Haitian singer Mikaben dies during Paris concert
Haitians paid tribute on Sunday to the singer Mikaben, whose sudden death during a concert in Paris left his country reeling, the Guardian reported.
The 41-year-old recording artist, whose real name is Michael Benjamin, suffered a suspected heart attack or cardiac arrest during a performance on Saturday, shocking fans who saw him collapse as he made his way off stage.
He was appearing at the 20,000-capacity Accor Arena in eastern Paris as a guest of the Haitian group Carimi.
He “died after suffering a seizure on stage and despite the efforts of emergency services”, the venue announced on Twitter.
Videos on social media show him performing, then suddenly turning and making his way towards the back of the stage. He collapsed in full view of spectators, the music stopped and medics were called.
Tributes poured in from across Haiti after his death, with radio stations and venues playing his music on repeat from Saturday night.
Mikaben, son of the famed singer Lionel Benjamin, was born in the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, in 1981, and was well known in the local music scene as a singer, writer and producer. He featured in several Carimi hits, including Baby I Missed You and Fanm sa Move.