Ebuzz News
Archived: Terri Lyons Has A Lot on Her Mind. Her Heart Hurts For Soca and Culture.
She has given us great music. Whether the songs she’s delivered time and time again, have made it to the mainstream soca circuit in Trinidad and Tobago, is another story. For Terri Lyons, her fight to maintain the true sound of the Soca genre, is more important. She believes we’re losing the essence of what Soca is, altering the sound a bit too much, something she says will have adverse effects for the culture of Trinidad and Tobago, in years to come.
Terri Lyons wants youths to be educated from early childhood, on the various cultural elements of Trinidad and Tobago.
EBUZZTT.COM spoke with the younger of SuperBlue’s two daughters in entertainment, recently. She admitted that evolution, while often hard to accept, is essentially inevitable, but lamented that while much is changing about Soca music’s sound, the attitude of the population when it comes to accepting the genre’s worth and that of the artistes who give so much of themselves, to keep it going, is not changing. “One thing that isn’t changing much is our attitude toward our own culture- to us, to keeping our heritage and history alive,” said the younger Lyons. She wants the people of Trinidad and Tobago particularly, to defend the genre more. Lyons is also calling on the powers that be, to play a more instrumental role in influencing the youth from a young age, to appreciate the culture of the country. “Every school in T&T should have a pan room- a properly sound proofed pan room. That is our national instrument. That is something we should have. We have no respect,” said a passionate Lyons.
The young mother of one who doubles up as a frontline vocalist with Nadia Batson’s all female band, SASS, says while many people would not want to hear what she has to say on this topic, she feels Trinidad and Tobago places more effort on promoting foreign artists that they do, their own. “A lot is changing but again I say, the attitude toward our own culture, isn’t. There is just too much back biting in the industry and a lack of appreciation for the artistes,” she argued.
Lyons has teamed up with Grenada’s Mr. Killa on a brand new single ahead of Carnival 2019.
Terri has released a new single with Grenada’s Mr. Killa. The track which is called, “Wey Yuh Dey” is described as a call for all Caribbean people to show the rest of the world, just how hard islanders party. The track is laced with Afro beats and rides the Afro Jab riddim. She certainly isn’t against collaborations and fusing the sounds of the Caribbean, but for Lyons, the heartbeat of Soca must not be sacrificed for global appeal. She says when it comes to the soca music genre, she feels there should be no compromises and the world should know it as Soca- regardless of how it’s spelt. She says any attempt to change the name of the genre, which was birthed in Trinidad and Tobago, is disrespectful and should never be accepted.
Her only son, Mathias, a major driving force in her life, Terri is calling for more to be done in the school system in Trinidad and Tobago, to educate the impressionable youth on the history of T&T’s culture. “Kids in school need to be educated about our culture. They know more about Fetty Wap and Lil Uzi, than they know about Kitchener and Sparrow or Cro Cro, or Shadow. We have to start to educate the kids from young,” she pleaded.
Lyons said it is sad that many of this country’s foundation artistes, on whose shoulders soca music was borne, are not being respected in the land of their birth. “We talk a lot of big talk about this and that, but the people in charge really aren’t doing anything,” she said.
CHECK OUT TERRI’S NEW SINGLE WITH MR. KILLA.
Ebuzz News
Writer’s Block Confronted, Coutain Unlocks More; Unleashes ‘Suga Dumplin’ with Tano.
With less than a month to go before Kanvas Koncert: Unplugged returns to Sound Forge, Trinidad and Tobago rising sensation, Coutain is giving audiences their first taste of what’s to come with the release of his latest single, Suga Dumplin.
Created alongside producer and longtime collaborator Michael “Tano” Montano, the track explores vulnerability, love and surrender, while offering a glimpse into the evolving sound behind Coutain’s most intimate live experience to date.
Coming out of the 2026 Carnival season, Coutain found himself wrestling with writer’s block. After stepping away to reset and recharge, he eventually reconnected with Montano. It was during those early sessions that the foundations of Suga Dumplin began to take shape — a record that explores vulnerability, love and what it takes to make a “badman” fall in love.
Over the years, the two artists have developed a collaborative process rooted in trust, honesty and respect. “We have a natural chemistry,” said Coutain. “When we are creating, we know when a song just isn’t there yet. We leave ego at the door, accept constructive criticism and keep refining until it feels right. We know that if we don’t like it, the people won’t like it either.”
Taking Calypso Forward
Producer Michael “Tano” Montano sees Suga Dumplin as part of a broader effort to carry the spirit of Calypso into a new era, drawing on the music they grew up listening to while making it resonate with younger audiences. “I feel like I’ve been hearing those songs my whole life,” said Montano. “We know what those songs can do and what they’ve done. The task now is making them relatable to younger people in a tasteful way.”
