Niska Pascal Garoute (born on September 27, 1993, in Miami, Florida, United States), better known by her stage name Kanis (formerly Niska), is a Haitian-American rapper, graphic designer, dancer, model, painter, and businesswoman.
Biography
Kanis began her music career in New York during her undergraduate studies at NYIT. Throughout her studies, she wrote and collaborated with various artists from diverse backgrounds to refine her craft.
After earning a degree in marketing, Kanis decided to move to Miami, Florida, where she eventually released her first two singles, “Riddim Affair” and “Dan Bang,” which became instant hits in the Haitian community. Following their success, Kanis decided to move forward and returned to Haiti to explore and develop a new sound inspired by her roots. Kanis started blending Root, Vodou, Rara, and Hip-Hop rhythms, producing music that embraced Haitian culture.
In 2017, Kanis released her first Creole album titled “Enèji” – a 19-song LP inspired by various genres, exploring from Hip Hop to Creole Rap and Root. “Enèji” was an instant success, making Kanis the Haitian rapper No. 1 in 2018 and 2019, exposing her to an international career as a leader within the Haitian community and diaspora.
Kanis began touring in different cities in Haiti, the United States, the Caribbean, and Europe.
While embarking on a European tour in 2018, Kanis spent time in a Paris studio with her production team and began developing her future follow-up project in French as the next step in her career. In the process, Kanis had to undergo a name change due to sharing a name with a famous French rap artist. A step back, perhaps, but certainly three steps forward, as Kanis signed a global licensing agreement with Sony Music, Columbia France by the end of 2019.
