Ebuzz News
Archived: The Queen Rises. Denise Saucy ‘Wow’ Belfon Tells It All.
Three years ago, the Caribbean’s wining queen, Trinidad and Tobago’s, Denise ‘Saucy Wow’ Belfon, took up residence in the United States. She boarded a plane, prepared to work hard, to better herself in the music industry. She had not foreseen a pandemic.
In an EXCLUSIVE interview with Ebuzztt, Denise admitted to the tumultuous experience she’s had in the past three years, but in the same breath, says she’s grateful for it all. “Being out here taught me how to get my life in order,” she told us, further highlighting, among other things, the shortcomings of the Copyright Organisation of Trinidad and Tobago.
WHO IS DENISE SAUCY WOW BELFON
Denise started a career in the soca music industry 26 years ago. Her first solo recording was the soca single “Ka Ka Lay Lay”, this after having been discovered by the bandleader of the Roy Cape band in 1990. She has record countless hits, among them, “Hard Wuk”, “De Jammette”, “Saucy Baby”, and “Indian Man.” She’s even delivered alongside fellow female Caribbean artistes, Destra Garcia and Alison Hinds on the track, “Obsessive Winers,” a song and stage performance loved the world over. song and stage performance loved the world over.
Known for her incredible, and some would say, truly unrivalled wining skills and blatantly unapologetic stage shows, Saucy’s name has been branded solidly among the female greats in Caribbean culture. Three years ago, she turned to the United States, ready to pursue more, even committing to a 500 city tour across the US, Europe, parts of Africa and Canada, just prior to the pandemic. “It was so sad to see how the world was impacted overnight. One minute everybody was living their lives as normal and the next minute we were locked down and we didn’t know what the hell to do,” she said.
Thankful for the support of good friends in the US- people like King Royal, Big Skipp, Patch, DJ Princess Young Chow, DJ Spice, DJ Young Chow, Askel Redsquare and her children, Denise admits it’s been no easy ride, but she has assumed a position of assertive power and proudly attests to some major accomplishments in recent time. “I must say thank you to the people who stood in my corner when things were going haywire in my life,” she said as we kicked off the interview. Gratitude in her heart, she quickly checked herself and said, “I can’t forget Iwer George. He has stood in my corner for as long as I can remember and always has my back, fighting the battles that I sometimes don’t see when people try to tear me down.”
Her relationship with Big Skipp – a mainstream DJ who works at New York’s urban radio station HOT97, has led to interactions with young Hip Hop artistes like Capella Grey who has been signed to Capitol Records, Young Devyn, Mr. Chicken and others, and for Denise, the ‘newness’ of the energy, as she calls it, is exhilarating. “It’s a good vibe rubbing shoulders at this time with these young greats. They do Hip Hop and me being a Soca artiste, it’s a good feeling to be around newness. I’m getting a lot of inspiration hanging around them and doing a lot of things with them. We are not working together per say but we have the mutual person with us, which is Big Skipp.“
The new energy Denise describes transcends mere interactions and networks. Outside of Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean, Saucy’s eyes have opened to the business of her worth. “America is a place that can open your eyes quickly. I’ve had to learn fast. Music royalties I had been missing out on internationally, I have been able to collect and sustain myself during this period. Not knocking COTT, but the type of money you would make out here where your royalties are concerned, I have no idea what COTT has been doing over the years,” she said.
The former model and best village dancer has certainly seen the light and is doing all that is necessary to secure the bag as she moves forward. “I had money pending worldwide for the past 15 years. I have like 47 songs pending at the moment,” she explained, encouraging her fellow artistes to do what is necessary to secure their music royalties.
Ebuzz News
“We Have so Much to Offer the World.” Shurwayne’s Bringing The Authentic Tobago to Carnival.
The most anticipated period on Tobago’s annual event calendar is just about ready to start and one of the island’s most successful entertainers is leading the charge, delivering an event on Thursday, October 29th that will prove truly memorable. Shurwayne Winchester is Tobago’s golden boy. He has taken the Tobago Carnival product personally, believing it’s a good tool to market the island, if truly executed with love and sustainability in mind.
Shurwayne emerged on the Soca scene over 20 years ago and has not slowed down. He has cemented his name in the Caribbean entertainment landscape over many years and he has represented Tobago with immense pride. Despite having moved to Trinidad, the two-time Road March champion remains deeply connected to his home and is set to host Tobago Love The Xperience in honor of that appreciation. “Together with my friend and old Tobago classmate, Lester Duncan, we’re using this event to show the world what Tobago is truly about. For me, it’s about giving back to the place that I came from. There is no prouder moment than being able to do something like this on your home soil. We wanted to offer those visiting the island, something more than the décor and the lights and music,” said the artiste, noting that this year’s theme for Tobago Love The Xperience is The Harvest. “We’re doing something that’s built around the heritage of Tobago. As somebody who grew up here it has always been important for me to do this – to give the foreigners a chance to see the real Tobago, to give them a chance to fall in love with Tobago – the things that they see and the feeling they get when they experience what we have to share.”
