Izaline Francisca Juanita Calister (born March 9, 1969) is a Dutch-Curaçaoan singer-songwriter.
Growing up in her native Curaçao for eighteen years, Calister moved to
Groningen
Groningen ( , ; ; or ) is the capital city and main municipality of Groningen (province), Groningen province in the Netherlands. Dubbed the "capital of the north", Groningen is the largest place as well as the economic and cultural centre of ...
, the Netherlands, where she studied at the
Prince Claus Conservatoire and continues to live.
Calister's music combines the
Calypso influences of her native Curaçao with
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
, creating a unique blend of music. These influences and musical features consist of rhythms, dances and songs from the island, of which she adapts and composes to accommodate her own unique style.
Singing in her native language of
Papiamentu
Papiamento () or Papiamentu (; ) is a Portuguese-based creole language spoken in the Dutch Caribbean. It is the most widely spoken language on Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao (ABC islands (Leeward Antilles), ABC Islands).
The language, spelled ...
, Calister feels that as native speaker of such a unique yet widely unexposed language to the international community, a language also of a very select group of users, it is her duty to be an ambassador of her language.
She performs at venues and festivals around the world.
Awards
*
Edison Award (2009)
References
External links
Izaline Calister.com
Dutch women jazz singers
Living people
Papiamento-language singers
1969 births
Curaçao women
Dutch jazz singers
Calypsonians
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