Edith Lefel

Who was Edith Lefel?

Edith Lefel was a French-based singer

Lefel's mother was from French Guiana and her father from the island of Martinique. She moved with her parents to Martinique when she was three. It was there that she was exposed to the rich musical traditions of the Caribbean. During the 1970s, Lefel grew up in a compas or cadence music environment. Compas bands such as Les Frères Déjean, Le Ska Shah Number One and Tabou Combo featured their rich modern meringue compas style, which constitutes the basic music of the French Antilles, Dominica, Cabo verde and several places in Africa, South and North America, etc.

In her 14th year, Lefel and her mother left for France, settling in the Saint-Denis suburb of Paris. There she continued her studies in law, occasionally singing with her brother's folk rock group, and, in 1984, launched her career as a professional singer. The turning point in her career came when she met the Maffia band leader Jean-Michel Cambrimol. He invited her to accompany the band on a tour of the French Antilles, and recorded the hit single "My doudou" with her.