown’, Michaël Brun once again showcases his natural ability to craft contemporary music that connects the Caribbean to the world, resulting in a truly global sound that can move a worldwide audience.