DroXYani is the explosive Haitian American duo making their mark on the international scene with their 2021 “La Familia” album release. With hot singles like “Tap,” “Ambulance” and “Seule,” DroXYani are bringing their own unique take on Caribbean Pop and infusing it with urban Afro tones in all the right places.
About us:
Brothers, Alexandre [Dro] & Yani Martelly, youngest sons of International Haitian Konpa Star, Sweet Micky [Michel Martelly], have been deeply rooted in music production and business since childhood. Growing up, for the Martelly siblings, music wasn’t just the family-business, it was also their family life.
In 2009, Dro et Yani co-wrote and produced a Christmas single «Nwèl Tris Nwèl Bèl» [Sad Christmas, Beautiful Christmas] and got their entire family [Mom, Dad and all four siblings] to participate on the project. Proceeds collected from this single were used to purchase toys for underprivileged children in Haiti—their Christmas Day Toy Giveaway has now become a Martelly family tradition.
From Wyclef Jean, to King Posse and Carimi, early on, Dro and Yani were influenced by the best of Haiti’s vibrant music scene. Much of their youth was spent in recording studios with their father and older brother and Producer BigO [Olivier Martelly], where they learned the trade from Sweet Micky and his eclectic musical entourage. By 8 and 12 years of age, they had each put out musical projects that would set the stage for their own professional careers.
The Eldest of the duo, Dro, broke out as lead singer and [instrument] for his Konpa band, T-Micky and in 2011, released “Pa Chachem” [Don’t come for me], his first self-produced album. The Project was an international hit and helped Dro tap into global Konpa/Zouk fan bases. He was booked to perform worldwide for fans from their home base, Haiti, to several American cities, Canada, Paris and New Caledonia.
Energized by this success, Dro quickly released his second album, “Atache,” (a nickname for Dro fans that also means connected) in 2014. The album included hit single “Nou Pare” which featured world-renown Haitian American artist, Wyclef Jean and earned T-Micky “Artist of the Year” at the International Reggae and World Music Awards. Just one month later, T-Micky released the single “Vakans” (Vacation), which was later licensed by Zumba World Wide.
Youngest brother, Yani, was never far behind. After early musical releases like “Haiti” at only 8yrs old, as his brothers’ careers took off, Yani settled into a cozy comfort zone, behind the scenes, quietly contributing to the success of both his brothers’ musical projects. In 2009, Yani’s creativity in the studio and on a number of unofficial underground releases—some of them remakes of Sweet Micky classics—started making a name for his talent.
Haitian artists looking to add freshness to their sound sought Yani out for collaborations and just like that, he was propelled onto a music scene, ripe and ready for his unique raw talent and personality. With popular hits like “Gen Bagay”, “Ti Seu W Fèm Fou” and “Fanm Sa Dekontwolem,” Yani quickly became synonymous with son-moman an, Haitian creole for “that NOW sound.”
As producers, Dro & Yani have collaborated with top industry names, produced unique sounds for a number of international artists, they opened for Lil Wayne & Chris Brown concertin in Haiti and have featured with established artists such as J.Perry, Sweet Micky, Shabba, Medhy Custos, E.sy Kennenga, Olivier BigO Martelly, Josh X, Wyclef Jean and more.
Dro and Yani started as solo artists and although they are both seasoned singer-songwriter and music producers with several hits to their respective solo names, in 2019, the brothers decided to unite their careers and launch DroXYani.
With DroXYani, a new sound emerges from the brothers’ combined years of experience and their eclectically infused Caribbean Pop sound. As Neo-Konpa [modern konpa] grows in popularity—with the sound being sampled by international superstars like Dadju—Dro and Yani are natural contenders to make their way to the top and take the lead on innovating the growingly popular sound that already runs through their blood.
Dro and Yani currently reside in Miami where they work with talented musicians from a variety of backgrounds. From New York to Miami, From Paris to Los Angeles, for the last 18 months DroXYani have fine-tuned their sound, offered their growing online fan-base widely successful live jam sessions and paid digital concerts, all leading up to the release of the duo’s first Album “La Familia,” who’s title is an homage to a musical past rooted in family, and a musical future as brothers on a mission to bring their sound to the world.