Wyclef Jean: The Carnival Tour

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Other Upcoming Shows

Sarah Silverman: Grow Some Lips

**SPECIAL TAPING (30th & 31st Only)

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Tue Mar 28th - 7:30PM Doors Open - 6:30 PM
The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Thu Mar 30th - 8:00PM Doors Open - 7:00 PM
The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Fri Mar 31st - 8:00PM Doors Open - 7:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$39 - $89

Kathleen Madigan: Boxed Wine & Tiny Banjos

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Sat Apr 1st - 7:00PM Doors Open - 6:00 PM
The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Sat Apr 1st - 9:45PM Doors Open - 8:45 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$36.75 - $61.75

CANCELLED – Sibling Rivalry Tour 2023

This show is cancelled. Ticket purchasers will be refunded automatically.

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Sun Apr 2nd - 8:00PM Doors Open - 7:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$41.50 - $106.50

Redhanded: Emptyhanded Tour

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Mon Apr 3rd - 7:30PM Doors Open - 6:30 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$35 - $75

Boney James: Detour

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Tue Apr 4th - 8:00PM Doors Open - 7:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$50 - $75

Trevor Noah: Off The Record Tour

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Wed Apr 5th - 7:30PM Doors Open - 6:30 PM
The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Thu Apr 6th - 7:30PM Doors Open - 6:30 PM
The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Fri Apr 7th - 7:30PM Doors Open - 6:30 PM
The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Sun Apr 9th - 7:30PM Doors Open - 6:30 PM
The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Mon Apr 10th - 7:30PM Doors Open - 6:30 PM
The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Tue Apr 11th - 7:30PM Doors Open - 6:30 PM
The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Wed Apr 12th - 7:30PM Doors Open - 6:30 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$57 - $125

Kenny Sebastian

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Sat Apr 8th - 7:00PM Doors Open - 6:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$39.75 - $100

Margaret Cho: Live and LIVID!

Please Note - Mature Content

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Thu Apr 13th - 7:30PM Doors Open - 6:30 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$30 - $50

Donnell Rawlings

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Fri Apr 14th - 7:00PM Doors Open - 6:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$30 - $35

Joe List

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Sat Apr 15th - 7:00PM Doors Open - 6:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$31 - $41

OBSESSED Presents: DRAGULA TITANS With the Boulet Brothers

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Sun Apr 16th - 8:00PM Doors Open - 7:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$41.50 - $71.50

Rory Scovel

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Thu Apr 20th - 7:30PM Doors Open - 6:30 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$29.50 - $39.50

Pinky Patel: New Crown, Who Dhis Tour

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Sat Apr 22nd - 7:00PM Doors Open - 6:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$29 - $99

Janelle James

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Sun Apr 23rd - 7:00PM Doors Open - 6:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$28 - $35

Jamie Cullum: US Tour

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Mon Apr 24th - 8:00PM Doors Open - 7:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$39 - $65

And That’s Why We Drink: On The Rocks Tour

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Thu Apr 27th - 7:30PM Doors Open - 6:30 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$43 - $79.50

Martin Sexton & KT Tunstall

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Fri Apr 28th - 8:00PM Doors Open - 7:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$40 - $65

An Evening with Amanda Palmer

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Sat Apr 29th - 8:00PM Doors Open - 7:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$50 - $75

Chelcie Lynn: 2 Fingers And A 12 Pack Tour

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Thu May 4th - 7:30PM Doors Open - 6:30 PM
The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Thu May 4th - 10:00 PM Doors Open - 9:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$39.50 - $124.50

Paula Poundstone

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Fri May 5th - 7:00PM Doors Open - 6:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$35 - $45

David Cross: Worst Daddy in The World Tour

with Special Guest Sean Patton

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Sat May 6th - 7:00PM Doors Open - 6:00 PM
The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Sat May 6th - 9:45PM Doors Open - 8:45 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$42.50 - $142.50

Sasha Velour “The Big Reveal Live Show!”

