Jonas Attis was born in Jeremie on the southwest coast of Haiti. Known as “The City of Poets,” Jeremie has a history of spawning politically engaged artists. Raised in a musical household, Jonas was surrounded by the country’s deep traditions from a young age and he quickly started writing songs. In 1993, Jonas embarked on an ill-fated voyage with his grandmother, a famous leader of a local rara band. They boarded an overcrowded ferry called the Neptune that capsized – nearly 1000 people died in the tragedy. Jonas spent 3 days floating at sea before being saved his grandmother was not so lucky. With his grandmother’s musical spirit running through him Jonas has become a prolific songwriter in the racine movement in Haiti and has become known throughout Port-au-Prince as a passionate and soulful singer with infectious energy on stage. Jonas is one of the lead songwriters of Lakou Mizik and his unique style walks the line between roots music, pop and hip-hop. His songs blend pointed political lyrics with sing-along choruses and never fail to get a crowd moving.