There’s a cheat code to enjoying Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago and it’s as simple as choosing the right band to parade the streets on Carnival Monday and Tuesday, from jump. Every band in Trinidad and Tobago offers a unique experience. Every masquerader has an idea of what they’d personally enjoy, so to say one band is better than another, is unnecessary, however, if you’re a VIBE SEEKER, there’s really only one band to choose.

YUMA Vibe was truly a vibe in 2026 and this is turning out to be a trend of sorts. LUXE- the band’s theme this season, offered an array of fabulous, colorful, sexy designs to choose from, but that’s basic in today’s market because truth be told, most, if not all carnival masquerade bands in T&T, deliver top tier costume designs for the road. Trinidad and Tobago isn’t coined ‘The Mecca’ for nothing – this is where the standard for carnival is set! What we will say as it relates to the costume designs and quality however, is that YUMA’s costumes are strong, standing up to the pressure of movement on the road and beautifully pieced together even when it comes to midline and backline sections.

Now, for those new to this, choosing your band must happen by July/August at latest. One thing that always stands out about YUMA is the fact that the band hosts a lot of big name entertainers. This season, globally recognized sportsman, Dwayne Bravo, artistes like Jadel, Lady Lava, Patrice Roberts, Preedy, Erphaan Alves, Grenada’s Muddy and Tallpree, Blaka Dan and V’Ghn, Christo and influencer and comedian, Jr. Lee were all in the mix, making YUMA a band, loved, trusted and endorsed by the celebs to deliver on vibes and enjoyment. “Yuma is the number 1 band. I’ve been rocking with YUMA for years. We’re enjoying it and it’s a good season,” said Bravo when we met up with him on the road on Carnival Tuesday.

A big factor when it comes to carnival enjoyment is that feeling of belonging. One of the awesome things about being a YUMAN is being treated like family. The band is all embracing to women of all shapes and sizes, offering costume options that cater to tiny bodies and the visibly voluptuous alike – something that’s truly admirable in a market that advertises and promotes heavy on sex appeal and beauty.

Take this as your signal to start prepping for 2027. Carnival Monday and Tuesday is set for February 8th and February 9th next year so mind your business and lock in your spot as soon as those sections drop later this year. Oh! And even though we didn’t go in deep on the vibes – TRUST, that’s a given, after all, the best people, with the most vibes always know where to gather and the YUMA squad speaks volumes. Just see for yourself :

Even as he celebrates his 12th Road March title win, Machel Montano’s words uttered earlier in the season, has left a tremendous mark on those who were lucky enough to hear him speak. At the premiere of his documentary, ‘Like Ah Boss,’ on February 10th, Machel called on the government of Trinidad and Tobago, and corporate bodies operating in the country, to invest in the country’s youth, from an earlier age.

“Let’s not wait that long to know who we are,” urged Montano, in response to Ebuzztt’s question as to what he would say to his 9-year-old self. Machel said while he was able to go back to school to study Carnival Studies at the age of 50, his hope was that children who are in touch with who they are, even at the age of 9, would be given the opportunity to develop their skillsets and talents, from an earlier age. “Let them learn the history of where Chutney music come from and where Calypso come from and if we teach that you will see how deep this is and then, let’s teach that along with classical music training and vocal training and piano playing and reading music and writing music. Let’s make these youths not have to struggle how I had to struggle,” he pleaded.

Referring to young Angelo Gore who appeared on stage with him at Monday Madness, one night prior, Machel said, “This little boy is singing in key. This little boy is amazing and you know nobody have nowhere to go and put him tomorrow to make him 10X. We not doing that in this country. Like we don’t care!” he expressed.

Machel said in Trinidad and Tobago there are people across society who are so incredibly talented, however with no proper programs to their benefit, the talent is wasted. “We have people making roti, who playing pan. We have people driving taxi and playing pan. How they remembering all ‘dem’ notes for eight minutes?” he questioned.

The artiste said while there is a lot of talent in the country that is not recognized and often bypassed, he is no longer going to be waiting for government or private corporations to recognize that. “I am going to use my money and other people money – my friends money, Junior Sammy and I will build it,” he said, to some laughter. He was not kidding though. The artiste and his Monk team have already begun working. “We have SoundBridge,” said Che Kothari- Montano’s manager. “We have a SoundBridge programme now where we did interviews and we built a whole system that will live online that will teach youths about Marketing, Producing, Songwriting, Performing – every single thing, all the secrets; and we will be there to hold their hand,” said Machel.

Kothari said SoudBridge will break down Machel’s journey in an educational way. “Elizabeth has an incredible book and then there’s the documentary and the next phase is this SoundBridge programme which is essentially Machel’s journey but in an educational way – workshops, tutorials, interviews with collaborators, management books. It’s going to break down Machel’s journey and his team, and the behind the scenes of how to make it happen,” said Che. He said the programme would be online but there would also be physical workshops as they tour everywhere they go.

WHAT WOULD MACHEL SAY TO HIS 9 YEAR OLD SELF.

“I know the education that was coming to me, was not serving me – not everybody have to be a doctor or a lawyer or a politician or some kinda office worker. In Trinidad we think big job is administration- yuh in de bank, yuh is ah executive. We look down on pan tuners, we look down on calypsonians and we think they are just jesters. We are not. This is creativity. Creation is the highest form of human existence,” said the entertainer.

Machel says youths today should educate themselves on the things that they like. “Whatever it is, hone a skill. I drop out of school. My mother start to cry. My father say, “ok.” I went and find somewhere to become a Sound Engineer. Learnt production, learnt recording, learnt troubleshooting, learnt engineering. That is why I always a step ahead of them. I know things. I went to school and I have some things under my bel,” said Montano.

Machel says he would have liked to have been better vocally trained at a higher level, in Trinidad and Tobago. “I would’ve liked to have been learning my thing, in a highly professional environment and I think that’s what is missing. I often bawl out and say we need a school for the Arts that looks like QR – big concrete, big windows, big stained glass windows and it have the best- Boogsie and Carl Jacobs and David Rudder working – all de men who know things, working alongside people from Julliard and Berkley – we mix it up nah, so we know making sure we getting people who understand the highest of heights.”

On Ash Wednesday, it was announced that Machel Montano had sealed the deal, once again, securing a Road March title in his country. It was his 12th title which has secured his place in history, having surpassed Aldwyn ‘Lord Kitchener’ Roberts for the most Road March titles in T&T.