Music News
The Power of People. Rae Credits Motto, Darryl Gervais for Her Rise in Soca. Delivers ‘Throw Waist.’
For every Soca artiste, the reason behind the passion, their drive and persistence, is different. Rachel Purcell- the artiste known simply as Rae, is the sweetheart of Soca. She says she’s motivated by not just her love for music, but her dedication to family and growth. Several songs already released heading into the heat of Carnival 2025 in Trinidad and Tobago, the young, beautiful superstar on the rise, is maintaining her focus, grateful for every blessing she’s experienced along her journey.
In 2019, Rae experienced something almost mysterious. She had gotten a chance at a breakthrough in T&T’s Soca music industry after struggling to find her path in music. “I’ve always loved to sing. I learnt to read music during my earlier years when I played the violin and after that, I attended the Frank Sinatra School of The Arts in the US,” she said. Traveling during her earlier years between T&T and New York and now, between Maryland and T&T, Rae says her earlier years were filled with moments of uncertainty and bouts of fear.
“I had made the conscious decision to focus on music in High School and I had been mostly involved in the classical side of music, but it didn’t feel like it was enough for me,” she admitted. Even being aligned with a young group of singers in her earlier years, and recording at Murder Inc. studios in New York, Rae felt something was missing. “The feeling just wasn’t there and I decided to put a pause on it for a while at one point,” she said, explaining that she took time out of music professionally, but would perform with friends at Karoake clubs and even made an attempt to enter American Idol. “I signed up and on the day of the audition, in the cold, I lined up. Eventually though, fear kicked in and I changed my mind.”
A chance opportunity presented when she received a phone call from a relative, changed Rae’s trajectory. “My cousin called and told me he had connections with a songwriter who worked with Kees.” His name was Darryl Gervais, a well-known songwriter and producer who would eventually become Rae’s manager. Despite having never recorded Soca music, Rae’s conviction to make this opportunity count, led to her persuading Gervais to write two songs for her, for the 2020 carnival season. Added to that, with the help of another producer and singer in the business, Rae made a breakthrough even she did not see coming. “Darryl had contacted Motto on my behalf, telling him about me and asking him to consider me to be on a riddim for the season. Motto had asked to hear my music but I had none. It was unbelievable; Motto took that chance on me, adding me to the Toatin Riddim alongside artistes like Nadia Batson, Lyrikal, Nessa Preppy, Shal Marshall and himself. That was where it all started for me. That’s when I got my break.”
Now, five years later, having dealt with the pandemic’s tumultuous passage, Rae is standing strong, empowered as a female Soca artiste in the business. “During the pandemic when many of us were confused about the direction we should go in, I did not give up. I did a lot of virtual performances and maintained my presence,” she said, crediting the challenging global situation with her sudden rise.
Her latest release is called, ‘Throw Waist.’ It comes on the heels of other releases for the season, inclusive of ‘Wining Degree’ and ‘Come Over’ – a collaboration with Azaryah. The new single offers powerful visuals that deliver a different sound from the singer who many often consider to be strictly groovy. “Everybody calls me the Sweetheart of Soca, but I feel like that puts me in a category where people think I can only do ‘sweet’ songs. I don’t want to get boxed in; I’m versatile, and I am capable of multiple variations when it comes to Soca music,” she asserted.
In the week ahead, Rae touches down in T&T, ready to hit the ground and push the music she’s armed with for Carnival 2025. In 2024 she became the second runner up when she entered the Antigua Soca Monarch and for the artiste, it was a major success. “I felt like I had won because I was an artiste nobody had known- with a song nobody had heard much of. That meant a lot to me,” she recalled.
Now aiming to deliver with stronger vocals in the season ahead, Rae says she is dedicated to connecting with the people through strong visuals online and authentic engagement. “It’s not enough to just release the music anymore. People want to connect, and visuals help with that. Bringing the content and the personality with the music, is the way forward,” she explained, adding that this year, her aim is also to show off more of her personality.
