I have been doing this for a while now and each time, the audience is always fascinated because the majority of people in Australia have never heard … - Grace Barbé

In a way, I see myself and my band have created a platform in promoting music and culture of the Indian Ocean island region – Seychelles, Mauritius, Rodrigues, Reunion, Mayotte and Madagascar – while also developing our own sound.

There is a sense of pride that comes with being recognised, acknowledged and rewarded for music that tell stories of your roots and culture. Music that captivates rhythms of the islands. Music that is not only sang in English, but also in Creole and French. I would not have created what I am creating now without that sense of culture, community and purpose.

I speak about our history, our ancestors, the slave trade, the European colonial rule, and the melting pot and diversity of what makes the Creole culture and its people.