Mikaben, Haitian singer, dead at age 41 after collapsing on stage

Mikaben, who rose to prominence through the Haitian dub act Maseo, had a string of hits that ranged from funk and reggae to the dancehall

Haitian singer Mikaben was killed Saturday at the age of 41 after collapsing during an onstage performance.

The cause of death was listed but the musician’s label, M3lk Records, has not publicly released it as of Sunday. A representative for the singer has confirmed that she died, but has not commented further.

Mikaben is survived by her husband, two children, and a sister, who lives in Germany.

She rose to prominence in the mid-2000s with pop hits such as “Dépens” which featured vocals by Maseo’s founder Dory Kintadjja, and “Mizik-e klama gan” (The song of hate).

Mikaben also collaborated with French musical duo Jeunesse in a reggae song titled “Poum kou,” which was released under the name Diamant. The song has since appeared in other videos and has been referenced in a number of Haitian-themed TV shows.

She released her first official studio album with her husband, the duo The Jokers, in 2006, which included the hits “Hétém,” “Kokok,” “Souf,” and “Le Diamants.” The album peaked at number 31 on Billboards Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

She appeared in a musical on the popular TV show Haitian: The Musical from 2006 until 2007, performing on stage with other Maseo and Jeunesse alumni such as M