Fay Ann Lyons’ name is often caught up in some bit of controversy or another, whether it’s on social media or otherwise. The carnival entertainer who killed it in the year 2009 when she became the first female to win both the International Power and Groovy Soca Monarch titles, has been classified by some as bossy and controlling, but to her husband, Bunji Garlin, her strength is what keeps him motivated.
Fay Ann Lyons with Yvonne Clarke at yesterday’s press conference.
In the hours leading up to this feature, Lyons-Alvarez became the most sought after Soca artist in Trinidad and Tobago as the local media scrambled to get a soundbite or two of her reaction to the scandal of Yvonne Clarke’s disqualification from the Miss Universe pageant- a title she had only two weeks earlier, attained.
The franchise holder for the local arm of Miss Universe, Jenny Douglas, had written to the young woman on Tuesday morning indicating that she had breached her contractual agreement and would no longer be heading to Las Vegas as the T&T representative. Instead, Martrecia Alleyne, the competition’s first runner up, would be representing T&T at the globally viewed competition. The country was up in arms over the news. Lyons-Alvarez called a press conference. She had stepped in to help Clarke as a sponsor- having agreed to purchase her airline tickets to head to Las Vegas in November. When she eventually met Clarke, Lyons-Alvarez and her team at MIME Limited, decided to assist the T&T representative as much as they could, having been told that sponsorship was not as forthcoming as hoped. From photoshoots, to clothing, public appearances, a hair appointment with world renowned hair stylist, Neal Farrinah (hairstylist to Beyonce, Nicki Minaj and Monica, and other important areas of requirement as outlined by the international Miss Universe organization, Lyons-Alvarez and her team had jumped in to help. The effort would soon be in vain however, as Clarke’s position as the representative was revoked.
Fay Ann, on Tuesday, speaking at the press conference held at her Viking House office, in Mucurapo, Trinidad, said she had no interest at all in being a part of any Miss Universe organization. She said she had no previous affiliation with Clarke, despite allegations by Jenny Douglas that Lyons-Alvarez had been a sponsor for the past five months. Fay Ann roared loudly and made it clear on Tuesday afternoon that her name would not be dragged through the mud by Douglas, especially since, all she wanted to do was assist the Trinidad and Tobago delegate who had approached her for help.
The time has come for good vibes to counteract all negative energy and together with his manager/producer, US based, Trinidadian artiste, Mr. Lee it doing what he feels he can, to inject that positivity.“I know the streets. I can tell you about the streets. Badness and the roughness is what they know. If they got the chance to get to know something else, they would do something else,” said the entertainer.
His music is refreshing. Afrobeats, coupled with Soul and RnB bring to life, a song on The Only 1 Riddim, that he calls, “Take Care.” For Mr. Lee, an artiste with many years of experience on the entertainment circuit overseas, and in the Caribbean, he is mindful of what he sings. “This type of music is necessary at all times to spread love and joy. I wish there could have been more beautiful messages all the time because it’s really important to spread love,” he said with hope.
Joining artistes like Preedy and Christo on the riddim, Mr. Lee is proud of the project. “This project means a whole lot to me. I have two girls and my wife and I have to express my love to them every single day of my life. I have my mom, my sisters, and I have to show them all the love I have within me. All the artistes on this riddim have done the same – we all expressed what we want to express to our loved ones. Most are real stories that can be relatable to others in society,” he explained.
On the topic of love and the importance of understanding what love is, Mr. Lee said for human beings to share love, they must first feel love. “If your father is not showing you love, how will you know love. Most of our youths have no parents around them. They are being influenced by a harsh representation of love, which really, is not love.” At the same time, he called on the elders within societies around the world, to try to strike a balance with the youth, especially in present time. “When I was growing up, the older heads never wanted to release a lot to the youths; they never wanted to give the youths a chance. People in positions of power must give the youths a chance to prove themselves. They have great ideas, but they need mentorship and guidance,” he said.
“Take Care,” written by Joseph ‘Pronto’ Figueroa, is a quality single with a passionate plea for more honest, kind, loving relational experiences. Unlike much of today’s lyrics, Mr. Lee keeps it classy, maintaining a thoughtful approach to music, with lyrics that penetrate. “The raw thoughts – we never heard that as youths. Some things should be kept personal,” he opined. An advocate for goodness, Mr. Lee is calling on men around the world to show their companions more love, in the right way. “Everybody wants to fight and kill. They don’t want to talk about things properly. We need to talk to our spouses more. We need to learn how to communicate better and spend more time with our loved ones.”
Happy to have enjoyed a successful run in Carnival 2026, in Trinidad and Tobago, Mr. Lee is working on new music even as he promotes this brand-new track. “I’m working on new Soca to release for the Summer. I’m working, and I’m happy with the progress I’ve been able to make so far. It’s a process,” he said of being in the music business.
The state-to-state carnival wave set to begin in the US soon, Mr. Lee says this year he is looking forward to heading to Miami for Carnival there and will be back home in T&T, come Carnival 2027. In the meantime, the T&T native and dedicated family man is spreading love through good music that he knows is absolutely necessary at this time.
Caribbean entertainment doesn’t sleep. Proof of that comes in the release of brand new music, this time courtesy the superstar duo of Full Blown – brothers, Kevon and Kory Hart. Their new track, “No Stress” has been released complete with a new music video and it’s a big look for the duo.
No Stress is a vibrant, feel-good anthem that continues the duo’s evolution from soca favourites into one of the Caribbean’s most versatile and globally resonant musical acts.
Known for their strong songwriting skills, undeniable chemistry and sonic fearlessness, brothers Kevon and Kory have steadily built a reputation for creating music that transcends borders, generations and genres. Over the years, Full Blown has become synonymous with high-energy Caribbean songwriting, penning and producing hits that have dominated Carnival seasons, regional charts and party playlists across the diaspora.
Now, with No Stress, the duo taps into dancehall nostalgia while pushing Caribbean fusion music into fresh territory. The track reimagines the iconic Shabba Ranks classic Ting A Ling, blending vintage dancehall energy with Full Blown’s contemporary Caribbean flavour.
The release follows the brothers’ success with the track, The Greatest Bend Over (Take It Easy) alongside Yung Bredda, a crossover hit that amassed more than 40 million streams worldwide and was described by Billboard Magazine as “culture-quaking.”
“People know us for soca hits and high-energy music, but this record really reflects who we are creatively,” said Kevon. “We grew up influenced by so many sounds across the Caribbean. We are a happy, joyful, fun-loving people. We just want good vibes. No stress.”
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