The year 2023 in soca will long be remembered for Bunji Garlin (Ian Alvarez) and the song ‘Hard Fete’. It was a year when the stars aligned and hard work, perseverance, and talent bore fruits for the Viking of Soca for this was his first solo Road March title.

There was something magical about this victory as ‘Hard Fete’ was not lyrically crafted as a Road March song. But it was at CIC’s ‘Fete with the Saints’ when Bunji Garlin performance of the song wowed the crowd that he realized its potential. As he was winding down he told the crowd their reaction made him change his mind.

“Up to earlier tonight I wasn’t going to register this song for Road March at all,” he said. “Because they say the song has nothing about stage in it; because the song has nothing about road in it so I wasn’t going to register it. But I see allyuh wake up and it put something in my mind.”

“I not crossing no weak stage, let me explain my analogy; any stage that I am crossing must be tough like the economy!” he then freestyled, sending the crowd into a frenzy.

The next day he registered the song for the road march and there was an added sense of purpose in each of his performances hereafter. At Army Fete ‘The Fireman’ was spitting fire and with his wife Fay Ann Lyons sensing victory is nigh, they destroyed the competition that night.

As the Road March Winner of Trinidad and Tobago, Bunji Garlin became the unofficial global soca ambassador. The ‘Differentology’ singer had some insane performances at many major carnivals around the world with Fay Ann Lyons and the Asylum band. They delivered high-energy performances showing the crowds how soca-lovers ‘Hard Fete’. While performing at the Wi Fete in Kingston, Jamaica, Bunji Garlin was at the top of his game and gained ’nuff’ respect from the Jamaican audience; this was personal and redeeming for Bunji as he was booed off the stage earlier in his career on his last performance in the country.

2023 was also a year of recognition for the Philanthropy of  Ian Alveraz and his wife, and fellow soca artiste, Fay Ann Lyons-Alvarez; they were inducted into the Young, Gifted & Black (YGB) Entrepreneurial Awards Hall of Fame in New York City for their contributions to music and community development. Also, they were both nominated for the ‘Best Male Soca Artist Of The Year’ and the ‘Best Female Soca Artist Of The Year’ respectively at the Inaugural Caribbean Music  Awards hosted by Caribbean Elite Magazine.

The number of times the name Fay Ann Lyons is included in this article helps tell the story of Bunji Garlin’s greatest achievement; his Family and the love that he and his wife have for each other.  Theirs is an example of the power of devotion, support, collaboration, and unconditional love in ascending to the top.  In the Caribbean today such a model is desperately needed.

We at Caribbean Entertainment Hub congratulate the Power Love Couple of Soca, Bunji Garlin, and Fay Ann Lyons, for all their accomplishments during 2023 and look forward to the joyful moments they will bring us in the future.