Rutshelle Guillaume’s “12 ERA” Arrives With 22 Tracks: A Rebirth You Can Hear

By Haitianbeatz

Rutshelle’s “12 Era” Album Review: A 22-Track Statement in the HMI

How often do you see a 22-track album in the Haitian Music Industry today? The last big one many fans remember is Phantom’s classic “Oxygen” released in the 90’s, another 22-track marathon that became a reference point for the HMI.

Now “12 Era” arrives, and Rutshelle is clearly not playing it safe.

Instead of dropping a short, streaming-friendly project, she offers a long, layered album that feels like chapters of her life. This review looks at “12 Era” as a full story, not just a playlist of songs, and asks if this bold format still works in 2025.

We’ll walk through why 22 songs is such a big swing, how the sound and themes show growth and versatility, which tracks stand out, how the collaborations widen her reach, and if this giant project really pays off for listeners.

Why “12 Era” With 22 Tracks Is Such a Bold Move in the HMI

Most new HMI albums, and even big global pop albums, sit around 10 to 15 tracks. That length fits short attention spans, low budgets, and streaming habits that reward singles.

“12 Era” goes in the opposite direction. With 22 tracks, Rutshelle is asking fans to slow down, listen in order, and sit with the story. It feels old-school in length, but very current in sound and message.

A Long Tracklist in a Short Attention World

Today, many fans meet songs on TikTok, Instagram clips, and random playlists. People hit shuffle more than they hit “play from the beginning”. In that climate, a 22-track project is a real challenge.

A long album like “12 Era”:

• Asks listeners to follow a journey, not just a hook

• Gives space for different moods and genres

• Risks listener fatigue if the pacing slips

At the same time, a tracklist this big looks impressive on streaming platforms and social media. It signals patience, work, and confidence. Even before you hit play, “12 Era” feels serious and ambitious.

From Phantom’s “Oxygen” to “12 Era”: A New High Bar for Ambition

Phantom’s “Oxygen” was the last major 22-track milestone in the HMI. That album felt like a full season of a show, not just a quick drop. For many fans, it proved that long projects can leave a lasting mark.

“12 Era” sits in that same tradition. Different music, different voice, same type of bold intent.

Both projects:

• Use a long format to build a full world of songs

• Try to capture a period of life, not just a radio moment

• Set a high bar for effort and concept in Haitian music

Where “Oxygen” came from a band, “12 Era” comes from a leading female solo artist, which adds another layer. Rutshelle is not only chasing a big idea, she is also pushing what a woman in the HMI is “allowed” to attempt in terms of size and scope.

Sound, Style, and Themes: How “12 Era” Shows Rutshelle’s Versatility

Across 22 tracks, “12 Era” jumps through styles but keeps a clear identity. You hear konpa roots, modern pop, soft R&B, Afro hints, Caribbean zouk colors, and heartfelt ballads.

The album moves between:

• Danceable grooves and mid-tempo sways

• Intimate confessions and confident anthems

• Local Kreyol stories and wider global flavors

Lyrically, the big themes are faith, heartbreak, healing, distance, female strength, and romantic passion. Rutshelle switches between Kreyol, French, and some English, which helps the music feel both deeply Haitian and open to the diaspora and beyond.

From Konpa Roots to Afro Pop and Zouk Colors

“12 Era” keeps one foot in the HMI and one foot in broader Caribbean and Afro sounds. You can hear:

• Classic konpa energy in several love and breakup tracks

• Zouk and Antillean touches that link to artists like Kassav

• Afro pop flavors that line up with what African and Caribbean radios love today

• Pop and R&B ballads that put the focus on her voice and lyrics

On a 22-track project, variety is not just nice, it is necessary. The shifts between styles help the album avoid a flat, repetitive feel. Even when you move from “Ou Mechan” to “Can’t get over you” to “San ou”, the mood changes enough to keep you locked in.

Good production is the glue here. The beats, arrangements, and vocal mixes feel polished, which lets all these influences sit side by side without confusion.

Love, Pain, and Faith: The Emotional Core of the Album

Under all the style changes, “12 Era” is about feelings. Many songs circle around heartbreak, betrayal, and the hard work of moving on. Others return to faith, hope, and self-belief.

