Patrick Saint-Éloi

The story so far.

Written and edited by Smokiller

Patrick Saint-Éloi was a zouk singer born in Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe, on 20 October 1958. A tribute published by RCI recalls that he moved to Paris at 17 to earn a living from music, played guitar, drums and percussion, and first sang with the group Venus One. Pierre-Édouard and Georges Décimus then brought him into Kassav', where he became known as the band's crooner before going solo. His albums include Mizik Cé Lanmou, Zouké, Bizouk, Zoukamine and Lovtans, followed by Swing Karaïb and then Plézi in February 2005. The best-of Zoukolexion marked 25 years of his career in 2007, with a second volume in 2008. He headlined the Olympia in October 2000 and the Zénith of Paris on 16 June 2007, and he wrote songs for Edith Lefel, Ralph Thamar, Jocelyne Béroard and Tanya Saint-Val. He cited gwo ka and Brazilian music as influences. He died on 18 September 2010 after a long illness.