I can recall the first time I heard soca music. I was interning in Barbados and was on my first assignment when a Soca song played on the radio. It was “Falling” by Kes The Band. It sounded to me like a new sound of music; much different from what I had been accustomed to hearing as an Indian girl growing up in Guyana. The song had a powerful vibe and triggered something in me that made me wanted to experience Carnival.

What stood out most was that this song was bursting with a fusion beat. I thought to myself, this was an international hit and Kes the band was one of the hottest band in the world. Unfortunately, little did I know, due to my lack of knowledge of Soca music that none of the amazing talent I heard on the radio that day made a breakthrough internationally as Chronixx and Buju Banton from Jamaica had.

Being an entertainment blogger, I constantly asked my friends from other Caribbean islands about Soca music. They confirmed that Jamaican music consistently dominates their airwaves. The question that then came to my head was, “Why is Soca not spreading in the same way as Jamaica’s reggae and dancehall?”

Since most of the English-speaking Caribbean produce Soca music, you would think that it would be played year-round. It’s our unique artform that we contribute to, so why is it that many people form these islands fret or grumble when Soca music is played after carnival or crop over. It just doesn’t make sense.

You see, the bastardization of Soca came from it inheriting the sins of its father (Calypso). Calypso with its African roots and syncopated rhythms which engender the gyration of the pelvic region (wining) was condemned by the white Christian colonist. They labeled it devil music and made it a sin to sing or participate in it during the ‘holy’ lent period which occurred immediately after Carnival in Trinidad and lasted for forty days. This effectively squashed the playing of calypso on the airwaves and in parties for the rest of the year. Also, most of the Calypso lyrics were design for local consumption such as political satire or for participation in one of the various Carnival competitions.  This made the lyrics of Calypso and to a lesser extent Soca unrelatable to outsiders.

In contrast Reggae and dancehall were free from these constraints. Many Jamaican artistes frequently did covers for international hit songs which helped them to develop their vocal talents and their songwriting abilities.

However, a new wave of inspiration and talent is flowing through the Soca industry. Artistes are moving away from singing mostly about jump and wave. Voice, Kes, and Nailah Blackman to name a few, have continued to make profound impact with their work. They have created a sound that has the same dominant flavour of Soca, with a few added ingredients accompanied by deep lyrics making their music more universal in content.

Just over a year ago, I remember hearing Nailah Blackman for the first time and was immediately sold. Her studio voice and records are top class and she never fails to disappoint. I thought, “She has to be one of the most eclectic musical gifts from Trinidad and Tobago.”

This wave of musicians like Freetown Collective, Olatunji, Joaquin and Turner is creating a hybrid genre of music. They effectively infuse the essence of Soca, Afrobeats, some Rapso and pop into their work.

It is delightful for one to hear their local accent in this new music pouring out into the world and representing us. This generation of artistes has created the formula that has allowed them to captivate a massive audience that continues to grow. They have reintroduced to the world the language, rhythm, variety and talent of the Caribbean. They are effectively redefining what music is; moving away from what is typically expected.

It is beautiful to see Caribbean music evolve. And in its continuous evolution, we effortlessly command the attention of the world.

The region seems to be experiencing a shift in consciousness. We are redefining how we manifest in a world. Each day modern technology brings us back to a singular region of intermingled, shared and hybridised cultures and attitudes that technology in turn helps with the production of the best Soca music. Whether it is from a home studio or a full on professional one. The anticipation for 2019 Soca is real!