A little song of Joie about HIV-positivity: Bibiche la Joie sings "Dépistage [HIV Test]"

  
Chatting it up with Bibiche

Click for lyrics and mp3 download of Bibiche la Joie's new single "Dépistage"

Since Esther Valerie Bisse was an eight-year old girl in her native village, she has sung music. Begining as a choir girl and moving to cabaret singer, she went on to become a finalist of the STAR Academy in Douala and a full-length album artist. "I live and breathe music," she explains. Ms. Bisse—who uses the stage name Bibiche la Joie—released her debut album, Dépistage, in December of 2005.

Through her music, Ms. Bisse hopes to bring an important message to Cameroon and the world. "HIV nearly eradicated all the young girls of my village. I witnessed the turmoil that it brought to the community. People blamed family members and friends of witchcraft and sorcery. It is because they didn't know the reality of HIV."

  
Bibiche la Joie: "I want the world to hear my message about HIV"

Ms. Bisse's first single off of her new album is entitled "Dépistage" (or "HIV test"). It is the best way she can think of to elucidate what happened in her community. She wants to encourage people to get tested, to accept the existence of HIV, and to end the conflict in her community.

Ms. Bisse's home town of Yaoundé is representative of many other communities in Cameroon. People are afraid to get tested for HIV. They do not understand that treatment is available and affordable. They do not know where to go to get tested. They do not believe that you can have a life after testing HIV-positive.

Ms. Bisse believes that the media is responsible for these misconceptions. People suffering from HIV are continually isolated by the endless scare campaigns about AIDS. "A girl told me yesterday that she would rather die than have HIV," she said regretfully.

Promotional poster for Bibiche la Joie's new single "Dépistage"

Through her song, Ms. Bisse hopes to spread the message that "Being HIV-positive is the beginning of a positive life. Once you test positive, you must begin to make the right choices for your health. The message that I want the world to hear is that HIV is no longer a fatality."

Ms. Bisse tested HIV-positive in 2002. She regrets that she was not educated about HIV early on. "If there is anyone I can encourage to go and get tested, talking about my status in public will have been worth it. For me, living with HIV is not the end of the world. I would rather have HIV than another disease such as cancer or diabetes. I want this song and message to be heard throughout the world."

Since she was tested, Ms. Bisse has never fallen sick. In fact, people don't believe her when she announces that she has HIV. They say that it is not possible for an HIV-positive person to look so healthy, to be able to drink a glass of wine or sing on stage like her. Through her example, she will prove them wrong.

Ms. Bisse's album was created with support from local artists, musicians, and the generous support of GTZ. Her song will be featured on STV (Chaine 2) and local radio stations in Yaoundé. She needs further support to distribute her song to a wider audience. If you are interested in Ms. Bisse's music, please contact her directly at  bissvale@yahoo.com.