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Mon May 8th - 8:00PM Doors Open - 7:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$45 - $100

Tommy Tiernan: tomfoolery

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Tue May 9th - 7:30PM Doors Open - 6:30 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$42

KFC Radio

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Fri May 12th - 7:30PM Doors Open - 6:30 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$39.50 - $69.50

Hannah Berner

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Sat May 13th - 7:00PM Doors Open - 6:00 PM
The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Sat May 13th - 9:45PM Doors Open - 8:45 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$29.50 - $39.50

The Psychology of Serial Killers

with Doctor Scott Bonn

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Sun May 14th - 7:00PM Doors Open - 6:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$28 - $58

Hunting Whitey with Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge

Sponsored by Northern Bank

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Tue May 16th - 7:30PM Doors Open - 6:30 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$30 - $55

Old Gods of Appalachia: The Price of Progress

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Wed May 17th - 8:00PM Doors Open - 7:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$35 - $145

Citizen Cope: Spring 2023 – Solo Acoustic

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Thu May 18th - 8:00PM Doors Open - 7:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$51 - $127

An Evening With Neighbor: Album Release Show

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Fri May 19th - 8:00PM Doors Open - 7:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Partly seated
PRICE:
$30

Tracy Morgan

Comedy Special Taping!

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Sat May 20th - 7:00PM Doors Open - 6:00 PM
The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Sat May 20th - 9:45PM Doors Open - 8:45 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$65

Samantha Bee: Your Favorite Woman

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Sun May 21st - 7:00PM Doors Open - 6:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$39.50 - $179.50

KevOnStage

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Sun May 28th - 7:00PM Doors Open - 6:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$25 - $40

True Crime Obsessed Live!

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Fri Jun 2nd - 7:30PM Doors Open - 6:30 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$40 - $85

Sam Jay

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Sat Jun 3rd - 7:00PM Doors Open - 6:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$24 - $27

Randy Feltface

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Thu Jun 8th - 7:30PM Doors Open - 6:30 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$25 - $35

Ross Mathews

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Fri Jun 9th - 7:30PM Doors Open - 6:30 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$39.50 - $99

Kevin James: The Irregardless Tour

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Sat Jun 10th - 7:00PM Doors Open - 6:00 PM
The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Sun Jun 11th - 7:00PM Doors Open - 6:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$50 - $99

Leslie Jones

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Thu Jun 15th - 7:30PM Doors Open - 6:30 PM
The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Thu Jun 15th - 10:00 PM Doors Open - 9:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$39 - $69

Toad The Wet Sprocket

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Fri Jun 16th - 08:00 PM Doors Open - 7:00 PM
Openers: Marcy Playground
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$61 -$196

Rafi Bastos – UNFAMILIAR TERRITORY TOUR

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Sat Jun 17th - 7:00PM Doors Open - 6:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$30 - $100

Betches U Up? Live presented by Faux Pas

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Thu Jun 22nd - 7:30PM Doors Open - 6:30 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$40 - $70

Watch What Crappens: The Cheater Brand Tour

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Fri Jun 23rd - 7:30PM Doors Open - 6:30 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$29 - $101

Brian Glowacki

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Sat Jun 24th - 7:00PM Doors Open - 6:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$32

Teachers Off Duty – Live Podcast

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Sun Jun 25th - 7:00PM Doors Open - 6:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$39.50 - $97.50

Sparks 2023

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Sat Jul 1st - 8:00PM Doors Open - 7:00 PM
PRICE:
$42 - $210

Yannis Pappas

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Sat Jul 8th - 07:00 PM Doors Open - 6:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$25 - $35

Brad Williams

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Fri Jul 14th - 7:30PM Doors Open - 6:30 PM
The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Fri Jul 14th - 10:00 PM Doors Open - 9:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$27 - $35

Neal Brennan: Brand New Neal

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Sat Jul 15th - 7:00PM Doors Open - 6:00 PM
The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Sat Jul 15th - 9:45PM Doors Open - 8:45 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$39

Legion of Skanks

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Fri Aug 11th - 7:30PM Doors Open - 6:30 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$38 - $100

Dave Attell

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Fri Sep 8th - 7:30PM Doors Open - 6:30 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$35 - $40

Tommy Emmanuel, CGP with special guest Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Thu Sep 14th - 8:00PM Doors Open - 7:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$49.50 - 59.50

Nick Mullen

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Fri Sep 15th - 7:30PM Doors Open - 6:30 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$35 - $55