You hear:

• The sting of a broken heart

• The pull of a toxic love you know you should leave

• The calm that comes from prayer and trust in God

• The sharp voice of a woman who knows her worth

That mix keeps the album from sliding into only sad songs or only club tracks. You get highs and lows, fights and forgiveness, distance and reunion. Over 22 tracks, that emotional curve is what makes the project feel like a full story instead of a random pile of singles.

Track by Track Highlights: The Key Songs That Shape “12 Era”

Instead of rating every song in the same way, it helps to look at how groups of tracks build the flow of “12 Era”. Along the way, we will touch on all 22 titles and point out the ones new listeners should start with.

Opening the Story: “Genèse”, “Good God”, and “DGu (Don’t Give Up)”

The album opens with “Genèse” featuring Yole Derose, her mentor, and the title fits. It feels like a spiritual and musical opening scene, like the lights coming up on a theater stage. Having Yole on the track brings history, respect, and a sense of blessing over the project.

“Good God” follows with a clear faith-driven tone. It points straight to gratitude and protection, reminding listeners that success and survival do not come by chance.

“DGu (Don’t Give Up)” keeps that energy but adds motivation. The title itself is a message to keep going. Together, “Genèse”, “Good God”, and “DGu (Don’t Give Up)” tell the listener that “12 Era” will not only talk about romance. It will touch life, struggle, purpose, and the road that brought her here.

Love, Hurt, and Desire: “Ou Mechan”, “Can’t Get Over You”, “San ou”, “Mwen wè’m nan ou”, and “Sere’m”

After the spiritual opening, the album sinks into love stories and heartbreak.

“Ou Mechan” feels like a moment of blunt truth. The title suggests someone who is harsh or cruel, and the tone matches that sense of calling out bad behavior.

“Can’t get over you” switches into English and points at obsession, the kind of love you replay in your mind even when you know better. “San ou” and “Mwen wè’m nan ou” lean into longing, seeing yourself in someone else, and feeling empty without them.

“Sere’m” featuring Fanny J stands out as one of the softest and most sensual cuts. Fanny J brings that French Caribbean zouk love-song flavor, which connects fans in Haiti, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and the wider Francophone Caribbean. It is the type of duet that feels ready for slow dances at weddings and late-night radio.

Complex Relationships and Inner Battles: “Dyalog”, “Adikte”, and “Lavi nou Chifonnen”

This section of the album digs into harder, more complex relationship spaces.

“Dyalog” with Jocelyne Beroard of Kassav is a special moment. Musically and symbolically, it links generations and islands. You get a real conversation vibe, as if two women from different eras sit at a table and talk about love, respect, and staying true to yourself.

“Adikte” paints the picture of emotional or physical addiction to someone. It is that heavy pull that keeps you coming back even when your mind says to leave. “Lavi nou Chifonnen” describes a life or relationship that is crumpled, twisted, not as smooth as the photos online suggest.

These songs add weight to the album. They slow things down and give space to feelings that are messy and real.

Big Collaborations and Global Reach: “Twilight”, “Stay”, and “Tag li”

If you want to see how far Rutshelle is aiming, look at “Twilight”, “Stay”, and “Tag li”.

“Twilight” featuring Grammy winner Wyclef Jean is a key crossover song. Having Wyclef on the track connects the album to the Haitian diaspora and to global ears that know his work. The song feels like a bridge between past and present, Haiti and the wider world.

“Stay” with Salatiel pulls in a Central African touch and Afro pop vibe. It fits comfortably next to current African hits, while still keeping Rutshelle’s vocal color.

“Tag li” featuring Bamby adds a Caribbean urban and dancehall edge. It sounds ready for clubs, summer playlists, and cross-island parties.

These features do two things. They keep the long tracklist fresh, and they send a clear message: “12 Era” wants listeners far beyond the usual HMI circle.

From Breaking to Healing: “Chanje”, “Kè’m kraze”, “Kole”, and “2 Pye’m mare”

In the middle stretch, the album traces the path from heartbreak to recovery.

“Kè’m kraze” goes straight into pain. The title says it all, and the delivery matches that broken-heart feeling after a hard breakup.

“Chanje” steps into the idea of change. It looks at who you become after hurt, how you adjust your standards, and how you refuse to repeat the same cycle.

“Kole” can be heard as the desire to stick together, to hold on, to keep the bond strong. On the other side, “2 Pye’m mare” suggests being tied down, stuck, maybe in a love that is both sweet and heavy.

