Connect with us

Ebuzz News

Archived: One on One With Sizzla- Artiste Says Lyrics Are Words and Words Have Power!

Published

on

Approx. 4 min read

Jamaican reggae artiste, Sizzla Kolonji made his presence felt in Trinidad on the weekend, performing on Independence Night at the Hasley Crawford Stadium’s training grounds to a massive crowd who had anticipated his show and certainly the performances of other sensational acts like Richie Spice and Louis Culture among others. Billed to be a part of the cast, Anthony B was unable to make it to T&T, due to what he said were unforeseen circumstances. Promoters made up for his no show- asking patrons to look to the large screens erected on both sides of the stage where a message from the artiste himself would quell any disappointment. He would subsequently introduce Louis Culture whose cadre of reggae hit singles would keep the crowd of peace-loving nationals singing along, whistling and raising their hands in agreement to the lyrics. One day prior to the concert, in a chat with ETCETERABUZZ.COM, Sizzla himself had said that words are indeed powerful when quizzed on the power of musical lyrics and the mind.

Sizzla Kolonji impressed the audience with his barrage of hits.

Sizzla Kolonji impressed the audience with his barrage of hits.

“Everyone was born free and equal and we use music as a medium through which we can express ourselves. We were all created with the power of the most high- with the vibrations… positive, negative, heat, air and water, sun, moon and stars, land, sky and sea so you’re always gonna have kids in that vibration going to and fro because that’s just life, but then again we tend to gravitate towards stuff that we get a lot of influence from and normally people gravitate more to the negative,” said Sizzla. He told us that he feels this is so because of society, highlighting the breakdown of the family, the absence of fathers and bad parenting.

Frank with his words, Sizzla said music is used to express oneself, and added that music should not be used just for the purpose of making money. He said music should be about revealing messages and he called for more social commentary so that doors can be opened for the youths and they can be influenced more positively. He said if the youths are taught about the ropes of the music industry and how music is used to earn an income, they can benefit from being a part of varying facets of the industry, instead of simply sitting and listening to music.

Louis Culture's melodies seemed timeless.

Louis Culture’s melodies seemed timeless.

Hardcore dancehall acts like Jamaica’s Vybz Kartel, Tommy Lee and even old schooler, Bounty Killa have over the years come in for crude criticism over the quality of the lyrics they pen and sing. We asked Sizzla about the power of such lyrics on the minds of young people and whether or not he feels such lyrics are harmful on the psyche of the young and impressionable. He said yes. “I would say yes because in the beginning was the word and the word was Jah and the word take unto itself, flesh. As an artiste, I personally have made a lot of dancehall songs. I’ve made a lot of intimate songs and raggamuffin songs but in the aspect of just giving the people music to have good vibrations with an uptempo beat but then again we just got to be careful with our words because we need that proper choice of words and despite the fact that we may have a lot of kids with consent going out and having fun, you must always remember that the parents rule.”

Richie Spice blessed the crowd and T&T with prayer as he walked onto the stage.

Richie Spice blessed the crowd and T&T with prayer as he walked onto the stage.

He continued, “You were born and bred beneath the roof of your parents and you must have respect for your parents and I don’t think any parent would want their kid to go out there carelessly and succumb to any kind of negative things. We need to be focused. There’s a time and a place for everything but then again, sex sells in the industry so sometimes you have artistes coming out with conscious songs and they’re not getting that good vibration so they won’t make that money to make that living so they tend to make a detour and go on the other side but you just got to know what you want and what you believe in and just maintain that root. You got to play good songs for the kids and be positive,” he said.

Marlon Asher excited the crowd on Saturday with new and old songs.

Marlon Asher excited the crowd on Saturday with new and old songs.