CLANNAD – In A Lifetime: The Farewell Tour

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Fri Sep 22nd - 8:00PM Doors Open - 7:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$50 - $310

Eric Johnson’s Treasure Tour (2023)

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Thu Sep 28th - 8:00PM Doors Open - 7:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$40 - $65

JR De Guzman: LATER THAT EVENING

Recommended for Audiences 18+

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Fri Sep 29th - 7:30PM Doors Open - 6:30 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$35 - $45

Buddy Guy: Damn Right Farewell Tour

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Tue Oct 3rd - 8:00PM Doors Open - 7:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$75 - $125

Aunty Donna: The Magical Dead Cat Tour

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Wed Oct 11th - 7:30PM Doors Open - 6:30 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$42 - $82

Steve Hackett: Genesis Revisited, Foxtrot at 50

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Thu Oct 12th - 8:00PM Doors Open - 7:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated

Steve Treviño: America’s Favorite Husband Tour

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Sat Oct 14th - 7:00PM Doors Open - 6:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$35 - $45

Nurse Blake: Shock Advised Tour

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Mon Oct 16th - 8:00PM Doors Open - 7:00 PM
The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Tue Oct 17th - 8:00PM Doors Open - 7:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated

Croce Plays Croce 50th Anniversary

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Sat Oct 28th - 8:00PM Doors Open - 7:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$40 - $65

Small Town Murder

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Sat Nov 4th - 7:00PM Doors Open - 6:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$41.50 - $67

Matteo Lane: The Al Dente Tour

The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Fri Nov 17th - 7:30PM Doors Open - 6:30 PM
The Wilbur Theatre Located at
246 Tremont St, Boston, MA.
Phone: 617-248-9700
Sat Nov 18th - 7:00PM Doors Open - 6:00 PM
SEAT TYPE: Fully seated
PRICE:
$37 - $75

Bio

The music that Wyclef Jean has written, performed, and produced — both as a solo superstar and as founder and guiding member of the Fugees — has been a consistently pow

The music that Wyclef Jean has written, performed, and produced — both as a solo superstar and as founder and guiding member of the Fugees — has been a consistently powerful, pop cultural force for over two decades. In 1996, the Fugees released their monumental album The Score, which inspired notoriously prickly rock critic Robert Christgau to write: “so beautiful and funny, its courage could make you weep.” The album, created in Wyclef’s studio in his uncle’s basement in New Jersey, hit No. 1 on the Billboard chart, spawned a trio of smash singles (including their indelible reinvention of Roberta Flack’s 1973 ballad “Killing Me Softly”), and is now certified six times platinum. But Wyclef, a child prodigy with a wealth of musical influences from jazz to classic rock to reggae, resisted the pressure to duplicate the sound and style of that masterwork. Instead, he launched himself as a producer and solo artist whose work drew from an innovative and eclectic palette that included elements of pop, country, folk, disco, Latin, and electronic music.

“I just keep moving,” he says today. “If I didn’t keep moving after The Score, y’all wouldn’t have had the biggest pop song of all time.” Wyclef is referring to Shakira’s chart-topping single “Hips Don’t Lie,” which he co-wrote and is featured on. That 2006 blockbuster climbed to No. 1 in 20 countries including the U.S. — a crowning achievement atop a nearly unprecedented run of hits that include Wyclef’s own “Gone Till November,” “Ghetto Superstar” (Pras feat. Wyclef Jean), Carlos Santana’s No. 1 single “Maria, Maria” (featuring Jean and Product G&B) and the late Whitney Houston’s “My Love is Your Love.” “The only record that captures Whitney, her daughter [Bobbi Kristina], and Bobby Brown all on one song,” Wyclef says of it.

Wyclef has been rewarded for his creativity and adventurousness with three Grammy Awards, a spot on the cover of Rolling Stone’s special “Top 50 Hip Hop Players,” and the opportunity to make music with such legends as Michael Jackson, Queen, Mick Jagger, Paul Simon, Earth, Wind & Fire, Kenny Rogers, and Tom Jones. As a solo artist, he has released six albums that have sold nearly nine million copies worldwide, including his 1997 debut The Carnival and 2000’s aptly titled The Ecleftic: 2 Sides II a Book, which even turned wrestling superstar/action hero The Rock into a pop star with the international hit single “It Doesn’t Matter.” Through it all, Wyclef kept an ear cocked for new talent. He helped launch Beyoncé´s career with Destiny’s Child’s early hit “No, No, No.”

