Caribbean Buzz
Guyana’s Road March Queen, Omaiah Hall Is Ready to Take On T&T.
Guyana has Soca too.
The country’s reigning Road March Queen, 24-year-old Omaiah Hall says every Guyanese Soca artiste will admit, they have to love it, to remain true to it. The young, talented vocalist who also placed third in the Senior Soca Monarch competition last year, is in Trinidad and Tobago ahead of Carnival 2026 where she plans on making the right connections while having a bit of fun along the way.
Hall never imagined she’d fall this deeply in love with Soca music. In fact, she admits that throughout her life, her passion lied in singing RnB music. “I was never a person who sang Calypso or Soca music. My father is a pianist and jazz musician. I just never found an appeal for being on stage and wining up,” she said reflectively. In 2023 however, her outlook quickly changed.
In 2020 she had won the Junior Calypso Monarch competition in what’s called, ‘Mashramani’ in Guyana – a festival that takes place on Republic Day, February 23rd, annually. Omaiah said a couple years later, she began dabbling in Soca music and by 2023, the sound, rhythm and energy of the music had totally absorbed her. “In 2022, I realized I only wanted to do Soca music. Soca found me!” she said, explaining that by 2023 a song called, ‘We Fetting,’ followed by ‘R’ in 2024, had gotten the attention of the people of Guyana. “I was booked and busy and one year later in 2025, I won the Road March title, with ‘Breakway’ – dethroning Melissa “Vanilla” Roberts, who had been the Road March Queen for a decade.” Now, as she continues her effort to build catalogue, reputation and fanbase, Omaiah has released a 2026 track called, “Happy Feeling,’ which has been receiving tremendous love in Trinidad and Tobago. Additionally, a second single, “Foreva,’ which comes complete with a new video, is her 2026 Guyana Carnival Road March contender.
Explaining that Guyana’s actual Carnival takes place in May annually, Omaiah says both festivals should be experienced by anyone desirous of a great time among carefree people. “Guyana is becoming more open to Soca now because of the younger generation’s involvement in the genre,” she admitted, noting that dancehall takes precedence, and as such, Mashramani organizers have included a Dancehall Monarch over the past three years. “Guyana is all dancehall. Many say Soca music is too happy of a genre,” she highlighted, adding that artistes like O.K.C, Pahjo and Vinel Hinds have consistently stood firm in representing the genre and popularizing it in Guyana.
TALKING CARIBBEAN COLLABS
Eager to take her vibe and energy to venues across Trinidad and Tobago and certainly the world, Omaiah is hopeful for the opportunity to collaborate with other Caribbean artistes. She performed at Nailah Blackman’s concert in January. “I’ve also done A-Team Fridays, Vice Nightclub and the Eye Slam concert series,” she highlighted, explaining that her aim is to make the necessary connections along the way. “When it comes to my music, and my performance style, I’ll say, Omaiah Hall will always bring vocals. Added to that, I’m a strong performer. I will wine up!” she said cheerfully. In fact, those very traits may have been responsible for her walking away with the 2025 title of Female Soca Artiste of the Year, in Guyana.
A huge fan of Machel Montano, and extremely encouraged by the powerful personality and stage presence of T&T’s Fay Ann Lyons, Omaiah is pushing full speed ahead, truly encouraged. “I love Fay Ann. I have been compared to her many times. She is powerful- the way she commands the stage, the way she is unapologetic about who she is,” said the young artiste. She also gives tremendous credit to the late, Dexter ‘Blaxx’ Stewart, noting that he opened doors for many young, upcoming artistes. “I haven’t been able to make that solid, professional connection with Machel just yet but I am optimistic. I’ve met him before in Guyana at the CPL and at our Super Concert backstage, but I’m hopeful for greater opportunities to work with him, in the future,” she said.
Now in T&T for the season of revelry, Omaiah says 2026 will see her hit the streets in costume, and certainly enjoying every aspect of the festival. “I was here in 2025 but after winning the Road March in Guyana, being in Trinidad was more like a time for rest last year.”
Her Road March win was a big deal, she says, noting that unlike the Monarch, the Road March is completely chosen by the people. “The title holds weight because the people want to hear the song and that was the moment when I said, it wasn’t for the judges, or me, it was for the people. The people loved it!”
Patient, yet tremendously encouraged, Omaiah Hall is steadily pursuing her career in Soca. “I’m yet to travel internationally but I will soon. My music travels more than I have and that’s actually creating room for me to travel because I have a few places to go this year,” she said.
For more on Guyana’s Omaiah Hall, follow her on Instagram @omaiahhallofficial and Facebook @iamomaiahhall.
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Caribbean Buzz
Destra Delivers Powerfully at Reflections.
“If this sharing that I’m doing touches anyone, I’m truly grateful. None of us are perfect. Some days you’ll feel good, some days you won’t, but it’s all part of the journey. Sometimes what you’re looking for is right on the horizon, and the moment you give up, you miss it. If my testimony makes anyone feel something, then my work here is done.” – DESTRA GARCIA
Trinidad and Tobago received a musical showcase of spiritual awakening yet again this past Saturday, at Destra’s ‘Reflections: Sound. Spirit. Surrender.” The event took place at Queen’s Hall, St. Ann’s and proved to be a truly inspiring and uplifting musical experience.