‘Throw Waist’ was written by Darryl Gervais and produced by Papo. The song delivers a militancy that’s sometimes necessary in the carnival season. “This song is about the ladies and the energy is all about dominating, empowering and strengthening the women all season long,” said Rae.
All set to parade with Paparazzi on Carnival Monday and Tuesday, the passionate, vibrant entertainer is maintaining a tunnel vision, focusing on her ascent in the business, and setting high standards for herself – something she knows will never be a mistake.
Reggae
New ‘Jamrock’ Documentary Celebrates Unforgettable Moments. Cruise Returns to Jamaica After Hurricane Melissa, This Year.
Ahead of its 11th annual voyage in November, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley’s Welcome to Jamrock Reggae Cruise shares its story through a new film. VIBE premiered All in the Same Boat, a documentary directed by acclaimed filmmaker, Reshma B and produced by Boomshots TV that traces Marley and his manager Dan Dalton’s brainchild from a bold, outsider idea into one of the most culturally significant movements in reggae and dancehall today.
With over a decade’s worth of unforgettable moments pulled from the last 10 voyages, this 30+ minute documentary captures the spirit of a global reggae community built on shared identity, resilience, and reverence for Jamaican culture. It features iconic performances, real conversations with the artistes and DJs, and the heartbeat of it all: the “Jamrockers.” These are die-hard reggae lovers from over 40 countries who pull up every year for one reason – to feel that irreplaceable connection to Jamaican culture and keep the Marley message of “One Love” alive.
Having successfully navigated challenges including extreme weather and a global pandemic, the Welcome to Jamrock Reggae Cruise continues to thrive. Its 11th staging will return for its annual voyage from November 11th to the 16th, sailing from Miami aboard Norwegian Joy.
Stacked from foundation to future, this year’s lineup brings together reggae and dancehall’s most influential voices: Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley and Stephen Marley (Traffic Jam Set), Burning Spear, Sizzla, Capleton, Beenie Man, Protoje, Barrington Levy, Elephant Man, Junior Reid, Lila Iké, Ding Dong & the Ravers Clavers, Tony Matterhorn “Man on the Moon”, Gyptian, 450, Richie Spice, Ghost, Mr. Lexx, Professor Nuts, L.U.S.T., Sister Carol, Sevana, Flourgon, Johnny P, and Jemere Morgan are confirmed.
The cruise’s famed Sound Clash at Sea will return alongside powerhouse sound systems including Stone Love (Geefus), King Jammy, Silverhawk Sound, Rory Stone Love, Renaissance Sound, Federation Sound, Warrior Sound, Rampage Sound, Kingston12 HiFi and Souljah1 Muzik, preserving a cornerstone of Jamaican music culture in its most authentic form.
Jamrock is a Premiere Reggae Event
The Jamrock experience has evolved into the premier reggae event at sea—one that continues to redefine how the culture is celebrated on a global stage. The five-day experience continues to immerse guests in the full spectrum of Jamaican life—from Nyabinghi sunrise sessions and sound bath meditations to dancehall workshops, fitness programming, and curated culinary offerings led by acclaimed Chef Lumley. A new addition this year includes a live theatrical production by legendary playwright Oliver Samuels, adding yet another layer to the cruise’s ever-expanding cultural canvas.
Following the impact of Hurricane Melissa in 2025, the cruise will return to Jamaica with renewed purpose, maintaining its distinction as the only chartered cruise with two Jamaican port stops. That commitment translates into tangible impact, generating millions annually for the island’s tourism and cultural economy while reinforcing a direct connection between the music, the people, and the place that birthed it.
As All in the Same Boat makes clear, Welcome to Jamrock Reggae Cruise is a movement with its own rhythm, one that continues to bring the diaspora home, while inviting the world in. Since its inception in 2014, the mission remains the same: to create a space where reggae lives, breathes, and connects us all.
The documentary made its debut during the 10th annual cruise and later screened at Art Basel in support of hurricane relief efforts led by the Marley family’s Ghetto Youths Foundation. Damian Marley and Dan Dalton were executive producers of the film.
Music News
Popcaan Teams Up with the Legendary, Junior Reid on Brand New Single.