While it’s been six years since his last studio album, Wyclef has not abandoned his dedication to sonic excursions. His new album, the upcoming Carnival III: Road to Clefication, features contributions from Afrojack, Emeli Sandé, and multi-platinum DJ/recording artist Avicii. In fact Avicii is responsible for Wyclef’s new album’s title. “It’s a nickname he gave to me,” he explains. “We were in Stockholm recording and he said, ‘We need some ‘Clefication.’ Now when I’m in the studio with other producers from his generation, they’ll say, ‘Yo we need some ‘Clefication’ on the vocal before I swag it up.’ It’s the human application of music.”

The first product of Wyclef and Avicii’s dynamic chemistry, the reflective electro-acoustic ballad “Divine Sorrow,” instantly blew up on YouTube when the lyric video was posted last November, racking up four million views and reminding people that Wyclef Jean can still astound people with his music. When an era-defining superstar takes time between albums, people often wonder if the artist has perhaps retired, but Wyclef has never stopped making music. “Every day when I wake up, I go into the studio and record,” he says. “There’s always a guitar and a piano nearby. I’m always writing, that’s my survival. I don’t go to a therapist. My therapy is when I pick up my guitar and sing.”

One couldn’t blame Wyclef for wanting to take time away from the spotlight given the whirlwind of press, good and bad, he received after announcing that he was going to run for president of Haiti in 2010, the summer after a massive earthquake killed over 200,000 people. “It felt like something I needed to do at the time,” he says. Wyclef flew home to help and saw the devastation firsthand. “Haiti was in dire need and I wasn’t going to go down in history as just another musician who did nothing and just hid behind the songs,” he says. Born in Croix-des-Bouquets before moving to New Jersey at age nine, Wyclef has always kept very close ties to the Haitian people and continues to provide aid and consultation. His love for his native country was reciprocated by many and questioned by others. “I stepped into the fire,” he says. “People took shots at me, of course. But it’s better to be right than popular. And history will always reveal the truth. You can’t live for the fakeness or you will just be erased from time.” However, the fury and the frenzy of the election left him depleted. “When I got back to New York I was out of my mind,” he says. “I had just had a really tense experience. I thought I could change policy and legislation there, but coming back to America — yo, it hit me. I was like, ‘Man, what am I gonna do?’ I was at the height of my musical career. Nobody could stop me. I was moving like a bullet as a producer.”

“Divine Sorrow” addresses the experience, in part, in its lyrics: “Dearie blossom I’m going down to old rock bottom / I know the love in your heart was true / I thank you for the joy that follow.” “For me, ‘Divine Sorrow’ was like my returning hymn to the world,” Wyclef says. “We embarked on a small European tour when I got back and, based off that, I decided I was going to go in…. and just start cutting some music. I felt the bug. The album bug.” (He also got the acting bug, appearing in a story arc on the hit ABC series Nashville in 2014.)

As big a comeback as “Divine Sorrow” has proven to be, one should not count on Carnival III: Road to Clefication being an entire album full of ballads. “Do I have anything for the clubs?” he asks. You’re talking to The Carnival Man! I’ve done the biggest dance records of all time! We plan to put them on the dancefloor more so than ever. I’m also working with DJ Khaled. We go back 20 years. The chemistry is insane. We know people want that dancefloor bounce from us — that hip hop thing.”

Which leaves only one question. How long can Wyclef keep it up now that he’s back at his old velocity? “The forties are the new youth of hip hop,” he says with a laugh. And while he hints that the Fugees crew are all on good terms, and he doesn’t rule out a future reunion with Lauryn Hill and Pras, right now, Wyclef is trying to reckon with his past and write a new chapter. “The music I’m making, it’s sounding like the ‘90s meets 2017,” he says. “It’s very authentic and all about the vocality, making people feel and reminisce off of that sound they love but combining it with new sonics.” The release of his latest project, J'ouvert, is reinforcement of that sound aesthetic and builds excitement for the long-anticipated Carnival III, coming this summer.

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