Ebuzz News
Masqueraders Will Choose Road March in T&T Today. Winner Will Be Set for 2023.
After weeks of debate over what the preferred song for Carnival 2023 Road March, should be, the deciding day is finally here. Masquerade bands in all their glory will assemble their beautifully adorned masqueraders on this Carnival Tuesday, hitting the road to the sounds of sweet Soca music blaring from speakers, at every junction in the capital city and parts beyond. This is the bitter-sweet day many look forward to, annually. The question that lingers remains, who will be the 2023 Road March champion?
Contenders in the race have been selected by and large by the DJs who delivered at carnival fetes throughout the season. They often claim to play just what the people want to hear, however many argue, there are contributions by artistes that are road ready, fete ready, that never make it into the DJs’ carnival ‘must play’ catalogue.It isn’t a new argument but truth be told, the argument is indeed an important one, since, for the many artistes whose music never make it into proper fete rotation, work outside of T&T’s carnival will be nearly, if not completely non existent.
The Road March winner will see his or her booking price increase significantly after the season. That is certainly a perk every artist craves. In the race for the coveted prize this season are, Bunji Garlin, Nailah Blackman with Skinny Fabulous, Machel Montano with Destra Garcia and Nicki Minaj and Patrice Roberts with Machel Montano. The songs, ‘Hard Fete,’ ‘Come Home,’ ‘Shake De Place,’ and ‘Like Yuhself,’ are priority tracks that DJs never fail to deliver. What matters today, as it did on Carnival Monday, is how many times each song is played as masqueraders of each band, cross the judging point or stage.
Ebuzztt spoke with Slam 100.5FM radio DJ, DJ Shaun in early February. Back then he listed six songs he felt, had the power and sweetness to give masqueraders a good time while on the road. Back then, ‘Shake De Place’ was not on his list. Last week Friday, like a power card, Machel Montano unleashed a remix to that song which he initially collaborated with Destra Garcia on. Internationally certified celebrity, Nicki Minaj was added to the excitement, delivering a unique Hip Hop element, with an effort-driven Trini dialect interlaced, in a bid undoubtedly, to seal the deal on the road. All three artistes were spotted atop a truck on the road on Carnival Monday, making it very clear that they want the coveted prize and will push for it come hell or high water.
You tell us, what is your Road March choice?
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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Abigail Lalchan
22nd February 2023 at 6:53 AM
I find this sound was ketching for me and I hope they win road march