Soca Chronicles

A shorter than usual holiday-tinged soca catch-up with talk on a sudden venue ban in Trinidad, a sold-out Brawlin in London, and a groovy song of the month.

• Details of the Port of Spain venue ban and backlash
• Brawlin’s sell-out story and turning people away at capacity
• Bajan Independence mix curation and track selection discipline
• song of the month: Machel Montano x Tano’s Compromise in groovy season

And as Nytro says: Make sure you check out Soca Chronicles, tag a friend, tell a friend, share the podcast, let people know that this exists because it's good for the culture, it's good for the vibe, it's good for the energy, it's educational, it's fun, it's funny, it's banterful, and it's good for you to just know a little bit about the people that's making your music and the people that you're involved with listening to.

Link to DJ Jels Parang Mix: https://soundcloud.com/jelinthemix/soca-parang-mix-dj-jel-classics-vol-2

We celebrate the final big carnival of the year, relive Miami Carnival with first-time DJ moments and standout fetes, then dive deep with G.E.O. from St. Vincent and even get an exclusive preview track.

• Miami Carnival highlights, J’Ouvert and boat rides
• Tipping culture, DJ debut, and standout fetes like SSS
• Song of the Month: Can You Bend by Skinny Fabulous, Travis World, and Suhraw
• G.E.O's interview including an exclusive preview of his new track

Find G.E.O. on Instagram here: @official_g_e_o

We celebrate our four-year podcast anniversary with a dynamic interview featuring the rising Bouyon artist Trev li, who shares his extraordinary journey from Dominica to Russia and back to Caribbean music.

• Trev li reveals his surprising 15-year musical career in Russia before returning to Bouyon music
• The marketing genius behind the viral hit "Fire Truck" and how it dominated social media
• Exploring the raw, unfiltered nature of modern Bouyon compared to traditional Soca
• The creative process behind collaborations like "Foodie" with Problem Child
• The cultural significance of Bouyon's direct lyrical approach that Trevly calls "raw romance"

Brawling returns on November 22nd! Follow @tridentldn on Instagram for details about this upcoming Barbados Independence celebration in London.

Trev Li's Instagram here.

Sharnz and Arkayo take listeners on a whirlwind tour of the summer carnival circuit, sharing experiences from St. Lucia to Notting Hill and featuring an exclusive interview with soca star Nadia Batson.

• St. Lucia Carnival highlights and Road March winners with "The Car" by Dezral and Jardel taking first place
• Barbados Crop Over experiences including a review by our good friend Bramble
• Grenada's stellar year for soca music with Lil Kerry's "Bury All" winning Road March
• Exclusive interview with Nadia Batson at Belgium's Antilliaanse Feesten about her musical journey and advice for upcoming artists
• Reflections on Notting Hill Carnival and tips for navigating Europe's largest Caribbean festival

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to follow Soca Chronicles on Instagram @soca_chronicles and share with friends who love Caribbean culture and music.

Antiliaanse Feesten Instagram here.

Sharnz and Arkayo welcome guest Jhelisa for a thought-provoking discussion about the over-sexualization of Soca and how modern technology is changing carnival culture.

• Carnival season updates: St. Lucia Carnival coming up, Vincy Mas results announced with Problem Child taking first place
• Sharnz will be attending both St. Lucia Carnival and Crop Over in Barbados
• Both hosts will be at Antilliaanse Feesten in August
• Song of the month: "Whale Fu See" by OG Park and Rom Lod from Vincy
• Discussion on the cultural misunderstanding of wining through Western eyes
• Evolution of carnival costumes becoming increasingly revealing over time
• How constant recording and cameras at events prevent people from truly "freeing up"
• Safety concerns for women at events and the importance of consent regardless of clothing
• New trend of phone-free events like "Do Not Disturb" and "Blackout Soca" in London
• The importance of educating newcomers about the history and culture behind carnival

Check out Blackout Soca on September 13th in London – a phone-free event where you can truly free up without worrying about cameras.