On Saturday night in Trinidad, positive vibrations swept through Port-of-Spain. The message was love. From the local entertainers on the cast, among them Marlon Asher, Jamelody, Mr. King, Prophet Benjamin and Isasha to Jamaica’s Louis Culture, Terri Ganzi, Richie Spice and Sizzla Kolonji, the peacefulness of a T&T that seemed to once be, emanated. Most of the artistes walked onto the stage, starting their performances with biblical verses, blessing the crowd and the country and certainly honoring Trinidad and Tobago on its 51st Independence Day. By the end of the night, many could be heard saying it was the best they had experienced in quite a long time. Some could even be heard saying, “if only there was more of this music on radio, things would be different.”

Promoters of the event have assured that the Good Life Music Festival will be an annual staple to the entertainment calendar, with the concert carded for the last Saturday in August, each year.

Continue Reading

Music News

A Love Letter to T&T. Terron Loves Country, Proves It In ‘Know A Place.’

Published

on

By

Approx. 2 min read

At a time when the Soca landscape is constantly evolving and newer artistes are often focused on creating music for the party, soca artiste Terron is taking a different approach with his song, “Know A Place,” a heartfelt tribute to the beauty, culture and spirit of Trinidad and Tobago.

For Terron, the song is more than a musical release. It is a personal expression of gratitude and connection to a country that has remained close to his heart, despite spending much of his life abroad. Having migrated to the United States of America as a child, Terron grew up far from his birthplace. The distance, however, never diminished his appreciation for Trinidad and Tobago. Instead, his visits back home became treasured experiences filled with moments he looked forward to and still holds dear. Those visits offered opportunities to reconnect with the people, places and cultural experiences that made Trinidad and Tobago feel special to him. That enduring connection is at the heart of “Know A Place.” 

While many emerging artistes focus on creating music that dominates parties and create viral moments, Terron is embracing a subject that is less commonly explored by artistes at the beginning of their careers: music that celebrates national identity and contributes to the broader conversation about nation building. His deliberate choice reflects his appreciation for the country and his desire to celebrate what makes it unique. 

Through music, Terron hopes to remind listeners that the value of Trinidad and Tobago extends beyond its world-renowned Carnival celebrations. It is also found in the country’s natural beauty, cultural richness and people. “Know A Place” invites listeners to reflect on what Trinidad and Tobago means to them, whether they live in the twin-island republic or carry memories of home from thousands of miles away. For those in the diaspora, the song offers an opportunity to reconnect with familiar feelings and experiences and for those at home, it serves as a reminder to appreciate the beauty and character of the place they call their own.

Terron’s approach also speaks to the wider role of music in shaping how a country sees itself and how the rest of the world experiences it. “Soca music has always been a powerful vehicle for expressing Caribbean identity,” shares Terron. It is his hope that this song will reinforce why T&T should be appreciated and cherished.

Shot over the course of four days, the project, which was released on October 9, features sights from Paramin, DDI, Chaguaramas, San Fernando, Tobago, and Port of Spain. “Know A Place” is a reminder that sometimes the most meaningful way to celebrate a country is to tell its story.

Continue Reading

Caribbean Buzz

URAVE- ‘Life Beyond The Creek’ Launches this Weekend in the SouthLand. There’s Never Been Anything Like It.

Published

on

By

Approx. 4 min read

There’s a major shift happening in entertainment in T&T. The energy is rising. On the heels of Tobago Carnival – a spectacle that has left mas lovers craving more, there’s a band launch on the horizon that promises entertainment lovers a true taste of what Trinidad’s South West peninsula has to offer. URAVE is a brand that’s building community and dedicatedly setting things in motion for the best Borough Festival Point Fortin has ever experienced, in 2027.

Speaking exclusively with Ebuzztt.com, Directors, Kariym Balthazar and Roland Hamilton shared details on ‘Life Beyond The Creek’ – the concept for URAVE’S 2027 Borough Festival presentation. The event takes place at the Clifton Hill Beach Resort on Saturday, November 7th from 9pm.

