ET&T THE CHALLENGES FACED BY NEWS FEMALE ENTERTAINERS EXPOSED
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hat would soca be without our beloved female soca artistes lending their incomparable touches to the music which we all enjoy? While female soca artistes are highly appreciated, the industry is still male dominated and in most of our interviews with them there has been an underlying thread which identifies additional pressures which they encounter just because they are female. Some popular artistes shared their perspectives on this with ET&T. Nailah Blackman
Rising star Nailah Blackman admitted that she has observed females being pressured in the industry, but expressed relief that thus far she has not had that experience, “I would say that that has never happened to me based on my legacy and based on where I came from. Soca has been all about Carnival for a very long time and Carnival is all about this sex appeal and sexiness and women in the industry may feel this pressure to oversexualize themselves. However, based on where I come from - a family of Christians and conservatives, people don’t necessarily expect that from me even though I give it on my own just because that is who I am as a person.” She advised females to be themselves regardless of what the norm appeared to be, “that’s the only way that you could ever really love what you do. You don’t need to fit a mould you just need to do you. Its either they like it or leave it. It’s their choice. It’s for you to now stand firm in what you believe and not be swayed by the critics.”
Jadel
2016 International Soca Monarch Breakout artiste, Jadel related her mild frustration that most of her past interviews have been dominated by this line of questioning yet venting did not seem to bring about any major changes. According to her, oftentimes female artistes, especially upcoming ones are given mediocre, otherwise rejected songs which radio DJs fail to give any attention. However, she says, “I am not going to blame anyone for my hardships or talk about unfair treatment or fight down…personally doing audio engineering, song writing and trying to find the right formula has helped me a bit.” She added that the strategy as a female should include strong marketing, a good manager, lots of ground work and lastly and most importantly a good song. “I'm thankful for people like Calypso Rose who have paved the way for women in the industry. We need to help each other as well not bad talk or bring each other down.” Calypso Rose herself in response to an unofficial standard in the in-
dustry which required females to dress in a very revealing way stated that female soca artistes needed to only dress how they felt comfortable. As regards other issues which they faced she suggested that these could only be overcome with a united voice, “We all have to unite as one because unity is strength and once we women unite as one, regardless of the criteria we will find the strength to fight the battle. As long as we are divided we are weak, but stand together, hold fast, hold firm and we will have strength in anything we do.” Terri Lyons
The ET&T WEEKLY Tabloid is published by ABSTRACT MEDIA GROUP Company Limited in the island of Trinidad and Tobago and is protected by strict copyright laws and is not to be reproduced in full or in part without the written consent from the management of ABSTRACT MEDIA GROUP Company Limited. ©Copyright Abstract Media Group Company Limited 2013. All Rights Reserved. Disclaimer: The views expressed herein are expressed by the writers and do not reflect the sentiment of Abstract Media Group Company Limited. Disclaimer: The views or opinions presented in this publication are solely those of the writers and do not necessarily represent those of the company. Employees of ABSTRACT MEDIA GROUP COMPANY LIMITED are expressly required not to make defamatory statements and not to infringe or authorize any infringement of copyright or any other legal right. Any such article is contrary to company policy and is outside the scope of the employment of the individual writer concerned. The company will not accept any liability in respect of such article, and the employee responsible will be personally liable for any damages or other liability arising. Cover photo: Model: Temika Jackson, Photographer: Carlos Alexander, Designer: Kerr & Marcelle
Terri Lyons who has often spoken out about the challenges she has faced as a woman, advised, “Don’t sell yourself short. Always fight for what you want and have a patient yet determined spirit. It is not going to happen overnight. It will seem like it is never going to happen. If you want the rose you have to accept the thorns that come with it.”
Kernal Roberts, hit producer and soca artiste lent a male perspective to the topic. He acknowledged that females may be preyed upon by producers and writers, “They may want to get in your ‘drawers’ in exchange for work.” However, he advanced that this circumstance was not inevitable, “It comes down to how talented you are because it’s a male dominated industry. I would say have a good management team. Make sure that you have talent. Have all your resources intact and you would face less of these ups and downs in the business as a woman.” Kernal Roberts
Calypso Rose
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AUGUST, 2017 • ET&T
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CALYPSO ROSE CELEBRATES ET&T HUGE MONTH OF SUCCESSES SONGSTRESS LAUNCHES NEW PLANE, COLLABORATES WITH NEWS THE MAD DECENT AND PREPS MEGA NYC CONCERT I
conic Tobagonian singer Linda McCartha Monica Sandy-Lewis a.k.a. Calypso Rose, announced that she has partnered with Mad Decent, who will release a collection of remixes of Rose’s international hit “Leave Me Alone.” The track comes from her latest album, Far From Home (produced by Ivan Duran with additional productions from Manu Chao), which achieved massive success in Europe upon its release in 2016, going platinum in France, and earning her the Victoires de la Musique (French Grammy) for World Music Album of the Year, and title of Womex Artist of the Year. Mad Decent will release the album in North America later this year. Rose and her band will play Stage 48 in New York on August 30, and the Ohana Festival in Los Angeles on September 10.
