Soca Chronicles

We’re celebrating five years of Soca Chronicles by linking with Shelly from the Signal Band and talking honestly about where bouyon and soca are headed. We run through Notting Hill Carnival highlights, upcoming fetes from London to Miami, and the music we’re carrying into the next run of carnivals.

• five-year anniversary check-in and why we keep showing up for the culture
• Shelly’s story from calypso competitions to founding Signal Band
• bouyon’s place in the Caribbean and why more DJs are programming it
• the soca going global debate and what “scaling” means for culture
• why artists can’t think in strict carnival seasons anymore
• Signal Band top picks and what’s hitting in mixes right now
• Notting Hill Carnival recap, band results, and the real post-weekend recovery
• Brawlin on November 7 and why the date makes sense
• ticket info and the new Brawlin Part 3 bashment soca mix on SoundCloud
• Miami Carnival plans, must-do events, and linking up with listeners
• Song of the Month: Patrice Roberts “Outside Child”

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@thearkayo
@soca_chronicles

www.socachronicles.com

Sponsored by:
www.acesir.com 

First of all: apologies for the delay! Due to some hardware problems we were only able to release the episode a week late. It won't happen again!
This episode we go from a wild Belgium night at Antilliaanse Feesten to a backstage chat with GBM Nutron, then zoom out to map what carnival season looks like across islands and cities. We trade honest stories from the road, debate Road March results, and line up what’s next as Notting Hill and Miami start calling our names.

• Belgium recap at Antilliaanse Feesten and the backstage link-up
• Interview with GBM Nutron on roots in soca and calypso plus producing and songwriting
• Crop Over Barbados travel stories, DJ bookings, and reading a mixed crowd
• Soca Monarch and Road March results for Barbados plus why patriotic songs land
• Grenada Spice Mas highlights, song of the month pick, and Road March top three
• Antigua Road March results and a new artist to explore
• Upcoming Notting Hill Carnival plans and the run up to Miami

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@thearkayo
@soca_chronicles

www.socachronicles.com

Sponsored by:
www.acesir.com 

We run through fresh Vincy Mas results, then jump forward for a live-style Saint Lucia Road March update using our new “Future Sharnz” time-travel check-in. We also set the table for Crop Over and Spice Mas, celebrate Kes’ big moves, and lock in a Song of the Month we can’t stop replaying.
• Vincy Mas Soca Monarch and Ragga Soca Monarch results
• Vincy Mas Road March breakdown, including the shared second place
• Saint Lucia Carnival Road March results delivered by “Future Sharnz”
• Crop Over mood-setting, including Sharnz’ SoundCloud mixes to stream
• Song of the Month pick: “Da Wash She Get” by Lead Pipe on the Blue Badness Riddim

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@thearkayo
@soca_chronicles

www.socachronicles.com

Sponsored by:
www.acesir.com 

Bouyon is becoming more and more popular. We’re joined by Dominican bouyon artist Khallion, and he takes us from his early days in a rap and pop group to the life-changing event that forced him to step away from music   and rebuild his entire direction with a new mindset.

• Kalion’s early music path and the origins of Choeb 
• The accident that derails his career and the role of counseling 
• The online bacchanal over similar-sounding songs and how he sees it 
• Why he prefers albums over singles and how he approaches production 
• Bouyon, soca, and why genre fighting holds the region back 
• Lack of artist support, business mindset, and building his own lane 
• New album tease and experimenting with a bouyon and kompa blend 

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@thearkayo
@soca_chronicles
@khallion.official

www.socachronicles.com

Sponsored by:
www.acesir.com 

We sit down with Lyrza to learn how Aruba’s soca scene really works, from band culture and competition rules to the island politics that shape what becomes a carnival anthem. We leave with a clearer view of why “Road March” sparks arguments, how a viral joke song can win big, and what makes Aruba Carnival feel so different on the road.
• Lyrza’s background from church singing to Aruba Carnival performances
• How San Nicolas and Oranjestad influence audiences and band identity
• Why Aruba’s Soca Monarch runs through bands instead of solo artists
• Lirza’s top three Aruba soca picks and what makes each one hit
• What “Road March” means in Aruba versus the wider soca world
• The “Lizards Cacking” controversy, rule changes, and why it still won
• How Aruba parade costumes and pacing compare with other Caribbean carnivals

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@thearkayo
@soca_chronicles
@lyzdoll

www.socachronicles.com

Sponsored by:
www.acesir.com 

We celebrate one year of Brawlin and why pushing Bajan soca in the UK matters, then we pivot to the hard reality of safety after troubling news out of Jamaica Carnival. We run through upcoming carnival dates and tours, unpack Bacchanal Boys name drama, and close with our Grenada pick plus a new rhythm showcase we want to make a monthly habit.