URAVE’s Kariym Balthazar

Two of seven directors who make up a broad team of professionals, their planning for this upcoming event, has been extensive. “We officially kicked off the project in May this year. We’ve put in a lot of work and with a strong team, we are guaranteeing an enhanced Borough Festival,” said Hamilton. He has been a part of the entertainment and promotional landscape in Trinidad and Tobago for the past 15 years. Hamilton said the URAVE brand was conceptualized back in 2015, but opportunity to present it to the people of Point Fortin and those coming into the Borough the way it was conceptualized, has only truly shown itself at this time. “This is not just a band. We’ll also be doing events in the space as well. URAVE will host something like a ‘First Jam’ in the Borough celebrations in 2027 and even our road experience will start off with a brunch event for two hours, with food stations before we hit the streets to play mas. When our masqueraders get off the road, they will enjoy a las’ lap experience too,” he said.

Four mas sections ready for presentation on Saturday, Balthazar told Ebuzztt that this is just the beginning. “We plan on taking URAVE into different spaces – not just Point Fortin Borough Festival, so in the future, URAVE may even be in Carnival in Port -of-Spain,” he said. The four sections are, “Pitch Lake,” “Garden Jewels,” “Fields Road,” and “Columbus Bay,” – all honoring integral aspects of the Southern experience. “I am from La Brea. La Brea and Point Fortin are like brother and sister,” said Hamilton, explaining that the idea is to truly highlight the South Western part of the island by giving those who are unfamiliar an experience of what they have to offer. “Deep South often feels neglected. We don’t have the opportunities or the experiences that others often have. We always have to go into Port-of-Spain to experience mas, so because I would’ve experienced mas so many times, URAVE aims at delivering a higher standard when it comes to experience, so that people who do not frequent Port of Spain, can enjoy what its like in the Borough Festival.”

URAVE stands for Unimaginably, Rhythmic, Audio, Visual, Experience. “These words are at the heart of the brand. The focus is on how people feel, how they are welcomed, and what they leave with. This is not something that is predominant in the Point Fortin Borough space so it is important to us, to establish this standard,” said Hamilton. He says the theme, “Life Beyond the Creek celebrates the beauty, creativity and talent within the South Western peninsula.

Roland Hamilton says URAVE was conceptualized in 2015.

The band launch is being touted as one that will showcase exactly what masqueraders can expect on the rod come 2027. Though starting off with more of a Monday Wear mas deliverable, the band will be going hard to ensure the feeling of revelry and fun are high priority. “Years ago, bands like Legacy and Ronnie and Caro, and other big bands would come down from Port-of- Spain, but Borough Day has never had a Point Fortin based mas band involved.

Years ago, Legacy, Ronnie and Caro and other big bands would come down from Port of Spain and they never really had a Point Fortin based mas band involved. Our team has been having discussions with the Point Fortin Borough executives and we’ve been discussing all areas to ensure what we bring enhances the celebration,” said Hamilton, noting that the overall aim is to bring life to the celebration. “We hope even big mas bands will come back into the space after our presentation in 2027,” he said.

The Economics and the People.

All bases covered, inclusive of safety and convenience, Hamilton noted the state of the present economy. Understanding of the economic climate, he said URAVE’S website will go live after the band’s launch on Saturday and those interested in playing will be able to register with the option of securing a payment plan.”

On Saturday night in Point Fortin, fetters can expect a whole lot of energy and Carnival vibes. Artistes inclusive of Farmer Nappy, Trinibaby, Christo and Viking Ding Dong, will be apart of the excitement. “We are creating a safe space for people to come out and have fun. We want to always have a great time. The feeling is very important to us and we will show potential masqueraders just what it will mean to be on the road with URAVE, when we launch the band this weekend,” Hamilton assured.

Follow URAVE online on Instagram for more on what’s to come and be part of the greatest Borough Festival experience in 2027.

Continue Reading

BOOK YOUR CARNIVAL STAY

Facebook

Trending

error: This content is protected. if you wish to use this content in anyway please contact us.