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?
Nailah Blackman and Skinny Fabulous
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.
Bunji Garlin’s Hard Fete is a crowd favorite
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.
DJ Shaun
Patrice Roberts is in the running with ‘Like Yuhself.’
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.
Caribbean fashion is top tier. In a world of copy and paste designs, Caribbean brands like the incomparable Ecliff Elie, stand in a class of their own. Earlier this month, the menswear brand made a major announcement and whether you’ve heard or not, we’re here to tell you, this is huge.
The Ecliff Elie brand will now be delivering its seamless, tailored appeal to women. The brand is known for its precision tailoring and disciplined garment construction so with that at its foundation, women can now feel the complete effect of the Ecliff Elie touch. The company steps out into this aspect of its business after what it says has been years of delivering this service privately to women. Dubbed ‘Bespoke — Tailored for Women,’ Ecliff Elie is now offering the service, at scale.
The introduction reflects a focused extension of Elie’s established approach to tailoring – one built on proportion, control, and consistency. Each garment is developed through a guided process that considers posture, movement, and presence, ensuring that the final result aligns with how the individual operates and presents herself.
From custom blazers to trousers, skirts, and dresses, customers will now be able to get their custom designed Ecliff Elie apparel, through a consultation-led process where every decision—from cut to finish—is deliberate. The company says fabric selection will be approached with the same level of discipline, with materials chosen for structure, performance, and longevity, allowing each piece to maintain its standard over time.
“This is not a new direction,” Elie states. “It is a continuation of work I have done over time, now introduced with structure and clarity.”
With more than three decades of experience, Ecliff Elie has consistently positioned presentation as a defining factor in how individuals are perceived. His work has guided clients across industries to approach style as a matter of precision and intent rather than preference.
“When the garment is correct, everything changes,” he adds. “You move differently. You carry yourself differently. That is the standard.”
As more women continue to operate at the highest levels across business, leadership, and professional environments, the demand for tailoring that reflects both authority and individuality has grown. This offering responds to that shift with a process designed to deliver consistency, clarity, and control.
Through Bespoke — Tailored for Women, Ecliff Elie continues to refine his approach while maintaining a clear focus on craftsmanship, attention to detail, and a disciplined standard of execution.
One music producer in Trinidad and Tobago is calling on all artistes to create more meaningful music. He’s however advocating for positive content and says the time has come to counteract the negative as much as possible.
Khadeem Edwards is the man formerly known as Twin Island Studio, but he switched gears around 2023, after what he describes as a rebirth. He now runs Xklusiv Music Productions and earlier this year, saw the success of his Relief Riddim- a project that featured the likes of Skinny Fabulous, Rae, Dev and Mr. Lee. In the aftermath of that, he’s pushing more positive energy with a new project called, The Only 1 Riddim, and this time he has worked with several talented artistes, among them, Christo and Island Boy Preedy.
Producer, Khadeem Edwards
For Edwards, the mission of creating music is one that’s as important as it is necessary. He firmly believes that music’s influence can be uplifting or damaging, and because of that belief, he is advocating for change. “As a producer, I know that my work influences people. Because of that, I’ve made the conscious decision to work on this particular project with the intention to influence people positively,” said Edwards. The Only 1 Riddim is a fusion of Afrobeats, R&B and Soul music. By its acoustic nature, the production demands lyrics that are soulful, sweet and life-giving. “We were given emotions, and music plays with these emotions. If you have an aggressive style of music and you consume that frequently, that aggression will begin to develop in you as a person. For this riddim, I’ve incorporated Afrobeats so we can still dance, but the harmonies deliver on the typical R&B and Soul sounds.”
The release of the songs on The Only 1 Riddim coincided with the celebration of Mother’s Day. Edwards explained that each song is meant to stir something inside the soul of the listener and engage them in a way that promotes love. “I think it’s important for listeners to be offered a choice when it comes to music. There’s a great opportunity for our artistes to bring forward more music that counteracts the negative, and I think the onus is on the people who hold the power to promote positive music, to do just that,” said Edwards. His expression comes in the aftermath of several incidents of violence in Trinidad and Tobago in recent weeks, which have been linked to gang warfare. Many across society have argued that music which perpetuates criminality plays a powerful role in the end result that often spikes the murder toll.
LFS Music returns to the music scene with ‘Sweet Love.’
Artiste support weighs heavily on the overall thrust to deliver music that’s needed for a better outcome in today’s society. Edwards says between the marketing and promotional efforts and the consumer’s reaction to the music, a lot can happen. “Delivering music takes a big toll on all artistes as well as the producer. Marketing costs and all other associated costs are heavy. What’s sad is that after all those expenses, the consumer hardly ever makes a purchase. They rip pirated versions or stream for free. A song is 99 cents on iTunes. When you pay for the music, you feed the artiste and the producer. We need more people to buy the music and support our artistes,” he urged.
A single acceptance of a new life by Khadeem Edwards a few years ago altered his life’s direction. “I accepted Jesus Christ. I wasn’t perfect and I’m still not perfect, but I’m working towards perfection, being a better person, and I believe any artiste, any person, can do the same,” he said. He hopes The Only 1 Riddim will decrease the sense of urgency presently consuming many across the world. “My hope for this project is for all of us to really slow down. The world is moving really fast and we need to slow down and appreciate the people who truly matter. The songs on this riddim express that. I believe that if we listen to this style of music, we’ll slow down, reminisce, capture a vibe of love and appreciation for the people we love, and return to tenderness and vulnerability.”
Brooklyn based artiste, Maki is also apart of the new project.
Plans are afoot to generate more music that promotes the positives of life. Edwards and his team at Xklusiv Music Productions are answering a call that runs deeper than the eye can see. “The bonus track on this riddim will be a gospel single and in that song, The Only 1 will ultimately be God. I’m pleased to be doing this and I hope that its value will be appreciated.”
The artistes on The Only 1 Riddim are Christo with “Woman,” Maki who delivers “D Only One,” Preedy who sings “Fight No More,” Mr. Lee with “Take Care,” Temisha from the US Virgin Islands, who sings “Paradise,” and LFS Music returns with “Sweet Love.”
error: This content is protected. if you wish to use this content in anyway please contact us.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.
Abigail Lalchan
22nd February 2023 at 6:53 AM
I find this sound was ketching for me and I hope they win road march