Fronted by singer and social activist Gilbert Pounia, Ziskakan is a long-running maloya band from Réunion, France. The group formed in 1979 and quickly became one of the most famous acts on the island, celebrating Reunionese culture — particularly the area's native music, maloya — via a combination of Creole theatre, song, dance, and poetry. Poussière de vie, Ziskakan's debut album, was released in 1981, followed by the double album Péi Bato Fou in 1983. Péi Bato Fou marked a turning point for the band, whose audience soon widened to include France and other European countries. After releasing Moringer in 1989, the group signed with Island Records and released its major-label debut, Kaskasnikola, in 1993. Ziskakan was named "Best Artist in Africa" at the Kora Awards in 1994, then partnered with Mercury for 1996's Soley Glasé before receiving another "Best Artist in Africa" award in 1997. 1999's 4 Ti Mo marked the group's final album of the 1990s, and Ziskakan broadened its sound during the 2000s, even incorporating elements of Indian music via the use of sitar and tabla. After releasing 32 Desanm in 2012, the band took a long break from the recording studio and focused on touring the world instead, occasionally releasing compilations and other unique records — including the acoustic collection Romans pou Rico in 2015 -- along the way.
