Caribbean Buzz
Archived: Machel Announces 2020 Will See The End of “Machel Monday.”
This will be the grand finale. Machel Montano has announced that this year will see the end of his Machel Monday concert event, a blockbuster carnival showcase that many anticipate annually. He made the announcement on Saturday night at the Black 2 Blue fete held at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba.
Machel who has dubbed himself, The Monk, maintains his status as the King of Soca. Already, ahead of the upcoming Carnival season in T&T, Montano has released several powerful Soca tracks, among them, ‘Play Harder’, ‘Stink Behaviour’, ‘Brace’ and ‘Super Soca,’ which features incarcerated dancehall artist, Vybz Kartel. His announcement ahead of what will be the 10th anniversary of the carnival concert event, comes at a time when many have been up in arms over recent talk of the brand’s frequent employment of dancehall artistes on the cast. Montano has not commented on the issue. Many argue that ‘local dancehall’ artistes should be allowed to penetrate the carnival fete circuit, saying that if Montano, as the King of Soca, has, for many years, seen it fit to hire artistes of other genres, including dancehall, to perform at his event, they do not see why local dancehall artistes such as Prince Swanny, Trinidad Killa and the slate of others, should not be included.
Over the past ten years, Machel Monday has brought international acts like Pitbull, Ashanti, French Montana, Angela Hunte, Fatman Scoop, Hood Celebrity, Spice, Beenie Man, Supa Cat, Bounty Killa and countless others to Machel Monday. His announcement on Saturday night came with an expression that at 45-years of age, he is happy.
Montano is revered in Trinidad and Tobago as the best to have ever done Soca music. He has mounted stages worldwide at major events including OVO Fest, Coachella and at the TIDAL benefit concert with the internationally acclaimed, DJ Khaled. Montano has, in most recent time, shown fans another side of himself with expressions of meditation and spirituality that often comes with deep soul searching. His spiritual and reflective journey has been supported by life partner, Renee Butcher.
Check out Machel’s Back 2 Blue announcement:
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Young, Coryn Clarke Hosts ‘Chronicles of Coryn Children’s Book Festival,’ This Sunday.
Children’s literature takes center stage in St.Kitts this Sunday, young, Caribbean author, Coryn Anaya Clarke hosts the Chronicles of Coryn Children’s Book Festival.
This landmark event, created by the young author and literacy advocate, will gather children, families, educators, and authors under the theme: “The Power of Us: Stories by Us, For Us.”The festival is proudly supported by First Federal Co-operative Credit Union as its official title sponsor. This partnership underscores the institution’s commitment to youth empowerment, community development, and literacy.
Executive Leader Member Services, Mrs. Sonja Fyfield-Hazel, shared her enthusiasm for the festival, saying, “This initiative aligns perfectly with our mandate to empower youth by showing them that true financial wealth is built on consistent habits formed from an early age. Our goal is to encourage children to develop smart money practices that lay the foundation for lifelong success. A festival that brings together children and parents in a fun yet educational environment creates the ideal launchpad for raising financially confident, and successful individuals.”
This year’s festival will feature dynamic voices from across the Caribbean, including celebrated Guyanese-Canadian author Yolanda T. Marshall and Grenadian author Alyssa Bierzynski.“Earlier this year, I set a goal for myself to share my book, Good Boy Milo, with children across the region,” said Bierzynski. “I am truly excited that it is happening and to be part of the Chronicles of Coryn Children’s Book Festival. Book festivals, like this one, are celebrations of storytelling and play an important role in promoting literacy and encouraging a love of books and reading among children, especially in this digital era. This will also be my first visit to St. Kitts, so I am looking forward to meeting all the young, and young at heart, readers,” she added.
Marshall, whose work has been recognized internationally for its cultural richness and authentic storytelling, noted the importance of amplifying diverse narratives. “I’m so excited to be reading, hearing stories from other authors, meeting everyone, and most of all performing alongside Coryn at the Chronicles of Coryn: Children’s Book Festival. We will dance, sing, play Soca, and have a literary fete. Be prepared to hear my stories like C is for Carnival. Bring your rags, bring your flags, and get ready to wave,” she said enthusiastically.
The one-day celebration will feature live readings and author meet-and-greets with Coryn, Yolanda, Alyssa, and other guest authors, in addition to cultural performances and interactive displays showcasing the vibrancy of the Caribbean. There will also be book signings, giveaways, and family activities designed to make reading fun and engaging.
Fresh off her success at CARIFESTA XV in Barbados, the young prodigy is now counting down to the first staging of her event in Saint Kitts and Nevis. Her standout participation at the regional cultural showcase not only highlighted her growing talent as an author but also positioned her as a vibrant ambassador for Saint Kitts and Nevis. With her storytelling, charm and natural confidence, Coryn captivated audiences.
“Stories have a special kind of magic, they can make you dream, laugh, and even see yourself in new ways. I’m super excited to share that magic at the Chronicles of Coryn Children’s Book Festival and to show other children in Saint Kitts and Nevis that their voices and stories matter too. Having our guest authors from Guyana and Grenada is BIG deal, I hope all of you come on out to hear everything they have to say. It’ll be fun, I promise!” said the youngster.
