After a stellar concert performance last week Friday at the Brian Lara Cricket academy, Machel Montano’s upcoming appearance in North, Trinidad, is highly anticipated by soca fans. The entertainer who’s been in the business for over 30 years, brought the house down at MEGA last weekend, showing the world that he remains a powerhouse in the Soca music business.

Montano, along with a supporting cast that included, Pumpa out of the USVI, Lady Lava, Chutney Soca Queen, Drupati, Skinny Fabulous, Voice, Yung Bredda, and Full Blown, among others, enticed soca fans in a major way, unleashing pure energy and vibes at an event that brought out a massive audience from the Southland and surrounding areas.

Mobile phone recording by patrons, a bit of a sour point at fetes for some time now, Montano urged fans to put away their devices just as he started his set. Dressed in yellow, and drenched in ice, the soca superstar delivered an unmistakably seamless set of songs that included ‘Like A Boss,’ ‘Fast Wine,’ ‘Bet Meh’ and of course, his Road March contender for 2025, ‘Pardy.

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MONDAY MADNESS IS COMING

The mecca of the dominant carnival force on the planet, remains Trinidad and Tobago. Now, as the season’s prevalence captivates fun-seekers around the globe, one promotional team is adamant that the events on the Carnival calendar must stand up to the expectations of the masses. 

The Johnny Q Sound Company will deliver one of the biggest events in this season, on Monday, February 24^th at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain. Monday Madness is set to showcase the largest cast of Soca stars this season, with a headlining performance by the King of Soca himself, Machel Montano. “There is a certain kind of energy that carnival should invoke. We’re not saying it’s missing completely, but a void has been filled with the inclusion of White Oak Monday Madness, one week before Carnival Monday,” said a rep for Johnny Q.  

A well-known event promoter and music facilitator across the Caribbean, this is no new venture for the outfit. “Soca music is in our DNA as Trinbagonians. What we want to deliver to those visiting the country in 2025, is a true expression of who we are as Trinbagonians, at the Oval on Monday, February 24^th. We’re working with Machel and the Monk Band, Patrice Roberts, Lyrikal, Nadia Batson, Road March King, Mical Teja, Ravi B, Nailah Blackman, Skinny Fabulous, Voice, and a long list of artistes, to present something that the people have not seen or experienced in a while, in T&T,” he said. 

Tickets already going extremely fast, the event will cater to every pocket with three zones offered- General, Stage Front and Big Truck VIP. “The Big Truck Party Zone with its elevated deck and mix and mingle area is catering to committees and their die-hard supporters. Kairi People, Vale Vibe, Bayside Events, Bayview, Event Locker Gateway to the World along with Monday Madness VIP, can be contacted directly for those tickets and they can also be purchased online at islandetickets.com. The prices range from $850 to $1500. The $850 tickets are food inclusive, with a cash bar, but the $1500 tickets are fully all inclusive,” said the event spokesperson.  

Patrons will have an exclusive entrance to that area, VIP washrooms and enough space to party comfortably. 

The stage front tickets, which are $600, offer an up-close and personal view of the artistes on stage. With doors opening at 7pm, the event is billed as one of, if not, the biggest carnival blockbuster fete this season. “Our products and our delivery in carnival as event organizers, are really and truly the advertisement for the carnivals that will follow. We have to ensure that tourists coming to carnival, are met with the best feting experiences so that they’ll tell the world about what they felt while they were here. We can’t drop the ball, not even for one season and as a promo outfit, we do not take that responsibility lightly. Monday Madness will deliver an over-the-top feting experience in 2025 because we want the world to come back again and again,” emphasized the spokesperson.  

This year the company is introducing a band of musicians that they’ve taken tremendous pride in building and investing in. “The Evolution Band has been working diligently to make their presence felt and they will be on stage at Monday Madness. The team comprises a number of young, talented musicians who are set to make a mark in the entertainment industry this year.” Added to that, The A Team Band will also hit the stage, bringing their musical strength to the Queen’s Park Oval with artistes everyone will enjoy. 

The stage is set for one of the most thrilling carnival fetes, the world has ever experienced, promised the event organizer. “The energy surrounding this fete is out of this world already. We’re guaranteeing a secure and unforgettable night at Monday Madness. This is your ticket to amplify the thrill leading up to carnival week.”

Online tickets at islandetickets.com, have been selling very well and it’s anticipated that there will be an influx of carnival chasers, entering the Oval on Monday, February 24^th.

Information on the event is available online @mondamadnesstt on Instagram and Facebook. 

Trinidadian superstar Machel Montano has dropped the sizzling video for “Her Mudda”with the Virgin Islands’ Pumpa ahead of Trinidad & Tobago’s annual Carnival. The single appears on Montano’s upcoming studio album, One Degree Hotter, which is set for for release later this month via his record label, Monk Music.

“With its striking visuals directed by D. Padmore and ColorMeStadic, pulsating rhythms produced by Stadic & Jonny Blaze, and vibrant performances throughout, “Her Mudda” is a testament to the infectious spirit of soca music and the power of dance,” a media release issued by the team, highlights.

“Her Mudda” along with Machel’s recently released singles – “Fling It Up” ft. Davido, “Pepper Vine” ft. Lady Lava and Drupatee, “PARDY”, “The Truth”, “Bumpa”, and “Fallen Fetters” with Skinny Fabulous  – will all be featured on One Degree Hotter.

The album’s title is a play on words, not only referencing his hot streak of hit records, but also a nod to his recent completion of a Master’s degree in Carnival Studies at the University of Trinidad & Tobago. 

“After two years earning my Master’s degree in Carnival Studies, immersing myself in my culture, and studying where we’ve come from, I’m more inspired than ever about where we can go next. I couldn’t wait to get back in the studio and work on my next album, fueled by everything I’ve learned. ‘One Degree Hotter’ is a double entendre—it marks my Master’s degree, but also my mission to turn up the heat on my music and take it to the corners of the globe,”  Machel said.

“Songs like ‘Fling It Up’ ft. Davido and ‘Pepper Vine’ with Lady Lava and Drupatee reflect that vision—pushing Soca forward by connecting it with the global sounds of Africa and India. To me, this album represents a step forward in the evolution of my sound and mission,”  he adds.

One Degree Hotter follows Machel’s 2021 star-studded album The Wedding Album, which featured Afro B, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Teddy Riley, Vybz Kartel and many more.

The announcement follows Machel’s appearance on NPR’s Tiny Desk, a major milestone for the Soca genre as Machel made history becoming the first soca artist to perform on the platform. The video has garnered over 1 million views in the short time since its release. NPR spoke on the significance of Machel’s performance saying, “Montano’s performance is the first to bring soca, the high energy dance music of the Caribbean, to the Tiny Desk. The genre was born in Trinidad and Tobago in the early 1970s when calypso artist Lord Shorty (who later chose the name Ras Shorty I) added traditional Indian percussion instruments and rhythms to calypso music — itself a fusion that incorporates elements of African, Venezuelan, French and American music.” 

In preparation for the 2025 Trinidad & Tobago Carnival, Machel Montano will defend his Calypso Monarch crown. Fans have already deemed the musical maestro’s single “PARDY” one of the top contenders for the coveted Road March race, which if he wins, Montano will be tied with the legendary Lord Kitchener for the most all time at 11 titles.