Soca’s status as the forgotten music of the Caribbean is about to change as a new showcase gives it the recognition it deserves, the annual Soca News - Soca Music Awards.
Infectious
At carnival time, soca is the infectious dance music that moves millions on the streets of Notting Hill and at festivals worldwide. But for the rest of the year, it’s fair to say that soca has a much lower profile. These new Awards should change all that.
Developed in Trinidad in the 1970s by adding new rhythms to calypso, soca has come a long way and today boasts many world-class artistes. In the UK it can be heard year-round in clubs and on Choice 96.9FM and 101.7FM, BBC 1Xtra and community radio stations such as lynxradio.net, socafm.co.uk, temporadio.co.uk and vibesfm.com. A dedicated band of DJs keeps the music’s lively, fashion-conscious followers abreast with the latest sounds from around the soca globe. And calypso – the original music of the Caribbean – is enjoying a revival too, thanks to a wave of new talent.
It’s not always been an easy ride for Britain’s soca-lovers, though. That’s why Soca News – the UKs pioneering magazine of Caribbean music and culture – decided it was time to celebrate all those who have made significant contributions to the music.
Salute
The Soca Music Awards will honour the hard-working producers, writers, arrangers and performers of soca and calypso. It’s going to be a long-overdue chance for everyone who loves the music to salute its great achievers, from the pioneers to up-and-coming artistes.
The Awards will feature a host of celebrities and supporters of Caribbean music, art and culture. As well as performances by UK and international soca artistes.
The organisation behind the awards, Soca News, is a Caribbean music and culture brand that can be found online at socanews.com and in print via Soca News Magazine. It’s a one-stop source of information about communities, music events, reviews and news from home and abroad.
