National Geographic Music (National Geographic)

Salem Tradition is Christine Salem surrounded by a singer and two percussionists playing rouler, kayanm, doundoum and djembe. Christine Salem chants with a voice almost raucous but utterly bewitched, an inspired Maloya rooted in the Afro-Madagascan and Indian Ocean heritage.

Christine Salem is rapidly becoming a major Reunion Island artist. She carries the Maloya with her, music reserved for men until just a few years ago, improving on it, her deep voice joining the percussion's hypnotic ballads. The singer's work is bringing new life to this Reunion Island tradition. —Courtesy Calabash Music