Before gracing stages, Jobina Bien-Aime first found music in the pews of her church. At eight years old, she would silently observe the drummers and mimic their rhythms on her lap. She would bring home her hymnal from church and copy the movements of her worship leader in the mirror.
The 29-year-old from Boynton Beach walks a well-worn path. For many legendary artists like Aretha Franklin and Whitney Houston, church was their introduction to music. As Bien-Aime pursues a career in music full time, performing under the stage name Jobi, it's her Haitian heritage and Christian faith that fuels her artistry.
"When you grow up in church, a large chunk of your time is spent in community with people, understanding personalities, understanding God together, learning about each other," she said. "So it's only natural for art to pour out from that."
Raised on gospel artists like Kirk Franklin, Yolanda Adams and Lecrae, her music is a blend of what she calls her big four: hip hop, jazz, rap and gospel.
In her slick R&B track called "eenie meenie," Bien-Aime spits out a rapid-fire rap, comparing her and Jesus to diri kole ak pwa — or brown beans and white rice. They simply go together, she said. In Haitian Creole, she then sings that she will always choose Jesus.
🎧 We're showcasing our favorite South Florida submissions for this year's NPR Tiny Desk Contest, which aims to amplify the work of independent musicians. Find past interviews with local musicians here.
When Bien-Aime started pursuing a music career in 2022, she initially resisted the urge to explicitly intertwine her faith into her music, fearing judgement and opinions from her community. But she realized that faith could still remain a pillar in her life without pigeonholing her artistry. In fact, she said her faith reinforces all the facets of her being.
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" But that's not the only thing I'm gonna do. I'm gonna talk about my love for Haitian heritage. I'm gonna talk about my love for friendship. I'm gonna talk about sadness and depressing times and all that other stuff because in my personal experience, Jesus is in the midst of all of that," she said.
Her art is built on good faith — in all senses of the word. Like many independent artists, resources are limited. In fact, Bien-Aime turned to Instagram to crowdsource local singers for her submission to this year's NPR Tiny Desk Contest.
" Good singers are a dime a dozen. What is not as easy to find is chemistry amongst people who are performing together. Because if the energy is off, you as an audience member, you can feel that it's palpable," Bien-Aime said. "But when the energy is right, when people sync and they lock in together, that's like the crème de la crème of music."
In her submission, Bien-Aime performs alongside four vocalists and a live jazz band. She chose to perform her song "Papa Said" that bursts forth with Bien-Aime's smoky jazzy vocals until it melts into smooth R&B. Eventually, the rhythm breaks down into a rap followed by a litany of riffs, singing, "That's what's what my papa said." The song, Bien-Aime said, talks about remaining resolute in the face of adversity and finding lessons in life's hardships.
This is Bien-Aime's third time submitting to the contest. She remembers watching a performance by Tank and the Bangas, the 2017 Tiny Desk Contest winner from New Orleans, and seeing herself in their humble beginnings. No star power or big record label needed, just talent.
The video was a team effort that involved help from Bien-Aime's husband, who manned the camera, and all of their musically talented friends, who helped with production and musical direction. She calls it a "labor of love."
" You can make great music by yourself, but the best music you will ever make, in my humble opinion, comes from lived experiences with other people and in being in community," she said.
She said, no matter what the outcome, she's all about "putting her people on."
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