After months of planning, the International Music Festival – ZikanZil, featuring the three big names on the Seychelles’ musical scene, kicked-off on Tuesday, May 15.

Performing at the inaugural show was singer-song writer, David André, followed by Joe Samy and Patrick Victor.

With a nearly full house, the two-and-a-half-hour show surely left an unforgettable mark, which will be remembered by the fans and audience.

Opening the night’s performance, David André, equipped with his guitar, started the show with an instrumental before proceeding with his well-known Creole song “Esper sa sanson.” Mr. André’s repertoire was comprised of several popular numbers, as well as the newly-composed song, “Libre comme un oiseau.” Showcasing his versatility as a performer, Mr. André also called on stage a group of young and talented students, which to the delight of the crowd, played three instrumental pieces, a sega, and two flamenco numbers.

After a great performance, Mr. André was joined by his old friend, Joe Samy, also with his guitar, for a series of spell-binding duets such as “La Digue,” “Seychelles que j’aime,” as well as his famous song, “Victoria,” which had a sizeable part of the crowd singing along to the chorus. Together, they performed two French classics - “Ma solitude” and “Ma gueule de métèque” - by Georges Moustaki and Joey Starr, respectively. The camaraderie of these two singers was obvious through their performances together.

Mr. André then went on to introduce the trio accompanying the singers for the evening - drummer Bruce Freminot, Jones Benoit on guitar, and Norman Lucas playing the electric guitar.

Onto the second half of the show, the much-loved Seychellois artist, Patrick Victor, dressed in his white cowboy hat and guitar in hand, made his way onto the stage to perform some of his classics songs such as “Solinn,” “Mon bizou,” and “Zimaz oubliye,” together with Mr. André. Nearing the end of the show, Joe Samy joined the duo to sing the chorus of the popular Patrick Victor song “Rev perdi,” which clearly pleased the crowd.

Screaming for an encore, the show ended with David André performing “Sant avek mwan.”

It must be noted that the show’s success is also due to the technicians who installed and operated the entire technical infrastructure for the event, transforming the University Theatre of Anse Royale into a mellow performance venue.

Acknowledgements also go out to the sponsors, namely: Alliance Francais, Ministry of Tourism and Culture, French Embassy, National Arts Council, Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation, Emirates Airline, Seybrew, Air Australe, Le Trsikell, Classic Design, Seychelles University, MCB, Kokonet, and Le Meridien Fisherman’s Cove.