“I felt that I needed to speak up, speak to the youths, speak to everyone facing something.” – Lil Saint. 

In what is essentially his first major music release for 2022, entertainer, Lil Saint is making it matter. Far removed from his traditional artistic expression, the artiste whose versatility has seen him deliver rap, dancehall and Soca music, now comes full circle with a heightened level of consciousness.

Saint, whose real name is Akeem Williams has released a single called, “Holding On.”

Tragically, the song comes at a time of even greater need than expected as news broke earlier today in Trinidad and Tobago, confirming that 2-year-old Kamani Francis who had wandered away from his home on Monday morning, was found dead at the Guapo River. The incident and its subsequent outcome has left many struggling with their emotions.

The song’s lyrics come from a place deep within, symbolizing his contemplative outlook on the many social dilemmas presently facing people from all walks of life, around the world. “The pandemic was definitely one of the things that made me stop and observe human behavior. People were losing their jobs and couldn’t afford to put food on the table. That in itself was enough for fathers and single mothers to want to give up,” he said. Lil Saint and his management team, observant of this, allowed the song and its video to subliminally highlight the potential that lingered during that period of uncertainty, for suicidal thoughts to be contemplated. “Holding on is the song that brings you back from all the negative thoughts that people think about when they’re going through stuff,” said the artist’s manager. He highlighted that unfortunately, suicide is often the quickest thought that enters a person’s mind during challenging life periods. “Not everyone has the mental strength to fight those kinds of thoughts, and sometimes, songs like this one can make a big difference,” he said. 

Written by Lil Saint and produced by District Records- the team that also shot and edited the song’s video, this new release is as timely as it is honest. “There’s so much happening around us. Even now, with everything reopening, we face issues within our schools,” said the artist. He pointed to the school violence conversation that has been in the public domain since schools reopened in Trinidad and Tobago. “No matter how things may seem at present with our youths, we can’t give up on them and we can’t encourage them to give up on themselves and each other. We must ensure that as a people, we all hold on, and work together to fix our problems.” 

Keen on continuously creating solid content for the world to enjoy, Lil Saint says this song makes sense even for artistes and other creatives like him, who endured the toughest drought during the past two years. “We were forced to hold on over the past two years and now, with the entertainment sector reopened, all creatives – artistes, musicians, DJs and everybody else, can finally breathe again, hit the stage again, earn again. It just goes to show that nothing lasts forever. We always gotta hold on and remember that this too shall pass.”

HERE’S THE NEW VIDEO FOR ‘HOLDING ON.’