International Buzz
Archived: Even With T&T Carnival In Sight, Bajan Star, Rupee Signs Major International Music Deal With ULTRA.
A major international deal has been signed, the likes of which, could propel the Soca music genre to higher heights, sooner than may have been expected.
Ultra Music- the North American electronic music record label, which comprises Ultra Records, Ultra Music Publishing and Empire Artist Management, is about to work its magic with a Caribbean sound, brought to life by Rupert Clarke- the artiste best known as Rupee. The deal could rake in big gains for the entertainer but beyond that, it is likely to spur tremendous opportunity for all involved in the delivery of the Soca music genre.
Rupee has been signed to ULTRA.
“Tipsy”- a song written and produced by Black Shadow’s Troyton Rami, Marcos Mejia and Kham and steered to completion thanks to the vocal ability of the Bajan soca star, is about to receive the kind of attention that could make the world stop and listen again. This would be Rupee’s second major opportunity internationally, having shown his worth when he sang, “Tempted To Touch some years ago. Black Shadow Music’s Troyton Rami is the writer and producer behind Sean Paul’s ‘Gimme The Light’, which peaked at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. Rami has worked with many Caribbean artistes, mostly within the Reggae and Dancehall genres, however, in recent time, Soca’s melodies and reinvigorated beats have piqued his interest, so much so that when he had completed a particular piece of written material recently, he felt the urge to contact Rupee- the artiste he believed could execute it seamlessly. “I was sitting in the studio and I said to myself, this is an awesome song. I called Rupee and I told him I had something great for him. He was excited and he flew in. He liked it but asked to make a few changes and when he was done changing a few of the melody lines and the hook, he had taken the song to another level,” said Rami.
Troyton Rami of Blackshadow is confident that this deal could take Soca music to another level.
Ultra Records responded to the song’s energy after it had been circulated by Black Shadow and played on a few mix shows. “Patrick Moxey loved it and immediately said, let’s do this!,” said Rami, pointing to Ultra Records’ owner- the former Polygram and Virgin Records executive who has started Ultra some 22 years ago. With a deal signed between Rupee, Black Shadow and Ultra Records this week, the opportunities are now endless for the entertainer who had once been signed to Atlantic Records. “This deal could see Rupee reopen doors for Soca where America, Europe and corporate folks who are buying and licensing music, will embrace it; more so now, with singers like Ariana Grande doing rub-a-dub. This deal could open doors for more new Soca artistes and more producers. It’ll see more A&Rs becoming interested in Soca,” said Rami.
The song, with completed versions for various US media and a video, will be ready for delivery by March this year. Rami, who is Jamaican, expressed a desire to see Soca music reach further, explaining that it’s time to “take our Caribbean thing and sail it.” He said the desire with this particular project was to create a sound that delivered the feeling of the Caribbean, even with electronic beats. “We wanted a beat that could cross borders. We wanted all Caribbean islands to feel represented by the sound of the music. This beat is an electronic, Caribbean beat. When Jamaicans get on it, it turns into a reggae beat and when Trinidadians get on it, it turns into Soca,” he said.
Rupee will be heavily involved in Trinidad and Tobago’s carnival this year with a few tracks already released and enjoying heavy rotation across the airwaves. “Tipsy” is so far, receiving the most favor among them all.
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International Buzz
Trinidad and Tobago’s Kes The Band Shares Feel Good Soca Vibes on NPR Music’s Tiny Desk.
Internationally acclaimed, Trinidad and Tobago band, KestheBand scored big points, delivering a vibrant, culturally rich performance on NPR Tiny Desk Concerts. The pre-recorded showcase was uploaded to YouTube, for the viewing enjoyment of over 12 million, on Friday, May 8th. It was recorded at NPR Music Headquarters in Washington, DC.
The set featured classic Soca hits including ‘Hello’, ‘Fallin’, ‘Rum and Coca Cola’, ‘Jolene’, ‘Cocoa Tea’, ‘Wotless‘ and ‘Savannah Grass’. Also featured in the spotlight were three other Caribbean musical superheroes – Calypso Queen, Terri Lyons, Ace pannist, Dane Gulston and St. Lucia’s very own, Teddyson John. Their accompaniment added both visual and acoustic appeal to the showcase, likewise the men who musically embellish Kes The Band.
Lead vocalist of Kes the Band, Kees Dieffenthaller, reflecting on the historic moment for the band, said it was an honor. “Performing at Tiny Desk is an incredible honour that we’ve dreamed of for a very long time. This moment is a powerful reminder of how far Caribbean music can travel when it stays true to its roots. To strip it down, feel every note, and share that energy with the world in such an intimate space—it’s something we’ll carry with us for the rest of this journey.” Dieffenthaller added, “We are vessels of sound and song, and this moment is so much bigger than us: it’s about our culture, our people, and our joyful connection we bring through music.”
