Gilbert Pounia: “I want to talk about happiness and dreams”

Ziskakan is giving an exceptional concert on Friday 14th March at 08 00pm at the Petit Badamier.  A few new tracks from its next album along with some of the hits will be featured within a convivial atmosphere.  For this occasion, we conducted a mini interview with the leader of the band, Gilbert Pounia.

You will hold out an acoustic concert on the 14th March in Petit Badamier in Saint-Gilles and as far as new tracks are concerned, what should we look forward to?  
It will be an acoustic and electric concert in Saint-Gilles.  We'll seize this opportunity to offer a few new tracks to the audience, especially to see if our next track is well composed.  There will be three or four new tracks among the fifteen ones proposed.     

How many people will be on stage?
We'll be six on stage and as usual quite a few.  It's a good practice for us before the big concert of ODC whereof we'll be accompanied by the musicians from Rajasthan.  We need to play a lot and be on stage to the maximum.   

How do you define your musical style?
Our musical style is the image of Reunion Island, a blend of African, Malagasy, Indian and European roots.  We live with all the cultures and music is the reflection.     

The album Banjara was a mosaic one with lots of oriental sounds, have you give a thought to the next one and which note will it take?
It is expected to be released in 2009.  We are working on it along with the musicians of the band.  We travelled a lot for Banjara and a few musicians from India participated in the album.  But, then it's hard to reproduce what's on the disc on stage.  We'll stay here for the next one.  This does not imply we won't add other stuffs.   Meanwhile, we wish to release Banjara in Mainland France, which will boost the album with a further label, the one of Césaire prize.  We sold 9000 albums here in Réunion Island; it can have a second life over there.      

Have you planned other concerts outside Réunion Island?
A few releases are expected in Mainland France.  For example, we'll attend the "Festival du Livre d'Arras" in April-March.  I remember well that we were awarded the Césaire prize in 2007 (award the best artists from Africa and the French Overseas department); we work in collaboration with Senegalese and West Indians writers.  The prize has opened up new vistas for us.  We'll be in Munich on the 31st May.      

You have supported the local artists (Baster, Christine Salem and so on).  Do you still support them? 
It's hard for the young people.  Much more spaces need to be created since we are short of it.  When I go to the "Modem de Cannes" I try to meet the distributors.   But one needs an audience to release a disc, so one needs places to sing and meets the public.  I see how they play, they are talented and abound in new tones.  Something must be done.      

If you were asked to do a duet with one of the Réunionese artist...
I don't know.  I find myself working more with the young people.  Youngsters who make the rap.  There is Alex who is very promising.   

Was the tour "boutik" a hit? 
Oh yea, it gains lots of success.  But, we cannot always do the same thing.  Today, the guitar can be played by two or three persons, in people's garden.  We eat together, discuss, sing and sign autographs...   

From the beginning, your lyrics depict struggling issues, is this still the case today?     
It's true that in the beginning, there were many struggles.  It was necessary for someone to stand up.  Ziskakan is a beautiful story.  We met lots of people and travelled a lot.  My perspective has widened today, I want to talk about happiness and dreams.  Things change.  There are other struggles, such as the well-written language, for example.

You have a Myspace page, your songs are on sale on itunes, why is it important to be listed over there?  
It's a commitment to be present.    The disc market is not doing well.  We need to use all the means.  You need to appeal to the right people.  There are lots of things that I would like to do but there is a lack of time.   

Ziskakan existed for 28 years, what is the secret of your success?  
I don't hold any secrets, it‘s only hard work.  It's tough.  We do things that are soon thrown away.  We start to work at 07 30 am, the guitars are being played and the lyrics are on the table.  There's lot of work all the time.  What pleases us is the result.  Our audience comes from everywhere, all social classes, all generations and all races.   

Interview conducted by F.M.