Soca star Prince Royce sings unifying song
music known as Jamoo and
is also credited with inventing
soca as a means of reinvigorating
calypso music.
Blackman’s mother, Abbi
Blackman, is a hit-making
calypso star in her own
right.
Blackman is also the niece
of Avion Blackman, lead singer
of the Los Angeles-based Christian
reggae band Christafari,
and Nehilet Blackman.
Born in San Fernando, Trinidad’s
second city, to a family
of musicians, Blackman grew
up “influenced by the sound
and artistry of the musical
traditions of soca and calypso
sounds,” according to Wikipedia,
the online encyclopedia.
At the age of four, it said
Blackman began singing
regularly and entered her
first Calypso competition two
years later. Her professional
career then began at 11.
She is not only classicallytrained
in voice but also in
various instruments, including
the guitar and keyboard, Wikipedia
said.
In 2016, it said Blackman
performed her song, “Runaway
Train” for Movie Towne’s Pixel
Play showcase.
“This performance raised
her national profile and helped
to garner buzz in advance of
her 2017 releases,” Wikipedia
said.
It said Blackman collaborated
with the internationally
successful soca act Kes on
the song “Workout,” “which
became a massive hit during
the 2017 Trinidad Carnival season
and continues to enjoy lasting
popularity.”
“Workout” took Blackman
to the finals of the 2017 International
Caribbean L 34 ife, Sept. 4-10, 2020
Soca Monarch competition.
Blackman also released
“Bailah Mami” in 2017, produced
by Anson Pro Soverall.
In 2018, the most popular
of Blackman’s songs were
released, including “O’ Lawd
Oye” and “Badishh,” the latter
featuring the Jamaican dancehall
singer Shenseea, Wikipedia
said.
It said Blackman’s rising star
earned her candidacy in BET‘s
2018 “Best New International
Act” viewer’s choice competition.
In August 2019, Blackman
released her debut EP “The
Reel”, which features the single
“Sweet & Loco.”
a certain security on bookings
for the year.
“But, even within that
context, they have managed
to broaden their vision to
include non-seasonal performances,
as is evidenced
by their recent Thanksgiving
show in Atlanta, GA,” it
added. “It is a good space to
be in as the movement to
‘take soca global’ continues to
build momentum.
“And although they are not
the first band to do this, and
will definitely not be the lastthey
have made major strides
in owning a space not regularly
frequented by soca music,”
it continued.
In 2011, KTB’s “Wotless”
was nominated for a BET Soul
Train Music Award in the category
of Best Caribbean Performance,
according to 2BKaribbean.
It said it was also the year
that KTB worked with Jamaican
songstress, Tessane Chin,
on “Loving You.”
Beyond embracing an interisland
connection, 2BKaribbean
said this collaboration
took on even more significance
when Chin went on to
gain international acclaim by
snatching the title of “Season
Five Winner” of the show,
“The Voice”.
In 2012, KTB collaborated
with internationally-acclaimed
rapper, Snoop Dogg,
on “Stress Away,” according
to 2BKaribbean.
That same year, it said the
band performed at the Play
Station Theater in Times
Square in New York City.
In 2013, KTB also performed
and sold out at the historic BB
Kings in New York as well.
Fans of Kes the Band.
“These are but a few of the
flags that the band has planted
on the road to taking soca global,”
said 2BKaribbean, adding:
“And they are meaningful
ones.”
Continued from Page 33
Trinidadian soca star Nailah
Blackman performs at an
event. Nailah Blackman / FB
Continued from Page 33
English was important.”
As the sole Latin artist to
perform during the four-day
virtual event, where Joe Biden
was officially nominated as
the Democratic candidate for
the Nov. 3 Presidential Election,
Royce said he was motivated
to be part of convention
and to represent Latinos.
“Of course, I said yes,” he
said. “All eyes are on the convention,
which, for the first
time, is virtual, and I was
happy to be a part of it and
represent the Latino community.”
Billbooard said a record 32
million Latinos are projected
to be eligible to vote in the
2020 Presidential Elections,
basing its figure on data from
the Pew Research Center.
“There is no excuse for not
voting,” Royce told Billboard.
“The future is in our hands.”
He said “Stand By Me”
would “go perfectly with the
convention’s message of unity,
and singing in both Spanish
and English was important.
“It represents who I am
and my community,” Royce
said.
“What I expect of any
future president of our nation
is to be a true leader, to have
integrity and dedication, to
care about all Americans,
putting our country above
politics and to be a unifying
force in our diverse nation,”
he added.
“We need the kind of leader
that represents our country’s
values and is able to properly
deal with the pandemic
that has been disproportionately
affecting our country,”
continued Royce, stating that
“there is no excuse for not
voting.
“It is our responsibility as
citizens, and I mean that for
whoever your favorite candidate
may be,” he said. “We
must truly study the platforms
of each candidate and
vote for who we think is best
to lead our country. The
future is in our hands.”
Continued from Page 33
BRASS ONLINE
Dominican Republic-American singer-songwriter Prince
Royce. Prince Royce / FB