Shurwayne believes the events happening at Carnival should embody the island’s underlying energy and attributes. “When they come here for Carnival, what they experience should make them want to return even outside of the Carnival season,” he said.
Tobago Love The Xperience takes place at the Signal Hill Secondary School from 6pm on Thursday. “We want our people to fall in love with our island too. It’s important for us to love where we come from,” said the entertainer. “This event is about heritage and culture. It’s about the history of Tobago. When people enter the venue they will see and feel exactly what a Tobago Harvest is like even as we fete and celebrate the Carnival season,” he said.
An artiste, promoter and ambassador, Shurwayne Winchester’s undying commitment to preserving what’s good about his nation, is commendable. He was one of the artistes who performed most recently at the funeral service held for the late, great Calypso King of the World, The Mighty Sparrow. “We have so much to offer the world and there are men and women who showed us how to do it with class and dignity. They took what we have and shared it well with the rest of the world. Men like Sparrow and Aunty Rose represented in a particular way for T&T and I just think it’s a fundamental part of being a patriot – someone who puts country before anything else.”
Music News
Stepping Into Her Own, Jalessa Says It’s Time for ‘Freedom.’
For 16-year-old rising star, Jalessa Lazarus, this month has been bitter sweet. The teenager is set to release her new single, ‘Freedom,’ but even as she delivers musically, she is reminded of her grandmother who passed away in May this year, after being diagnosed with Breast Cancer. “She would always tell me I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” said the youngster as she reminisced on the encouragement, she often received from her family matriarch.
Jalessa Lazarus is a talented, young entertainer in the Soca space, and even as her present focus is on the 2027 CXC examinations, her love for music abounds, and so she is still releasing the Teddy Rhymes penned, ‘Freedom,’ with hope of maintaining her standing in the music space in 2027. “This song is all about expressing yourself – encouraging enjoyment and appreciation for the culture of Trinidad and Tobago. I want people to really get to know what we here in T&T are all about – all that we have and all that we can share with the world,” said the artiste.
The song was produced by Millbeatz Music – a familiar space for the entertainer, as she is also being taught to play the piano and guitar under the Millbeatz Entertainment umbrella – under the tutelage of Kevin Millien. “I’m trying my very best to do both music and school. CXC is serious. I have a time-table that helps me with balancing both my studies and music,” she explained. Jalessa is very aware of the importance of a good education. She has a good head on her shoulders, along with parents who keep her grounded, and guide her every step of the way. “I’m doing Maths, English Language, IT, Social Studies, Principles of Business and Office Administration,” she said, assuring that she will release more music upon the completion of her exams. “I want to be an inspiration to other young entertainers coming behind me. I also want to travel – take my music around the world,” she expressed, adding that she has dreams of stepping into the RnB arena one day – her inspiration being Adele.
A proud student of the artform, under the tutelage of artistes like Preedy, Nailah Blackman, Patrice Roberts and Voice, Jalessa says she loves Soca music and thinks colourful language has no place in the genre. It’s a topic that is fast becoming a cause for concern according to some, this as more artistes experiment with the inclusion of expletives in their music. “I do not support colourful language in Soca. It’s unnecessary and I don’t think it should be used in our music – music that we are sharing with the world,” said the youngster. “I think Soca is a different type of music, from anything else. Music is generally a vibe. It’s therapy for people – our music is all about dancing, freeing up, dressing up in costumes and being happy; it’s happy music,” she added.
Her groovy soca single, ‘Freedom,’ a true expression of her personality and what she wants the world to know about the land of her birth, Jalessa Lazarus continues to reach for the stars, all while drawing awareness to serious issues. “I want to take the time to extend hope and prayers to anyone who’s dealing with any type of cancer this month and everyday onward. God is always with you,” she said.
Rooted in her culture and diligently focused on her future, Lazarus plans on releasing an EP and says even though she will sit out competitions in 2027, she will return after the completion of her CXC exams. Her mother, Phylesha meanwhile expressed immense pride in her daughter’s commitment and took a moment to thank Teddy Rhymes for his support and encouragement. “I don’t think she will be going back into junior competitions but we are looking beyond exams and I want to especially thank Teddy for believing in Jalessa and encouraging her.”
For more on Jalessa Lazarus, follow her on her on Instagram @jalessa_lazarus.