NPR Tiny Desk host and series producer Bobby Carter praised the band’s performance. He need that Kes the Band brought something truly special to the NPR Tiny Desk, defining that special something as a sound that feels both deeply rooted and globally resonant. He said that ahead of Caribbean American Heritage Month, celebrated across the US throughout June, Kes The Band’s performance is a celebration of Caribbean culture in its most dynamic form.
The outstanding showcase comes as KestheBand completes the European/UK leg of the ‘Roots, Rock, Soca’ Tour, which officially kicked off in Paris, France on April 30th – including historic sold-out dates in London and a double-run in Amsterdam. The tour, hosted in collaboration with Live Nation and WME, is set to kickstart its North American journey with Seattle, Washington State on May 28th and marks the beginning of an expansive international journey connecting audiences through Caribbean sound and spirit.
Caribbean Buzz
Machel to Government and Corporate: “Let’s Teach What I Learnt at UTT at 50, At 9-Years-Old.”
Even as he celebrates his 12th Road March title win, Machel Montano’s words uttered earlier in the season, has left a tremendous mark on those who were lucky enough to hear him speak. At the premiere of his documentary, ‘Like Ah Boss,’ on February 10th, Machel called on the government of Trinidad and Tobago, and corporate bodies operating in the country, to invest in the country’s youth, from an earlier age.
“Let’s not wait that long to know who we are,” urged Montano, in response to Ebuzztt’s question as to what he would say to his 9-year-old self. Machel said while he was able to go back to school to study Carnival Studies at the age of 50, his hope was that children who are in touch with who they are, even at the age of 9, would be given the opportunity to develop their skillsets and talents, from an earlier age. “Let them learn the history of where Chutney music come from and where Calypso come from and if we teach that you will see how deep this is and then, let’s teach that along with classical music training and vocal training and piano playing and reading music and writing music. Let’s make these youths not have to struggle how I had to struggle,” he pleaded.
Referring to young Angelo Gore who appeared on stage with him at Monday Madness, one night prior, Machel said, “This little boy is singing in key. This little boy is amazing and you know nobody have nowhere to go and put him tomorrow to make him 10X. We not doing that in this country. Like we don’t care!” he expressed.
Machel said in Trinidad and Tobago there are people across society who are so incredibly talented, however with no proper programs to their benefit, the talent is wasted. “We have people making roti, who playing pan. We have people driving taxi and playing pan. How they remembering all ‘dem’ notes for eight minutes?” he questioned.
The artiste said while there is a lot of talent in the country that is not recognized and often bypassed, he is no longer going to be waiting for government or private corporations to recognize that. “I am going to use my money and other people money – my friends money, Junior Sammy and I will build it,” he said, to some laughter. He was not kidding though. The artiste and his Monk team have already begun working. “We have SoundBridge,” said Che Kothari- Montano’s manager. “We have a SoundBridge programme now where we did interviews and we built a whole system that will live online that will teach youths about Marketing, Producing, Songwriting, Performing – every single thing, all the secrets; and we will be there to hold their hand,” said Machel.
Kothari said SoudBridge will break down Machel’s journey in an educational way. “Elizabeth has an incredible book and then there’s the documentary and the next phase is this SoundBridge programme which is essentially Machel’s journey but in an educational way – workshops, tutorials, interviews with collaborators, management books. It’s going to break down Machel’s journey and his team, and the behind the scenes of how to make it happen,” said Che. He said the programme would be online but there would also be physical workshops as they tour everywhere they go.
WHAT WOULD MACHEL SAY TO HIS 9 YEAR OLD SELF.
“I know the education that was coming to me, was not serving me – not everybody have to be a doctor or a lawyer or a politician or some kinda office worker. In Trinidad we think big job is administration- yuh in de bank, yuh is ah executive. We look down on pan tuners, we look down on calypsonians and we think they are just jesters. We are not. This is creativity. Creation is the highest form of human existence,” said the entertainer.
Machel says youths today should educate themselves on the things that they like. “Whatever it is, hone a skill. I drop out of school. My mother start to cry. My father say, “ok.” I went and find somewhere to become a Sound Engineer. Learnt production, learnt recording, learnt troubleshooting, learnt engineering. That is why I always a step ahead of them. I know things. I went to school and I have some things under my bel,” said Montano.
Machel says he would have liked to have been better vocally trained at a higher level, in Trinidad and Tobago. “I would’ve liked to have been learning my thing, in a highly professional environment and I think that’s what is missing. I often bawl out and say we need a school for the Arts that looks like QR – big concrete, big windows, big stained glass windows and it have the best- Boogsie and Carl Jacobs and David Rudder working – all de men who know things, working alongside people from Julliard and Berkley – we mix it up nah, so we know making sure we getting people who understand the highest of heights.”
On Ash Wednesday, it was announced that Machel Montano had sealed the deal, once again, securing a Road March title in his country. It was his 12th title which has secured his place in history, having surpassed Aldwyn ‘Lord Kitchener’ Roberts for the most Road March titles in T&T.
