Freem is a Creole singer-songwriter whose real name is Meslien Ménir, a pillar of Martinique’s Carnival culture. After some time away from the stage, he is back with a new repertory and an innovative concept.
Freem is known for his enticing lyrics—sometimes caustic—and his colorful costumed characters during Carnival in Martinique. In spite of himself, the press—and thus the public—have pigeonholed him to his festive time of year, with its many disguises. A pigeonhole that became a trap for this “sensation,” who tries not to get in the way of the lyrics that made him a success. “For example, I never write songs that are intentionally naughty,” says the singer. “Yet, Ali Bwa Bwa, my biggest hit, is considered to be risqué. But I have to say that with the costumed characters in my troupe and the fast rhythms of Carnival, no one listens to the words.”
As a result, at the height of his career, he was eclipsed three years ago, after more than 30 years of success. “At the end of the ball, we put the violins away,” he says. “So, I took advantage of my job in an old-age home on the island to organize cultural events in that milieu. It’s crazy, how we never think about performances or dances for senior citizens. And isn’t Martinique the island with the oldest population in France?” As if he can’t help himself, Freem slips a little causticity into his dialogue; something that once gave him the nickname of “Freem, the poet with a double meaning.” In fact, the drama surrounding Freem comes from the fundamental anti-conformity of Meslien Ménir. As his friends describe him: “Freem is not like anyone else.”
After becoming successful, many artists open a store: “to solidify their identity” Well, Freem did just the opposite, as he started with a clothing store on the ground floor of the shopping center at Place d’Armes in the town of Lamentin. At the time, he took advantages of the Carnival period to stage the colorful characters from the Creole menagerie that accompanied him in his performances. Immediate success. But doubt began to creep in: Was he an artist-merchant or a merchant who got distracted in pursuing his artistic career?
And if his stage name is drawn from Creole vocabulary (“frime” or showoff), FREEM is also that of a national automobile equipment company that unfortunately came to Martinique. Freem thus closed the doors to the store opened by his original persona Meslien Ménir. Then without too much difficulty, he got a professional certificate to work with youth programs, adult education, and sports at the Centre Emma Ventura. He didn’t know it yet, but he was about to embark on a new chapter in his history: cultural events in long-stay medical centers. Today, he works in those centers, primarily reserved for senior citizens. He was a big success, unwillingly, one might say: “I volunteer to organize these events, and performances by local artists. And the center gets all the credit,” Freem murmurs under his breath.
So… you already know the rest. Always on his toes, he is going to pivot and set up his own business to present cultural and artistic events: with old-age homes, schools, and senior centers as his clients. He will automatically increase his number of followers. And he has expanded his repertory. But as far as that is concerned, he still wants to surprise his audience.
Auteur : Éric Hersilie-Héloïse