• Brawlin’s one-year anniversary and bigger venue growth
• Why Bajan music deserves more shine outside Barbados
• Jamaica Carnival shooting discussion and what security should do better
• St. Martin Carnival dates and planning travel around the season
• Birthday month talk and Caribbean Break Festival in Spain
• Kes Europe dates and how fast tickets move
• Bacchanal Boys vs Backhanal Boyz cease and desist back-and-forth
• Song of the month: Lavaman ft Kay Frass “No Good Friends”
• AI-generated music videos and worries about AI soca music
• Power Line Rhythm showcase and why it could mash up Crop Over

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@thearkayo
@soca_chronicles

www.socachronicles.com

Sponsored by:
www.acesir.com 

We dig into the claim that Bajan bashment soca peaked in 2018 to 2019 and ask what it would take to bring that energy back without freezing the sound. We weigh nostalgia against evolution, get thoughts from DJ Kai, and call out the DJ habits and scene-building work that can push Bajan soca forward.
• DJ Puffy’s comment on the 2018 to 2019 peak
• DJ Kai’s take on evolution plus support for Bajan soca
• Why DJs repeat “guaranteed” songs and how sets get stale
• The case for balance between new soca and classics
• UK DJs and crews consistently pushing Bajan music
• April carnival calendar shoutouts including Jamaica Carnival and St Maarten
April 18th, Brawlin is back, head to the link www.tridentldn.com

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@thearkayo
@soca_chronicles

www.socachronicles.com

Sponsored by:
www.acesir.com 

We tackle Trinidad’s Road March result, the record 12th title, and the swirl of promotion, DJs, and people power shaping what plays at judging points. Then we tour February’s carnivals, pick our Song of the Month, and plug two London fetes you should not miss.

• record 12th Road March title and reaction
• what defines a Road March song versus a popular hit
• DJ influence, judging points, and calls for fairness
• spring carnival calendar highlights and budgeting
• Song of the Month: Voice – Cyah Behave
• London events: Supah Nytro’s birthday and Brawlin anniversary

Follow us on IG:
@djsharnz
@thearkayo
@soca_chronicles

www.socachronicles.com

Sponsored by:
www.acesir.com 

We kick off 2026 with Sugar Mas FOMO, cruise adventures across nine islands, and a tune that won’t leave our heads. Then we go deep on ticket committees, pricing, and how exclusivity shapes the culture while mapping big plans for Brawling and the Dutch Soca scene rebound.

• Sugar Mas recap
• First-time Caribbean cruise takeaways
• Respectfully Yours as Song of the Month
• Ticket committees and event gatekeeping
• Brawling 2026 schedule highlights
• Sounds of Soca launch in Rotterdam

Follow us on IG:
@djsharnz
@thearkayo
@soca_chronicles

www.socachronicles.com

Sponsored by:
www.acesir.com 

A festive year-end wraps the biggest wins in Soca, from Grenada’s amazing year to V'ghn’s touring blueprint. We crown Muddy’s “Payroll” as Song of the Year and spotlight early 2026 anthems. We also unpack King Bubba’s rhythm reboot and share the best places to discover new tracks.

• Personal highlights from bookings, parties and the Nadia Batson interview
• Grenada’s surge with Muddy, Lil Kerry and Vaughn
• Rolling Stone list placement for “Payroll” at number 85
• Vaughn’s tour strategy and DJ AG’s street sessions
• Machel Montano’s Tiny Desk milestone
• Song of the Year selection for “Payroll”
• 2026 season picks: “Can You Bend” and “Rum and Coca-Cola”
• where to find new Soca mixes: Dei Musicale, DJ Jel and Close Connections
• Song of the Month: “Pull The Pin” on Monkey Business riddim and its backstory

Link to Dei Musicale's Soundcloud: click here

Follow us on IG:
@djsharnz
@thearkayo
@soca_chronicles

www.socachronicles.com

Sponsored by:
www.acesir.com