Coutain agrees. “The sound that is being produced now is only an evolution of what has already been heard,” he explained. “This sound is modern yet holds the soul of the old. This sound is new. This sound is what will make people not only fall in love, but dance again.”
That same artistic philosophy will shape Kanvas Koncert: Unplugged, which returns to Sound Forge on Sunday June 28 from 4:00 p.m. Now in its fourth staging following three consecutive sold-out editions, Kanvas has built a reputation for bringing people closer to the music through live performance, storytelling and connection. This year’s show will also feature a lineup of local and regional artists, with additional acts set to be revealed in the lead-up to the event.
Stripped -Back.
Speaking on the inspiration behind the Unplugged theme, Coutain said he has become increasingly drawn to stripped-back performances and reconnecting with the music in a deeper way.“I feel like we don’t always take the time to appreciate the finer details that really make up life. Sometimes less is more and sometimes subtlety speaks volumes,” he said. “This show is about growth, not just within me and my team, but hopefully within the Kommunity as well. After leaving Sound Forge, you should feel like you’ve just attended a family function, connected through music, energy and love.”
Tickets for Kanvas are available via Island E-Tickets.com and at select outlets nationwide, including King Strip Restaurant and New Image Barber Shop (East); 5AM Coffee Shop and The Lost Tribe (West); DFlare Fashions and Lazy Lizard Lounge (Central); Lash’d by Lys and Immersive Tech (South); and Oogy Wawa (Tobago).
Music News
As He Drops ‘Take Care,’ Mr. Lee Says Men and Women Must Communicate Better for Strong Relationships.
The time has come for good vibes to counteract all negative energy and together with his manager/producer, US based, Trinidadian artiste, Mr. Lee it doing what he feels he can, to inject that positivity. “I know the streets. I can tell you about the streets. Badness and the roughness is what they know. If they got the chance to get to know something else, they would do something else,” said the entertainer.
His music is refreshing. Afrobeats, coupled with Soul and RnB bring to life, a song on The Only 1 Riddim, that he calls, “Take Care.” For Mr. Lee, an artiste with many years of experience on the entertainment circuit overseas, and in the Caribbean, he is mindful of what he sings. “This type of music is necessary at all times to spread love and joy. I wish there could have been more beautiful messages all the time because it’s really important to spread love,” he said with hope.
Joining artistes like Preedy and Christo on the riddim, Mr. Lee is proud of the project. “This project means a whole lot to me. I have two girls and my wife and I have to express my love to them every single day of my life. I have my mom, my sisters, and I have to show them all the love I have within me. All the artistes on this riddim have done the same – we all expressed what we want to express to our loved ones. Most are real stories that can be relatable to others in society,” he explained.
On the topic of love and the importance of understanding what love is, Mr. Lee said for human beings to share love, they must first feel love. “If your father is not showing you love, how will you know love. Most of our youths have no parents around them. They are being influenced by a harsh representation of love, which really, is not love.” At the same time, he called on the elders within societies around the world, to try to strike a balance with the youth, especially in present time. “When I was growing up, the older heads never wanted to release a lot to the youths; they never wanted to give the youths a chance. People in positions of power must give the youths a chance to prove themselves. They have great ideas, but they need mentorship and guidance,” he said.
“Take Care,” written by Joseph ‘Pronto’ Figueroa, is a quality single with a passionate plea for more honest, kind, loving relational experiences. Unlike much of today’s lyrics, Mr. Lee keeps it classy, maintaining a thoughtful approach to music, with lyrics that penetrate. “The raw thoughts – we never heard that as youths. Some things should be kept personal,” he opined. An advocate for goodness, Mr. Lee is calling on men around the world to show their companions more love, in the right way. “Everybody wants to fight and kill. They don’t want to talk about things properly. We need to talk to our spouses more. We need to learn how to communicate better and spend more time with our loved ones.”
Happy to have enjoyed a successful run in Carnival 2026, in Trinidad and Tobago, Mr. Lee is working on new music even as he promotes this brand-new track. “I’m working on new Soca to release for the Summer. I’m working, and I’m happy with the progress I’ve been able to make so far. It’s a process,” he said of being in the music business.
The state-to-state carnival wave set to begin in the US soon, Mr. Lee says this year he is looking forward to heading to Miami for Carnival there and will be back home in T&T, come Carnival 2027. In the meantime, the T&T native and dedicated family man is spreading love through good music that he knows is absolutely necessary at this time.
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Ebuzz News1 week agoT&T’s Full Blown, Taps Into Dancehall on New Release, ‘No Stress.’
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Music News6 days agoAs He Drops ‘Take Care,’ Mr. Lee Says Men and Women Must Communicate Better for Strong Relationships.
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Ebuzz News5 hours agoWriter’s Block Confronted, Coutain Unlocks More; Unleashes ‘Suga Dumplin’ with Tano.