Ebuzz News
Lil Saint Unleashes the Unexpected. ‘Holding On’ is The Anthem We Never Knew We Needed.
“I felt that I needed to speak up, speak to the youths, speak to everyone facing something.” – Lil Saint.
In what is essentially his first major music release for 2022, entertainer, Lil Saint is making it matter. Far removed from his traditional artistic expression, the artiste whose versatility has seen him deliver rap, dancehall and Soca music, now comes full circle with a heightened level of consciousness.
Saint, whose real name is Akeem Williams has released a single called, “Holding On.”
Tragically, the song comes at a time of even greater need than expected as news broke earlier today in Trinidad and Tobago, confirming that 2-year-old Kamani Francis who had wandered away from his home on Monday morning, was found dead at the Guapo River. The incident and its subsequent outcome has left many struggling with their emotions.
The song’s lyrics come from a place deep within, symbolizing his contemplative outlook on the many social dilemmas presently facing people from all walks of life, around the world. “The pandemic was definitely one of the things that made me stop and observe human behavior. People were losing their jobs and couldn’t afford to put food on the table. That in itself was enough for fathers and single mothers to want to give up,” he said. Lil Saint and his management team, observant of this, allowed the song and its video to subliminally highlight the potential that lingered during that period of uncertainty, for suicidal thoughts to be contemplated. “Holding on is the song that brings you back from all the negative thoughts that people think about when they’re going through stuff,” said the artist’s manager. He highlighted that unfortunately, suicide is often the quickest thought that enters a person’s mind during challenging life periods. “Not everyone has the mental strength to fight those kinds of thoughts, and sometimes, songs like this one can make a big difference,” he said.
Written by Lil Saint and produced by District Records- the team that also shot and edited the song’s video, this new release is as timely as it is honest. “There’s so much happening around us. Even now, with everything reopening, we face issues within our schools,” said the artist. He pointed to the school violence conversation that has been in the public domain since schools reopened in Trinidad and Tobago. “No matter how things may seem at present with our youths, we can’t give up on them and we can’t encourage them to give up on themselves and each other. We must ensure that as a people, we all hold on, and work together to fix our problems.”
Keen on continuously creating solid content for the world to enjoy, Lil Saint says this song makes sense even for artistes and other creatives like him, who endured the toughest drought during the past two years. “We were forced to hold on over the past two years and now, with the entertainment sector reopened, all creatives – artistes, musicians, DJs and everybody else, can finally breathe again, hit the stage again, earn again. It just goes to show that nothing lasts forever. We always gotta hold on and remember that this too shall pass.”
HERE’S THE NEW VIDEO FOR ‘HOLDING ON.’
Ebuzz News
Patrice Roberts Pulls 10K Plus Crowd At Flava Village in Port-of-Spain.
The national Carnival Commission says more than 10,000 patrons came out to Flava Village at the Queen’s Park Savannah on Thursday night to see female Soca artiste, Patrice Roberts.
An event dubbed, ‘Always Us,’ held as a free showcase for Carnival lovers, delivered a number of truly entertaining soca stars, among them, Shal Marshall, Shurwayne Winchester, Nadia Batson, Farmer Nappy and Mical Teja. The NCC, in a media statement said, “an estimated 8,000 people filled the popular Carnival venue, with an additional 2,000patrons enjoying the show from viewing screens along The Drag, creating an electric Carnival atmosphere despite heavy rainfall earlier in the day.”
With her usual high energy performances, Patrice held the attention of fans throughout the night.The concert was described by the artiste as a heartfelt “thank you” to her fans and
supporters. NCC’s Chief Executive Officer, Keiba Jacob-Mottley, said the organisation welcomed the opportunity to partner with Roberts. “We commend Patrice for her decision to give back in this meaningful way and applaud her commitment to ensuring that high-quality local entertainment remains accessible to everyone during the Carnival season, Mottley said, adding, “Our collaboration reinforces the NCC’s focus on creating memorable Carnival experiences that celebrate our artistes while removing financial barriers for the public,” she added.
The NCC CEO noted that the Flava Food Village, one of two signature Carnival villages at the
Savannah, alongside the John Cupid Carnival Village, is offered as a vibrant, inclusive space
where patrons can enjoy food, culture, and nightly performances free of charge. She added
that other NCC events, such as “Welcome to the Gayelle” represent the continuing work at
delivering a successful Carnival 2026.
David Baptiste, President of the Carnival Entrepreneurs Association, described the night as a milestone for vendors at the Savannah. “Last night was truly beautiful and something I have never seen before – an event of this magnitude in terms of crowd size, and people supporting the vendors. Many vendors sold out last night. We need more of this, and I am looking forward to the next event. Events like these boost business for our vendors at the Savannah and make them truly feel like they are a part of the Carnival festival,” Baptiste said.
Ebuzz News
Squeezy Rankin’s Pivot. Artiste Goes Hard into Calypso to Change Mindsets.
From dancehall music with rough lyrical content to social commentary that aims at changing mindsets, East Trinidad native, Squeezy Rankin says he has found his true calling in Calypso music. The entertainer is on the road to the preliminary round of the Calypso Monarch Competition later this month, with a single called ‘Rat Race’ – this, one year after ‘Justice’ influenced younger audiences to take a stronger look at the Calypso genre, something that he hopes he can continue to do as his journey in music continues.
In a recent radio interview, the reigning Young King, whose real name is Anthony La Fleur, said prior to 2025, he had not done music professionally in 13 years. Jumping back into the spotlight, he said, was a bit intimidating, but the exposure last year has prepared him for 2026 and the artiste is expected to confidently claim his space in the Calypso Monarch competition this year.
As real as it gets, Squeezy Rankin- a man on the ground, has always fought for his place in the music industry locally. Now, as Calypso music embraces him even more, he says he believes he’s found his place. “I plan on releasing two songs during the year because I want to change the narrative that Calypso music is old people music,” he said, adding that his hope is that urban radio stations see the value in sharing topics of social commentary, such as ‘Justice’ and ‘Rat Race’- songs deep in meaning and valuable beyond measure, in the greater scheme of things.
Determined to change mindsets one song at a time, Squeezy Rankin says his strong suit is certainly social commentary and he will not, at any time, delve into political commentary. “I was advised by someone who is deep in politics to stay out of it and I literally listened. You know sometimes we hear people, but we aren’t listening. I thought about what he said, and it made sense. I literally listened, even though they say I don’t listen,” he said with a laugh.
‘Rat Race’ was written by Squeezy and Angelo Pantin with production by Q-Ban Production.
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