Cornelia Schütt-Richard, internationally known by her artistic name Ti Corn, is a celebrated Haitian folk singer, songwriter, guitarist, and cultural ambassador whose music has helped preserve and promote the beauty of Haitian Creole, folklore, and traditional music.
Born on August 11, 1953, in Heiligenberg, Germany, Cornelia was born into a German family with deep roots in Haiti. Just two months after her birth, she was taken to Cap-Haïtien, Haiti, where she spent her childhood and developed a profound connection with the country, its people, language, music, and culture.
Her stage name, Ti Corn, meaning “Little Cornelia,” was given to her by her Haitian nanny, Anna Colo. Anna introduced the young Cornelia to Haitian Creole, traditional songs, stories, legends, and folklore. These early experiences would become the foundation of Ti Corn’s lifelong love for Haiti and Haitian culture.
Ti Corn began playing the guitar and singing during her youth, developing a musical style strongly influenced by Haitian traditional music and folk rhythms. Although she later continued her education in Germany, Haiti remained at the center of her artistic identity.
Her professional music career began in 1978, and her first major recording, the LP Haiti, released in 1979, brought her significant recognition. Her songs, performed primarily in Haitian Creole, introduced audiences to a distinctive artistic voice combining poetry, traditional rhythms, storytelling, and guitar accompaniment.
Throughout her career, Ti Corn has performed internationally and worked with respected Haitian musicians, composers, and cultural figures. Her repertoire includes traditional Haitian songs as well as original compositions in Creole and English. She has collaborated with artists and writers including Marcel O. Gilles and Jean-Claude Martineau (Koralen).
Among her most recognizable songs is “Sous le ciel d’Haïti,” a song that has become closely associated with her musical legacy and her deep love for Haiti. Her music is often characterized by poetic lyrics, Haitian folk traditions, emotional storytelling, and a warm, natural vocal style.
Ti Corn has also recorded and released projects including Cap-Haïtien and Labadee Bay, continuing to share Haitian music with audiences in Haiti, Europe, the Caribbean, and the Haitian diaspora.
Legacy
Ti Corn is widely regarded as one of the distinctive voices dedicated to the preservation and international promotion of Haitian folk music and culture. Through her songs, she has celebrated Haiti’s language, traditions, stories, rhythms, and spirit.
Despite being born in Germany, Ti Corn has consistently embraced Haiti as her cultural home and has dedicated much of her artistic life to singing the stories and emotions of the Haitian people.
Cornelia Schütt “Ti Corn” remains a respected and beloved cultural ambassador whose voice, music, and lifelong devotion have made an important contribution to Haitian musical heritage.