Music is a universal language no doubt. A video published to YouTube on Friday shows just how infectious the soca music genre is becoming as it takes the world by storm. As soca music fans and patriotic Caribbean people across the world passionately cast their online votes for Trinidad’s Viking of Soca, Bunji Garlin in the MTV Iggy Song Of The Year poll, a group of flash mob enthusiasts added to the excitement with a well -coordinated dance at the Long Island Macarthur Airport.
Bunji, in an interview on local radio frequency, Boomchampions 94.1FM on Friday, said whatever the result of the MTV Iggy Poll, he is proud of the overwhelming support shown by the people who’ve voted. He added that should the result be a positive for the song, it will be a triumph not for him, but for the people who’ve taken their time to vote. In the past few days, the online energy has been incredibly high as media houses across T&T have been encouraging Trini’s everywhere and Caribbean people generally, to rock the MTV Iggy vote. On Friday, an extension to the poll was announced by the international music website as there seemed to have been a voting glitch of some sort. Presently, Bunji’s ‘Differentology’ is slightly behind his competitor, G-Dragon’s, ‘Coup d’Etat.’ Voting continues to 11am today.
Fay-Ann is ready for business. She said, “I come to work like any other working woman now.”
The House Of Vikings
On Friday evening, Bunji, his wife Fay-Ann Lyons and the Asylum Vikings hosted the media at their new business headquarters in Mucurapo dubbed The House Of Vikings. Lyons-Alvarez told ETCETERABUZZ.COM that this was exactly the outfit the team had wished to showcase to promoters- a professional outfit, for some time. She said she was happy that it had all become reality and had already conducted several meetings since the official opening just about a week ago. The building, Lyons explained, offers a homey feel but still provides all the amenities suitable to meeting with industry execs. The band room where practice sessions are held has also been given its space in the new House Of Vikings.
Lyons meanwhile, released a brand new single on Friday as well. The thing is however, she hasn’t officially given the song a name. She says she’s still playing around with names for this one so listen out for it, and just maybe you’ll be called to help the Vi-Queen give her new track a title. The new single comes on the heels of several singles released for C2K14 and beyond, among them- ‘Oh Yeah’ ‘Catch Me’, ‘Done De Party’ and ‘Gimme Dat’.
Trinidadian superstar Machel Montano has dropped the sizzling video for “Her Mudda”with the Virgin Islands’ Pumpa ahead of Trinidad & Tobago’s annual Carnival. The single appears on Montano’s upcoming studio album,One Degree Hotter, which is set for for release later this month via his record label, Monk Music.
“With its striking visuals directed by D. Padmore and ColorMeStadic, pulsating rhythms produced by Stadic & Jonny Blaze, and vibrant performances throughout, “Her Mudda” is a testament to the infectious spirit of soca music and the power of dance,” a media release issued by the team, highlights.
Pumpa and Machel have collaborated on “Yuh Mudda.”
“Her Mudda” along with Machel’s recently released singles – “Fling It Up” ft. Davido, “Pepper Vine” ft. Lady Lava and Drupatee, “PARDY”, “The Truth”, “Bumpa”, and “Fallen Fetters” with Skinny Fabulous – will all be featured on One Degree Hotter.
The album’s title is a play on words, not only referencing his hot streak of hit records, but also a nod to his recent completion of a Master’s degree in Carnival Studies at the University of Trinidad & Tobago.
“After two years earning my Master’s degree in Carnival Studies, immersing myself in my culture, and studying where we’ve come from, I’m more inspired than ever about where we can go next. I couldn’t wait to get back in the studio and work on my next album, fueled by everything I’ve learned. ‘One Degree Hotter’ is a double entendre—it marks my Master’s degree, but also my mission to turn up the heat on my music and take it to the corners of the globe,” Machel said.
“Songs like ‘Fling It Up’ ft. Davido and ‘Pepper Vine’ with Lady Lava and Drupatee reflect that vision—pushing Soca forward by connecting it with the global sounds of Africa and India. To me, this album represents a step forward in the evolution of my sound and mission,” he adds.
One Degree Hotter follows Machel’s 2021 star-studded album The Wedding Album, which featured Afro B, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Teddy Riley, Vybz Kartel and many more.
The announcement follows Machel’s appearance on NPR’s Tiny Desk, a major milestone for the Soca genre as Machel made history becoming the first soca artist to perform on the platform. The video has garnered over 1 million views in the short time since its release. NPR spoke on the significance of Machel’s performance saying, “Montano’s performance is the first to bring soca, the high energy dance music of the Caribbean, to the Tiny Desk. The genre was born in Trinidad and Tobago in the early 1970s when calypso artist Lord Shorty (who later chose the name Ras Shorty I) added traditional Indian percussion instruments and rhythms to calypso music — itself a fusion that incorporates elements of African, Venezuelan, French and American music.”
In preparation for the 2025 Trinidad & Tobago Carnival, Machel Montano will defend his Calypso Monarch crown. Fans have already deemed the musical maestro’s single “PARDY” one of the top contenders for the coveted Road March race, which if he wins, Montano will be tied with the legendary Lord Kitchener for the most all time at 11 titles.
One ‘Drink Champs’ appearance has landed internationally acclaimed dancehall artiste, Beenie Man, in hot water. The ‘Gyal Dem Sugar’ singer appeared on the popular US platform recently, after returning to the US after many years, having been previously barred from entry.
”I love Trinidad. I love Trinidad but dog don’t eat doubles. I don’t eat anything that dog don’t eat,” he told hosts Nore and DJ EFN. The duo had asked the entertainer whether he ate the Trinidad and Tobago delicacy. He went on to say that while the popular street food is nice, and he’s had it a couple times, even outlining the ‘triples’ version, he said he would not eat it because if it’s thrown to the dogs, they refuse to eat it.
Today, in a swift denouncement of an artiste that has been on many stages in T&T for decades, the people of Trinidad and Tobago have demanded an apology. On popular radio station, Vibe CT 105FM, hosts Ken Simmons and George Gonzales debated the matter, George calling for DJs to desist from playing the artiste’s music until a proper apology is received. Many callers echoed his sentiments.
Beenie Man was barred from US entry since 2015, along with artistes like Aidonia, Bounty Killer, Sizzla, and Mavado. His travel limitation continued even after Aidonia and Mavado’s visas were restored. In 2011, Beenie Man’s visa was temporarily restored, but by 2015, he was angain barred entry to the United States. On December 26th, 2024, the artiste publicly announced that his Visa had been reinstated.
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