No doubt about it, Skye Isaac has been triply gifted. Un—she possesses the talent and the determination to build a multi-faceted career in music. Deux—her loving and supportive parents nurtured her talent and exposed her to a varied palette of music like The Doobie Brothers, Journey, Stevie Wonder, and Karen Carpenter. Trois—she was raised in the center of Acadiana—Lafayette, Louisiana—known for its world-class cuisine, its Cajun-Creole culture of family and looking-out-for-each-other, and especially its musical styles and prodigies. Skye is one of those prodigies, a rising star born in the cradle of Zydeco and Cajun music.
Having just released her third album this summer, Skye is becoming known for her electrifying performances, her song-writing skills which resonate beyond her years, as well as her professionalism and work ethic. In April she delivered a soaring and graceful performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the Festival International de Louisiane 2025 opening ceremony and even sang “Happy Birthday” to the incumbent mayor-president Monique Blanco Boulet. During the days of Festival, she performed on several Festival stages and in various Lafayette downtown venues.
Skye now resides mostly in Los Angeles, California. However, in gratitude for the love and support of her Lafayette community, she came home to record her newest album with some familiar faces and sounds unique to her hometown. Ducey (titled in remembrance of the childhood nickname given to her by her father) is Skye’s second zydeco-infused album and was crafted as a tribute to Acadiana’s nurturing and creative environment through songs beautifully written by Isaac.
The first track, “Country Roads,” features Grammy-nominated Cedric Watson on the fiddle and Johnny Quinn on accordion. This remake reflects the album’s goal of capturing and expressing the cozy feeling of going back home again. “Louisiane” has a traditional regional sound and shares Skye’s love for her home state of Louisiana with “all her heart and soul.” It was recorded with her kinfolk, Grammy-winning Buckwheat Zydeco Jr. on accordion—the official instrument for the state of Louisiana. Accompanied by his band, The Ils Sont Partis Band, “Louisiane” was recorded live at Lockdown Studios in downtown Lafayette, Louisiana.
In gratitude for the love and support of her Lafayette community, she came home to record her newest album with some familiar faces and sounds unique to her hometown.
Buckwheat Zydeco Jr. is the son of Buckwheat Zydeco Sr., who was the pre-eminent ambassador of Louisiana and zydeco music. He achieved mainstream success, appearing on the Today Show and The Late Show with David Letterman. “Mardi Gras” is a foot-stomping zydeco number which captures the exuberance of the annual laissez les bon temps rouler party craziness unique to south Louisiana every year before Lent begins. Skye’s take on the celebration reminds everyone that Fat Tuesday is not the only day Louisianans let the good times roll—it’s always a party in Louisiana. Joining in the celebration again is Buckwheat Zydeco Jr. & The Ils Sont Partis Band.
Recorded at Dockside Studios on Bayou Vermilion in Maurice, Louisiana, and going a little more soulful, “You Send Me” is produced by two-time Grammy-nominated Cecil Green, engineered by Justin Tocket, and features Rusty Metoyer, a quickly rising zydeco artist from Calcasieu Parish. “Love You” comes in hot with a high-energy, “new school” beat and a lyrical reimagining of being “so in love.” It was recorded at Cha-Cha Studios in Lafayette and produced by Naylan Williams, the son of Nathan Williams of Nathan Williams & The Zydeco Cha-Chas, known for their performance at the 1996 Summer Olympics. Naylan (Louis B. Productions), also known as the “Future of Zydeco,” is the super-talented artist playing nearly every instrument on this track.
Speaking to the commonality among all peoples, “Higher Love,” produced by Cecil Green, is catchy, churchy, and worldly. It challenges all to do their part to be accepting, thus making for a better and more united world. Cecil is the go-to producer for many of Acadiana’s most notable zydeco artists such as Chris Ardoin and Sean Ardoin. “Never Left,” featuring guitarist and singer Cameron Nelson, sings of the sweet comfort of knowing that although loved ones have died, they are never really gone because they are always in one’s heart.
The final track, “Crying in the Chapel,” features Major Handy on accordion and is a tribute to Lafayette’s own Carol Fran, a well-known singer of the 1950s and 60s with ties to Elvis Presley. Fran received the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Endowment for the Arts’ Folk Arts Program at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. Like Carol Fran’s, Skye’s voice illuminates the down-home blues on this recording. Handy is a multi-instrumentalist who has performed with Otis Redding and was a regular musician with Carol Fran; he brings the true essence of Fran to this fresh rendition.