These four tracks sketch the emotional curve from lost, to self-aware, to attached again, for better or worse. They capture the back-and-forth that most people know all too well.

Hope, Distance, and Drive: “Mirak”, “Distans”, “Determinée”, and “Tolere”

The closing group of songs adds hope, realism, and a final statement of strength.

“Mirak” feels like a small prayer in song form, focused on everyday miracles. It reminds you that just being here after so much is a gift.

“Distans” deals with space between people, both physical and emotional. It speaks to diaspora couples, long-distance families, and anyone who loves someone they rarely see.

“Determinée” is one of the album’s strongest messages. It plays like a statement of will and female power, a reminder that she is focused, steady, and not easy to break.

“Tolere” featuring Richard Cave brings it all home with a reflection on patience and limits. How much do you tolerate in love? When do you stop making excuses? As a near-ending track, it leaves you thinking about boundaries and self-respect.

We should also note that “Tag li”, “Mirak”, “Distans”, and “Determinée” help round out the final stretch so that the album closes on drive instead of pure sadness.

Does a 22-Track Album Work for Rutshelle in 2025?

So, does “12 Era” justify all 22 tracks in today’s streaming climate?

For the most part, yes. The pacing holds up better than you might expect. There are quiet moments where the energy dips, but the mix of spiritual songs, love stories, uptempo tracks, and big features keeps you engaged.

Some listeners might feel that a few songs could have stayed as bonus material or a later EP. Still, the length itself feels like part of the artistic statement. She is not just selling singles; she is documenting “eras” of her life.

For hardcore Rutshelle fans, this is a feast. For casual HMI listeners, it is a rich project you can enter in many places. For new global listeners who arrive through Wyclef, Salatiel, or Bamby, it offers plenty to explore once they pass the collaborations.

Strengths: Versatility, Storytelling, and Female Power in the HMI

“12 Era” shines in several key areas:

• Versatility: She moves through konpa, Afro pop, zouk, and ballads without losing herself.

• Storytelling: The intro with “Genèse” and faith songs like “Good God” and “Mirak” frame the love stories inside a larger life story.

• Collaborations: Features with Yole Derose, Jocelyne Beroard, Fanny J, Wyclef Jean, Salatiel, Bamby, and Richard Cave feel thoughtful, not forced.

• Voice and emotion: She sounds present and honest, from “Kè’m kraze” pain to “Determinée” confidence.

• Female point of view: The album speaks clearly from a woman’s experience but still reaches anyone who has loved and lost.

For the HMI, “12 Era” raises the bar for what a female artist can attempt, in size, ambition, and range.

Weaknesses and Who This Album Is For

No long album is perfect.

Listeners who like quick, 8-to-10-track projects may feel tired by song 18 or 19. A couple of tracks feel less essential next to giants like “Twilight”, “Sere’m”, “Determinée”, or “Tolere”. That is natural on a project this big.

“12 Era” will speak most to:

• Fans who enjoy story-driven albums you can live with for months

• Listeners who love Kreyol, French, and English side by side

• Diaspora Haitians who want modern HMI that still feels rooted

• People who like to study lyrics about faith, self-worth, and complex love

A simple way to listen is “in chapters”. One day, play from “Genèse” to “Sere’m”. Another day, stay with the middle relationship songs. On a third, focus on the collaborations and the closing stretch from “Mirak” to “Tolere”. The album is long enough to work in pieces without losing the bigger picture.

“12 Era” lands as a major entry in Rutshelle’s career and a clear moment in recent HMI history, right next to huge projects like Phantom’s “Oxygen”. The 22-track length is not just a number, it is a sign of trust in her audience and belief in her art.

For new listeners, the best starting points are the collaborations and emotional highlights like “Twilight”, “Sere’m”, “Kè’m kraze”, “Determinée”, and “Tolere”. Once those click, it is worth going back to the opening trio with “Genèse”, “Good God”, and “DGu (Don’t Give Up)” to feel the full arc.

If more HMI artists take notes from “12 Era”, we might see bolder concept albums, deeper cross-island partnerships, and longer, story-driven projects. For now, this album stands as a powerful reminder that big risks still matter in Haitian music, and that a woman with something to say can fill 22 tracks without losing her voice.

(Writing a 22 track review is not a joke, I started this review the same night it came out, I’ve just wrapped up)