With several songs ready for Carnival 2023, Ding Dong is excited for the season ahead. He said that besides ‘Drink and Party,’ he also has a song for the pan men, a Chutney Soca track with Chutney artist, GI, called ’10 Wheeler,’ as well as a Kaiso single for the people who love calypso music. “I would prefer we have ten hit songs versus the two hit songs that everybody holds on to. That’s why I’m trying to deliver more music to see how much music they can take in the ecosystem,” said the entertainer. He also made it clear that he is adamant about the content he delivers. “If there is no content, I don’t want the song. If it’s not telling a story, I don’t want the song. I want to give the experience of a story of the carnival. With DAP I have explained carnival in a broader way,” said the singer.
On the topic of preparation for his performances, Ding Dong said he lives by the mantra, “We not here for a long time, we here for a good time.” As such he has no preparation strategy more than to come out and have a great time. This certainly showed throughout the year as Dingers had been delivering himself to audiences near and far. He performed in Mexico on stage with Machel Montano in 2022- something he says is the highlight of his entire year. “That Mele experience was the first time I had been on stage with Machel, first time being in Mexico. I think it has increased my value,” he said cheerfully.
ADVICE FROM DINGERS
Proud yet humble, Ding Dong is pushing onward full of good intent. He shared some advice for others seeking to achieve the success their hearts desire in the music industry. “What I would say is, if you’re coming into the music business, having a writer and a good producer is secondary. You have to fix your energy as a person going forward. The onus is on you as a person to relay the music. You can’t be a sour person and trying to relay good vibes. It would not work. You will end up in an entanglement,” he explained.
Describing Soca music’s nature as happy music, Ding Dong said, “Our music is a mood and a vibe. If people know you as an angry person and you go on stage, it will be hard to relate to you because people are tapping into personalities and I am always in a real jovial, happy spirit so it’s not like I’m faking it,” he said, adding, ” I put my stress aside and I keep motivated. I give thanks for being alive everyday. Once you’re content as a person and you understand life is short, I don’t think anybody is supposed to be unhappy.”
He had one of the most memorable Carnival seasons with a Soca track that stole the hearts of Soca lovers in 2026 and now Aaron ‘Voice’ St. Louis is set to represent hard for the Soca music genre at the upcoming ‘Best of the Best’ Music Festival in Miami on May 26th. His appearance will be his debut to the highly anticipated festival and already, the energy is high.
Voice makes his debut at Best of the Best 2026.
Voice represents the bridge between Millennial Soca and GenZ vibes. ‘Cyah Behave Mehself’ was lapped up like good Caribbean food at Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago back in February, and it is expected to do the same as the international summer season approaches.
Set to take place on May 26th at Museum Park, Downtown Miami, Voice’s inclusion on the cast underscores the Soca genre’s continued global reach within a predominantly reggae and dancehall showcase. Known for his high energy performances and melodic songwriting, the Trinidad and Tobago three -time Soca Monarch King has built an extensive catalogue of hits that that has proven to resonate with a global audience.
Organizers say anticipation for Voice’s performance at Best of the Best, is high. “Fans are looking forward to a dynamic set that brings soca’s signature energy to the festival stage.”
Best of the Best Music Fest remains one of North America’s premiere Caribbean music events, drawing fans from across the region and Diaspora for a full day of live performances. This year’s lineup includes, Sizzla Kalonji, Beenie Man, Tarrus Riley, Capleton, Rajah Wild, Skeng, Vanessa Bling, among others.
Ahead of its 11th annual voyage in November, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley’s Welcome to Jamrock Reggae Cruiseshares 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.
Beenie Man will be on the cruise in November.
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.
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