I AM THE FIRST EVER CARIBBEAN SOCA MONARCH!
Current mood: Accomplished
Alright it’s been wayyyy too long since my last post on this blog for which I humbly and sincerely apologise, but SOOO much has been going on…
First and foremost, I’m proud and honoured to say that after being invited to St. Lucia to represent Trinidad & Tobago at the first ever Caribbean Soca Monarch competition two Sundays ago (July 16th, 2006), your boy Mista Vybe emerged the WINNER!
Holding my Caribbean Soca Monarch trophy triumphantly!
Words cannot express how shocked, awed, humbled and thankful I am to receive such an honour! I’m still a little dazed from the whole thing.
In case you’re only now hearing about it, the media has begun to spread the word. There have already been online articles about all this at islandevents.com, trinijunglejuice, toronto-lime and socanews. Up to today (July 24th, 2006) I was live on SynergyTV, hanging out with my dawg Hans on the popular countdown show ‘D Scene’, talking about the Caribbean Soca Monarch experience, and you can look for myself and Nadia Batson on Synergy Nights tomorrow night (Tuesday July 25th) with Jason Willliams, where I’m sure he’ll ask us about our Soca Monarch experience in depth (I might even carry the trophy for all to see)… I’ll also be popping up on CNC3 and NCC Channel 4 later on in the week so stay tuned…
Oh – in case you’re curious about why I’m bare-chested and soaking wet in most of the pics from the show, that’s because it rained cats and dogs through almost the ENTIRE performance! So picture yuh boy half naked jumping and waving in the torrential rain while the drenched equipment starts to smoke up the stage before it all but blows up! (THAT’S how crazy it got LOL)
My winning Caribbean Soca Monarch performance – IN THE RAIN!
I have to say a heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed to my winning the title, even though just saying “thanks” doesn’t seem like enough for all the invaluable help and support that assisted me in being crowned the Monarch…
Above all I must thank God who clearly took that night in his hands and shaped the events that led to my triumph. God is good – never forget that!
I have to say a big thanks to my management team – the ladies of Socalypso Entertainment (Ayaana and Janelle) who worked tirelessly before during and after the competition to help me put together the show I wanted to do… thanks ladies! Muah! Extra special thanks to my road manager Ayaana who was in St. Lucia two days before I even got there organising what turned out to be a hell of a performance for me. ;-)
Also have to send my undying thanks out to to my fellow competitor and fellow Trini, Nadia Batson who was nice enough to stand in the rain and sing backup for me after she finsihed competing herself.
More undying thanks go to out to the REST of the Big Artiste Crew (Nadia and I are both members) – Michelle Sylvester and (my lil sista) Ms. Alysha, who both flew to St. Lucia for the sole purpose of singing backup for yours truly that night… now that’s what friends are for! Thanks a million!
By my side (literally and figuratively) were my two backup dancers who danced for msyelf and for Nadia and did a fabulous job at that. Particularly, considering that for my song they were literally dancing in the rain for the whole song! My eternal thanks to my friends Sherma Burke (who happens to be the reigning Miss LaReine Rive pagent winner here in TnT) and Samantha Flores (an amazing dancer in her own right. Just to be fair, these girls aren’t just ANY OLD dancers… they both just returned from Germany, where they proudly respresented TnT as part of the dance contingent sent to support the Trinidad and Tobago’s Soca Warriors in for the 2006 World Cup! (Yeah – when I come, I come with the best! LOL) Thanks Sherm and Sammy – I couldn’t have done it without you!
Even more thanks for all of the kick-ass musicians that backed me in St. Lucia for the competition – big up the Extreme Band!
And of course I respect ALL the people I competed against (each one a star and contender in his or her own right) but I must make special mention of the runner-up: Ninja Dan, who also happens to be the man that inspired “Ting 4 D Road” in the first place… thanks bro! Much love! keep doing your “ting”! LOL
The Top Four contestants in St. Lucia’s Caribbean Soca Monarch posing with their trophies: (From Left To Right) Mista Vybe, Ninja Dan (2nd), Platinum George (4th) and Alpha (4th)
Last but BY NO MEANS LEAST: a heartfelt thanks to all the Fans who came out to the show, supported me, showed so much love, jumped and waved in the rain and generally made me feel welcome. THANK YOU ST. LUCIA! Love yuh!
Oh – the Caribbean Soca Monarch wasn’t all that happened that weekend… on Saturday night before I flew off to St. Lucia for the competition I had the honour of performing (for the second year) at TnT’s own Soca For Summer Show. Ms. Alysha and I joined our longtime bredrin Bunji Garlin (Happy Belated Birthday, B!) onstage with the Asylum band and had a great time in the middle of a set that also included FayAnn Lyons, Lil Bitts, Kevin Lyttle and the long awaited return to the stage of our long-lost bredrin, Blazer – who ripped the stage in fine form.
All in all it was a great night… even though right after Bunji set we had to rush off to the airport… ahh well… it was worth it, ent?
Since I’ve gotten back I took a lil time to rest and be thankful for my accomplishments so far this year, as well as work on new material.
Ms. Alysha and I have a song on the recently-released Red Hummer Riddim, produced by my “brother from another mother” (LOL) Madman Johann (from the Sel Construction sound system). It’s called “Dancing Machine” and features me and my “lil sista” doin some wicked dancing instructions! Listen out for it…
I’m also workin on a couple other new joints… so keep your ears peeled…
And in the meantime… the Mista Vybe Travels The World Tour (LOL – there isn’t really an OFFICIAL tour but it sounds cool, right?) will soon continue… keep it locked to find out when and where…
In the meantime… reach for your dreams – anything is possible! I am living proof of that.
Blessed love!
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