For those who went to Machel Monatno’s Alternative Concept 4, you might remember a diminutive Japanese singer by the name of Minmi who came onstage to perform her hit “Summertime”, a mix of soca and Japanese pop, though admittedly the crowd at Alternative Concept could not understand one word that came out of her mouth except for “summertime”. But, I think it just goes to show how yet again the Japanese have taken Caribbean culture and put their stamp on it. We have Junko contorting her body in all sorts of acrobatic positions to take the title of Dancehall Queen and now we have Minmi spreading what sounds like soca globally.
Well, I guess it was only a matter of time before one of our soca artistes decided to collaborate with Minmi and the man who first brought a Japanese flavour to Carnival in 2004 with Junko is doing it again; in 2006 Machel Montano is collaborating on a soca song with Minmi. Need I say how much I am looking forward to what comes from this collaboration. Call me biased, but I think Machel teaming up with other artistes always produces a hit!
For more information on Minmi you can visit her
official website and to see a video of Summertime click the photo of Minmi which will take you to
Synergy TV's website:
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8 comments:
As long as Machel is the only soca artiste who can see past Soca Monarch finals and Road March soca and calypso will reach nowhere. There was a hit released a few months ago up here by the latest singing sensation in England Lily Allen that was hard core calypso. All the interviews and articles I've read about her and her music speaks about her reggae influence - nobody even recognises the fact that she's singing a type of music that's NOT reggae and is indeed a different genre altogether. Nobody (besides Machel) seems willing to continue the work our artistes started back in the 20s and 30s when calypso ruled the airwaves both in the US and Europe. Bob Dylan used to go listen to Lion and Kitch sing and names them as major influences in his work. We just want to sing about hand and bamcee now.
Morning Saucy!!
I got a link to this video sometime around January and thoroughly loved it. Japanese people ain't easy!!! So I was one of the few singing along (well.....humming for most of the song, except for "summertime"). But its a cool song.
However, that was the last 1st and last alternative concept for me.
Maybe Minmi should spend much of the carnival season in TnT.
Hottie I will look up this Lily Allen person, and don't get me started, look how fat kevin Little reach....!!!
Warrior if she is teaming up with Machel, i am sure Minmi will be in Trinidad for the Carnival season for sure!
Hi Saucy & Hottie,
this is a link to Lilly Allen. I think she's more ska than calypso but it real catchy. my husband & I went to see her in early Nov. I had a small post about the concert, and pics on my photo album as well.
http://picasaweb.google.com/jknine3/LillyAllenPortsmouthPyramids
http://www.myspace.com/lilymusic.
The rag waving in the summertime video was cool.
I think if soca artists want to make the big bucks & get more well known round the world they have to have a more mainstream sound. As big as Machel is, I never hear a song of his in a 'normal' club here yet. You could hear Rupee & Kevin Lyttle though and the latter not around that long either
Yeah, her influence is mainly reggae and ska but she has calypso also. That song about riding around in London is hardcore soca. I have a friend who's a musician from Trini and he says the chords and the music follow all the rules of calypso.
We also do not promote or market our culture properly. Yuh think yuh would ever hear Buju or Elephant Man on the radio up here in the US and not hear it called reggae?? But of course, imagine my surprise listening to Hot 97 which is mainstream radio here, heard all across the North East, and they announce brand new reggae tunes,and what song is it?? None other than by KMC -"Soul on Fire".....same thing for Allison's "Roll It". I mean if we getting the music heard internationally make sure it's attributed to the right country and genre nuh?? Dat get me vex one time.
sweettrini, and they misplaced Buju Banton and Elephant Man as well. They are Jamaican Dancehall NOT Reggae (even for the very little Reggae they may do). Sean Paul is not Reggae either. What the majority of Americans have to learn is not all music from the Caribbean is Reggae, and not all music coming from Jamaica is Reggae. I think they would think Salsa and Merengue are from the island of Manhattan not Cuba for Salsa (then heavely popularized by Puerto Rico), and the Dominican Republic for Merengue. Yup KMC and Allison are Soca artists, and "Soul on Fire" and "Roll It" are Soca tunes even if a slower "internationalized Soca." Japan's Mimmi got a pretty good interpretion of the faster Soca on "Summertime" (thanks Saucy, for introducing me to that one). There are quite a bit of Americans who are ignorant, and you are right the promoters of the music should encourage the American DJs to call it what it is.
And let's not get things twisted either (just kicksin). Not all of the hottest artists from the islands sing Caribbean music: Billy Ocean, Rihanne......
And the beat goes on.
oh gosh well I give up on the reggae thing long time now. Seems like most foreigner think all music from jamaica is reggae. they don't know any better yes. I suppose they can't tell or know the difference between the different beats.
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