Artists redefine the Caribbean music landscape
In a deep dive into the evolving landscape of soca and calypso, the Department of Literary, Cultural, and Communication Studies hosted its fifth U(We) Outside discussion, almost a year after its inaugural U(We) Outside session. Setting the stage for insightful discussions was Head of Department Dr Suzanne Burke, who gave the opening address.
“For us in the department, many of the issues we examine are tied to the socio-cultural landscape, in which music plays an intrinsic role,” Dr Burke noted.
The discussion, titled “From Steam to Soca”, focussed on the shifting dynamics of the Carnival music scene, particularly highlighting the season’s most popular songs, many of which came from artists who had transitioned to soca, calypso, and chutney-soca.
“Their presence not only reflects how traditional Carnival spheres are changing," she said, "but also how these new genres are reshaping the sonic landscape.”
Held on March 27, the event kicked off with an electrifying call-and-response segment led by moderator Abeo Jackson, instantly transforming UWI St Augustine’s Daaga Auditorium from a lecture space into a living cultural forum, pulsating with the energy of its audience.
The panel featured two dynamic voices in the industry: Keisha Harris, known as Lady Lava, and Anthony Le Fleur, better known as Squeezy Rankin. Originally, Akhenaton Lewis (Yung Bredda) was set to join the panel, but was unable to attend due to other commitments.
Both artistes brought distinct perspectives on transitioning into new genres. Squeezy Rankin, a veteran of the dancehall scene, shared that his decision to shift towards calypso stemmed from a desire to refine his musical identity and connect with a wider audience. Reflecting on his early struggles, he recounted his journey from selling incense sticks and fragrances after school to honing his beatboxing skills on the basketball court.
“When I started, none of my peers were singing about real issues—it was all ‘gun man’ tunes," he recalled. "That was the only way to get radio play.”
But as he matured, performing violent and vulgar lyrics to younger audiences no longer felt right. This year, in stark contrast, most of his performances took place in schools. For him, the transition into calypso was a return to his roots and a deeper commitment to storytelling.
Lady Lava, on the other hand, never saw her shift in genre as a transition, but rather as an evolution.
Raised in a strict Christian household, she secretly listened to secular music, which her mother deemed "devil music". Despite dabbling in various genres like conscious music, she always remained true to her unique storytelling approach. Her fiery stage presence earned her the name “Lady Lava”, inspired by crowds chanting “Lava!” after her performances.
“For me, soca isn’t a transition—it’s always been a part of my music,” she explained. “There’s a heavy soca influence in the steam genre, allowing me to blend both styles.”
Squeezy Rankin echoed this sentiment, asserting that soca and calypso have always been the foundation for dancehall, steam, and zess music.
Both artists found that their fans embraced their musical evolution. Lady Lava noted that, even after Carnival, audiences continued requesting her soca songs, just as they asked for her steam tracks during Carnival.
“That’s the beauty of a great song,” Squeezy Rankin added. “It’s not just for Carnival. It carries meaning and can be played and sung all year round.”
He praised Lady Lava for her authenticity, likening her brand and lyrical style to rapso. “She stays true to the culture, and that’s rare.”
Lady Lava responded, “I’m not afraid of any genre. It’s always my own style and flavour, just on a different beat.”
When discussing the challenges of switching genres, their opinions diverged. Squeezy Rankin admitted that transitioning from raunchy dancehall lyrics to more refined calypso compositions was difficult. “Going from being on stage as a 'ragga muffin' to singing 'sweet' took work - it required refining parts of myself.”
Jackson challenged him, asking why he felt the need to refine himself. He replied, “I compare myself to oil going through a refinery—it’s the same oil, just smoother.”
His transformation included voice training, something he had never needed in dancehall. “My voice never went hoarse after a performance until I started singing calypso.”
Lady Lava saw change differently. “There’s nothing wrong with change,” she said. “The youth respect the origins, but life is not what it was before; we just have different frequency of people now.”
She admitted that her approach to soca required adjustments. “I had to soften my delivery while staying true to my brand. The crowd has changed, so my lyrical content had to evolve.”
Moderator Omari Ashby commended Lady Lava for mastering the art of performance. “Not many young artists can do what she does, especially engaging audiences through call and response.”
As the discussion wrapped up, it was clear that soca and calypso are in an era of transformation, driven by artistes who are unafraid to blur genre boundaries and redefine the soundscape of Caribbean music. With passion and authenticity leading the way, the future of Caribbean music has never looked more exciting.
