Singer Mikaben died of a heart attack during a concert in Paris

Amazement on Saturday evening at the Accor Arena in Paris in front of thousands of people. As Haitian band Carimi celebrated their return to the stage six years after splitting, singer Mikaben died after collapsing.

Credit: Getty Images/Jack Vartoogian

It was almost 11 p.m. when Michael Benjamin, better known by his stage name Mikaben, collapsed on stage. the singer Haitian met that evening with the members of the Carimi group, which was celebrating its 20-year career. For the occasion, the room was full, the fans of the group having made the trip in number for this evening which promised to be festive.

The greatest titles of the group were linked together in the presence of the 41-year-old singer, specially invited by Carimi for an evening. But as can be seen in some videos posted on Twitter, leaving the stage, Mikaben suddenly collapsed, leaving the room in shock.

Mikaben, part of Haiti's 'heritage'

The concert was then interrupted before the room was evacuated. The emergency services, which arrived quickly on the spot, did not manage to resuscitate the singer. Shortly after midnight, Mikaben was pronounced dead.

Following this announcement, fans of the singer and his home island, Haiti , paid tribute to him. ' It is a great reference of Haitian music which has just passed away. The country and Haitian youth have lost a beautiful soul Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry tweeted on Sunday.

Figure of Haitian music, Mikaben was part of the ' inheritance from Haiti, as singer Tamara Suffren called it. Star Wyclef Jean paid tribute to Mikaben on Twitter, lamenting that he was “ left too early ».

The Accor Arena also issued a message of support to Mikaben's relatives and fans in a press release published on Sunday: ' Last night during the Carimi concert, one of the singers, Michael Benjamin, Mikaben of his artist name died following a malaise on stage and despite the intervention of the emergency services. The entire Accor Arena team is terribly affected and sends all its support to his family and loved ones in this painful ordeal. Our thoughts also go out to Claude Cyndecki, his producer, as well as to his fans, shocked by this sudden disappearance. ».