Michaël Brun marks 10 years of Haitian festival BAYO with Brooklyn residency
The Port-au-Prince-born DJ and producer also executive produced a documentary on Haiti's return to the World Cup after 52 years.
NEW YORK, United States. What began as neighbourhood block parties in Haiti has become a decade-long cultural movement in Brooklyn. DJ and producer Michaël Brun, a native of Port-au-Prince, has spent 10 years celebrating Haitian culture through BAYO, a festival and event series combining music, community and philanthropy.
The name comes from the Haitian Creole words "bay", meaning "to give", and "yo", meaning "them". BAYO supports the Sharon Andrea Lee-Brun Memorial for BAYO fund, named after Brun's late mother, which funds organisations working in Haiti and across the Caribbean.
"Philanthropy in general has been something I really care about, and that's directly from my parents," Brun said.
Anniversary residency
To mark the 10th anniversary, BAYO held its first multi-night residency at Brooklyn Paramount from June 25 to 27. Brun said 70 to 75 per cent of attendees were first-timers, which made introducing Haitian and Caribbean culture to new audiences a responsibility.
"I want to make sure that when you walk out of there, you feel a sense of connection to your roots and a pride for your culture," he said.
Haiti's World Cup story
Haiti national team forward Wilson Isidor, whose strike was selected by FIFA among the tournament's top 10 goals, joined Brun on stage.
Brun executive produced "Grenadye Alaso 1974-2026", a documentary made in collaboration with Concacaf and directed by Leo Volcy. It traces Haiti's journey from its only previous World Cup appearance in 1974 to its return in 2026, 52 years later. The self-funded film is narrated by Jozy Altidore, a former US international of Haitian descent.
From pre-med to producer
Born and raised in Haiti, Brun moved to the United States at 15 and studied pre-med before pursuing music. He has produced for J. Balvin, Victoria Monet and Maxwell, and for newer artists such as Naika, whose song reached number one in France.
Now based in Brooklyn and more than 15 years into his career, Brun said this was his best year yet.