Follow us on IG:
@djsharnz
@thearkayo
@soca_chronicles

www.socachronicles.com

Sponsored by:
www.acesir.com 

Grenadian soca artist Dash joins us to discuss his journey from a musical family to becoming a five-time Soca Monarch and reigning Road March King of Grenada.

• Dash explains how music chose him, coming from a family with his father as a calypso artist and other relatives engaged in music
• He breaks down the inspirational meaning behind his 2018 hit "Gifted," which celebrates the talents everyone possesses
• We learn how Dash created "Last Drop" in just 48 hours after receiving the riddim from Expert Productions
• Dash reveals the creative process behind his Power Soca Monarch and Road March winner "The Tape".
• And more! 

We dive into the controversial debate of who deserves the title of Soca's GOAT and whether carnival culture has become too commercialized.

• DJ Sharnz shares the success of her recent "Brawlin" event in London with tickets for the July 11th follow-up event dropping May 30th
• Highlights from Ibiza Soca Festival in Malta, featuring performances by Kes, Skinny Fabulous, Ridge, and other top Soca artists
• Song of the month: "Attack" by Jus Jay and Jagwa De Champ
• In-depth discussion with guests Bramble and Chanty about criteria for crowning Soca's greatest artist
• Exploration of carnival's evolution, with concerns about rising costs and the balance between commercial interests and cultural preservation
• Discussion about private jump events versus traditional carnival experiences

Tickets for the next Trident London "Brawlin" event on July 11th go on sale May 30th at 6 PM. Visit www.tridentldn.com to purchase.
Link to Ramon G's mix.

Sharnz and Arkayo return with their usual banter discussing Jamaica Carnival, Vybz Kartel's controversial Barbados concert, and the hottest Soca music of today.

• Vybz Kartel's Easter Sunday concert in Barbados sparked religious protests
• Spotlight on Sizwe C's new Afro Soca fusion track "Hundred"
• Song of the month: "F Your Man" by Mr Ridge and Problem Child dominating London parties
• Sharnz announces her new event "Brawling" focused on showcasing Bajan soca music (follow @tridentldn)
• Sharnz booked for Ibiza Soca Festival alongside Kes, Skinny Fabulous, Lyrical, and other artists
• Upcoming carnivals in Jamaica and Atlanta

If you're going to ISF or Atlanta Carnival, let us know in the comments and share your videos! Tag us so we can live vicariously through you. Next month we'll be back with more content and a few surprises, so stay tuned!

Follow us on IG:
@djsharnz
@thearkayo
@soca_chronicles

www.socachronicles.com

Sponsored by:
www.acesir.com 

Soca Chronicles explores Trinidad Carnival's judging controversy, Machel Montano's historic Road March win, and Sharnz' dramatic Mardi Gras adventure.

• A Trinidad Carnival judge prematurely announced Machel Montano as the Road March winner before counting finished
• Soca power couple Fay-Ann and Bunji Garlin withdraw from future competitions citing the incident as "uncomfortable"
• Machel Montano wins his 11th Road March title with "Party," tying Lord Kitchener's all-time record
• Machel also enters and wins the Chutney Soca Monarch with "Pepper Vine" in his first attempt
• Sharnz shares her stressful travel drama at Mardi Gras when a missing bus driver nearly causes her to miss international flights

Follow us on IG:
@djsharnz
@thearkayo
@soca_chronicles

www.socachronicles.com

Sponsored by:
www.acesir.com 

In this episode of Soca Chronicles, we dive into the drama between Trinidad Killa and Machel Montano! Is it the reason Nicki Minaj finally released her remix?

Then, we sit down with Keith Currency for an exclusive interview! He shares his journey in soca, his latest music, and what’s next for him.

It’s a mix of vibes, gossip, and real talk—don’t miss it! 🎤💃🏾

Follow us on IG:
@keithcurrencymuzik
@djsharnz
@thearkayo
@soca_chronicles

www.socachronicles.com

Sponsored by:
www.acesir.com