Much of the album was mixed and mastered by Teyerance Alfred of Tytan Sound Lab in Lafayette, Louisiana. Ducey showcases the skills of many Louisiana musicians, including a who’s-who of local talent: Michael Lockett on keyboard; bassist Lee Allen Zeno, also known as the “Bass Bible,” a longtime member of Buckwheat Zydeco Sr.’s band and participant in the band’s performance at President Bill Clinton’s inauguration; accordionists Buckwheat Zydeco Jr., Major Handy, and Johnny Guinn; guitarists Joe Chavis, Raymond Williams, and Lincoln Landry; Cedric Watson on fiddle; Kevin Menard on drums; Grammy-nominated producers and instrumentalists Naylan Williams and Cecil Green; and Kyle Dural—Buckwheat Zydeco Jr.’s son—on the frottoir, lending a unique Louisiana sound.
The frottoir is an authentic Louisiana invention, one of the few musical instruments created in the United States. Designed in 1946 as a percussion instrument by the legendary King of Zydeco, Clifton Chenier, it was fashioned and manufactured by Willie Landry, Chenier’s friend and a skilled metalworker. A variation of a washboard with metal ridges worn over the shoulders, it is played with bottle openers or spoon handles. Tee-Don Landry continues his father’s trade, producing rubboards by hand in his workshop in Sunset, Louisiana. In fact, he made one specially designed for Skye.
Skye grew up immersed in music and local culture. A unique feature of the album is that she sings in French, often a first or second language for many older Acadian citizens. Skye’s grandmother Hilda spoke Creole-French often, especially when gathering with friends for coffee or to pray the French rosary. While Skye learned much from her, she also studied “school” French at Woodvale Elementary and L.J. Alleman Middle School.
French wasn’t the only influence on the young performer. Like idols Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin—artists who achieved crossover success—Skye got her start singing in church, in the choir at Progressive Baptist Church. She also took piano and voice lessons and learned firsthand the importance of “giving them a show,” watching family members Buckwheat Zydeco Sr. and Zydeco Joe perform on stage. She absorbed every minute of it and cultivated a deep appreciation for country life on Beau Bassin Road in Carencro, Louisiana, feeding animals with her 90-year-old “Po-pop” and riding her uncle’s horses in Texas.
Skye first glimpsed the demands of a music career when she auditioned for American Idol and received the coveted Golden Ticket. Though she did not win the competition, she returned to Acadiana determined to hone her craft. She entered local talent shows at the Clifton Chenier Center, at Lafayette High School, and on 94.5 KSMB with Bobby Novasad, earning a chance to perform the “Cupid Shuffle” in Cupid’s iconic video. Skye also appeared in Cupid’s “Do It With Your Boots On,” which highlighted several area zydeco artists including Grammy-nominated Lil Nate.
She performed anywhere she could, including CJ and Debbie Raye’s Veterans Day Celebration with 99.9 KTDY, staying constantly busy. Ultimately, an insatiable fire was lit when Skye was named a Pepsi Kid and performed as part of Beyoncé’s Super Bowl halftime show in New Orleans. There, she witnessed firsthand what it takes to produce a great show. Once again, she returned to Acadiana energized, earning a spot as a Gator Girl with the Louisiana Ice Gators and fronting bands such as Cosmic Skye and Boogie Brothers at venues like Evangeline Downs, Route 92, and Clementine. All of that hometown nurturing created the dynamic artist seen today.
A move to Hollywood coincided with filming Chasing Destiny, a reality show featuring Kelly Rowland of Destiny’s Child and choreographer Frank Gatson, who worked with Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, and Michael Jackson. Hollywood became a springboard into the national music scene, with appearances on Saturday Night Live, 9-1-1, Lifetime TV, Coachella, the Grammys, and performances for America’s troops in Qatar.
Despite her travels, Lafayette continues to pull strongly at Skye. The music scene—jazz, Cajun, and zydeco—the street dances, festivals, the tastes of Acadiana from crawfish and beignets to gumbo and red beans and rice, the trail rides, tailgating, and football games all draw her home. And her music is better for it.
“A love letter to Louisiana, to Lafayette, to Acadiana, to the musicians and trail blazers” best describes the heart and soul of Ducey, her new album. Skye joins the pantheon of America’s great musicians who hail from Louisiana. Ducey is available everywhere.