From the onset, the show set a standard that fans of good music with powerful lyrics, would rave about for weeks. David Rudder – a cultural icon of Calypso music out of Trinidad and Tobago, welcomed the audience as he hit the stage first delivering the very fitting, ‘High Mas.’ It was a powerful blessing no doubt – something that would lead into a seamless spiritual production. He was subsequently joined on stage by Destra, something that created a full-circle moment that drew immediate emotion from the audience.
Known for her unmistakeable vocal ability, Destra took her audience on a carefully curated musical journey, opening her set with Free Again before transitioning into slowed-down, soul-stirring renditions of some of her most beloved songs, including Love Somebody and Fly and with each performance, she revealed a different layer of her artistry, offering vulnerability, reflection, and strength.
One of the night’s most touching highlights came as Garcia shared the stage with her daughter, Xaiya, for a heartfelt duet of The Prayer. Beginning at the piano, Xaiya gently set the tone before joining her mother in song, creating an intimate moment that resonated deeply with the audience.
The production, which was creatively directed by Zara Bartels and Isoke Edwards, also showcased the incredible talent of father and son pan duo Martin and De’jean Cain as well as the Maria Regina Grade School and St. Joseph’s Convent Port- of- Spain choirs, whose vibrant and polished performances brought a refreshing, youthful energy to the stage. Gospel artiste, Nisa joined Garcia for a powerful duet of Bridge Over Troubled Water. She also performed her original composition Make Me Over, adding another layer of spiritual depth to the evening.
As the show built toward its finale, Garcia delivered a commanding rendition of Ella Andall’s Bring Down the Power, followed by classic hymns including A Little More Oil in My Lamp. This climactic segment was elevated by the presence of traditional belle dancers and African drummers, creating a rich, cultural fusion that brought the audience to its feet. Beyond the performances, the overall production, brought to life through Bridgette Wilson’s choreography and Atiba Borde’s costuming, stood out for its seamless execution, immersive ambience, and thoughtful storytelling, reinforcing Reflections as more than just a concert, but a transformative experience.
Reflections certainly delivered a powerful blend of music, filled with deep messages and meaning. In what is a very spiritual season, Destra, through the delivery of ‘Reflections,’ has carved out a space for inspiration and connection within Trinidad and Tobago’s cultural landscape – something that many would agree, is a necessity more than an option.
Caribbean Buzz
Belize’s Shyne, Talks Culture and Governance at Island Music Conference. Challenges Caribbean Leaders.
Belizean political leader and notable Hip Hop figure , The Honourable, Dr. Moses “Shyne” Barrow has identified Jamaica as a regional blueprint for how culture and governance can work together to build sustainable industry.
Delivering a keynote address entitled, ‘From Stage to State’ at the Island Music Conference (IMC) in Kingston, Jamaica last week, Barrow urged Caribbean governments to move beyond symbolic support of the arts and toward structured public–private partnerships.
“These conferences are so very important,” he told delegates, describing information exchange as critical in an evolving global music economy. Responding to a question from Overtime Media about cultural influence as an economic engine, Barrow pointed to Jamaica’s global footprint. “The work of great musicians such as Bob Marley and Shabba Ranks, as well as the development of Reggae and Dancehall music, has done more for the Jamaican tourism product than anything else,” he said.
PHOTO: Overtime Media.
According to Barrow, Jamaica exemplifies how successive political administrations, despite partisan rivalry, maintained consistent implementation policies that enabled private-sector investment in the music industry. “They were fighting each other, but giving the same implementation,” he noted, crediting that alignment for helping Jamaican music achieve unmatched global recognition.“There is no one in the world who does not know about Jamaica — its music, its food and its culture,” he noted.
Barrow framed his own political evolution as rooted in Hip Hop’s entrepreneurial DNA. Calling his transition from performer to legislator “quintessential Hip-Hop,” he cited moguls who expanded beyond music into business and influence, arguing that creative thinkers belong in positions of power. “We belong in parliament. We belong in the cabinet. We belong in the Prime Minister’s office and in the President’s office,” he said. He also addressed emerging challenges facing the creative sector, particularly artificial intelligence and intellectual property protection.“We need to protect our rights. We need to protect our work and that can only be legislated,” Barrow warned. “If we don’t get involved in the legislative process, we’re going to wake up one day and find that our rights are gone.”
Calling the human mind “the greatest thing on planet Earth,” he cautioned against over-reliance on technology, stressing that creatives must remain central to innovation. Reflecting candidly on his past, including a decade of incarceration following a 1999 nightclub shooting, Barrow described his return to Belize as a shift toward service. “By then, my dreams had already come true,” he said. “But when I looked around my country, I saw people still struggling. So I chose a life of service.”
Barrow also revealed plans to return to the stage with a world tour marking the 25th anniversary of his debut album, while reaffirming his commitment to public service. Closing his address, he challenged Caribbean leaders to diversify the profiles of those shaping legislation.“The Caribbean’s creative class has already shaped global culture,” he said. “Now we must shape policy.”
– NIGEL TELESFORD / Overtime Media.
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