Rose has enjoyed a long and celebrated career as the matriarch of the genre from which she takes her name. She’s released around 20 albums, has collaborated with artists including Bob Marley & The Wailers, won the prestigious “Calypso King” competition enough times that they renamed it the gender neutral “Calypso Monarch” in her honor, and has been the recipient of countless awards, including the Interna-
tional Caribbean Music Award’s Lifetime Achievement Award. In one of her most recent achievements, the Trinidad and Tobago government named one of the state-owned Caribbean Airlines Limited (CAL) aircraft in her honour. The CR77 was unveiled in an aircraft dedication ceremony that took place at Hanger 10 of the Piarco International Airport. Founded in 2006, Mad De-
cent is a Los Angeles based, independent record label synonymous with bringing genrebending sounds to the forefront of dance music. From its humble beginnings in Diplo's Philadelphia studio, Mad Decent has cemented itself as a leading purveyor of culture through their relentless pursuit and love for creating, discovering and sharing music. Disruptive by nature, Mad Decent has allowed once underground sounds to infiltrate the mainstream with releases from artists such as Major Lazer, Dillon Francis, Yellow Claw, Party Favor, NGHTMRE and Grandtheft. Mad Decent also houses Good Enuff, previously Jeffree’s, which has been responsible for propelling releases such as Baauer's "Harlem Shake" and DJ Snake's "Bird Machine."
IAN PANTIN APPOINTED AS GENERAL MANAGER OF D' ALL STARZ
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ocal entertainment heavyweight, Ian Pantin was recently appointed general manager of D’ All Starz band. The news was made public via the following press release. D' All Starz is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Ian Pantin as the new General Manager of the band. Pantin, a highly experienced Film and Music Manager, met recently with Carlysle "Juiceman" Roberts, Musical Director and Principal Shareholder of D' All Starz, to finalize details of the agreement. Roberts stated, "Mr. Pantin's appointment is a continuation of the rebranding process for the band (formally known as Roy Cape All Stars), following the retirement of Dr. Roy Cape. We are extremely ecstatic to have Ian on board with us, and we're all looking forward to working with him." Ian Pantin brings a wealth of experience to D' All Starz. He has been instrumental in nurturing the success of several Soca acts over the years, such as Ian 2
"Bunji Garlin" Alvarez and the Asylum Band. In 2013, Ian Pantin teamed up with Roger Alexis to release the highly successful film "I'm Santana The Movie." Commenting on his appointment, Pantin explained, "I'm a grateful and humble beneficiary of the numerous legacies of the band's founder, Dr. Roy Cape, who has given so much of his talent and expertise to all of us over the last 57 years. The cultural achievements forged by Pappy, coupled with the commitment from the long-standing members of the band, are invaluable. To Juiceman and all the current members of D' All Starz, I recognize your contributions over the last 37 years and sincerely thank you for the trust you are placing in me." He continued, "I am truly honored to be formally instated as the General Manager of the band, and I am proud to commit to D' All Starz family without reservation. Together, we will work tirelessly to champion the band's cause of continued success in the entertainment industry, that will leave an indelible cultural footprint for decades to come."
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ET&T ENTERTAINMENT PEERS SHOW NEWS RESPECT FOR FALLEN COMRADE Devon Matthews
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he sudden and unexpected death of Soca Artiste, MC and radio talk show host Devon Matthews occurred amid Tribe's Festival of the Bands event at St Mary's College Grounds on the 16th July 2017. The cause was a heart attack. Regular listeners of Red 96.7 may have been aware of the popular "Affairs of the Heart" show, which Matthews hosted, focusing on relationship issues on a daily basis. For others, he was known for the positive contribution he made to this year’s Soca music with one of the season’s favourites, “D’ Journey (Make It),” featuring Ella Andall, which also placed third in this year’s Soca Monarch Finals. Ironically, an hour before his death, he was said to have started filming the video for said song with an expected launch day being Emancipation day. Entertainers, fans and family took to social media to express their shock and sadness over the passing of Matthews. Entertainers such as Ricardo Drue said, “Its saddens my heart you’re gone bro.. but at least the last thing you did was what you love!!!” #RiP #devonmathews While as Shal Marshall commented, “Damn! My deepest condolences goes out to the family and friends to a brother in Music & Media - Devon Matthews @ drealdev. May your soul Rest in Peace, May you soar and sing with the Angels above. And may your
family be comforted at this time, knowing that you are embarking on a new journey that you are required to make at this time. Death is no easy time, but is a part of life. #RIPFriend#KeeponSingingand makingnewmusic#NoKillJoy On the night after his death, artistes gathered at Devon Matthews' home in Santa Rosa to remember the multi-talented entertainer in song. Artistes such as Preedy, Rome, Bunji Garlin, Fay Ann Lyons, Nadia Batson, Ms Alysha, Jaiga, Xone, JD, producer Anson Soverall, Matthews' close friend Shot Master J and DJ Kaotic were among the friends, relatives and colleagues that showed up to lend
Shot Master J
support to his mother, Gloria. ET&T was able to secure an exclusive interview with Gerard Ali, commonly known as Shot Master J. Friends for almost 2 decades, the pair started off playing at house parties in Santa Rosa. It was during those days that they also formed their sound system, Remington Steel. Ali was with Matthews, the night he died. He admitted Matthews complained about chest pains prior to arriving at the event. Ali said “Devon is a kind of person that once he’s not feeling well, he would opt to stay home. It can be as simple as his sinus acting up.” This night however was important for both Matthews and
SHURWAYNE RELEASES 9TH ALBUM “SHURWAYNE” O
n August 18th, Shurwayne Winchester launched his ninth studio album on all digital music stores, via Vpal. The self-titled album was largely done in Berlin and features 13 songs plus a bonus track. Shurwayne is currently in studio working with several producers and is getting ready for the accompany-
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ing upcoming album tour. This album seems to have been in the works for some time as Winchester spoke of working on it back in September 2016 via Facebook post. “Working on my 2017 Album... Many songs fans want pull back and added & many new ones being completed. Thank you father through you I press on.” His
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mega tune Born to Wine which has close to 2million YouTube views will be included on the album. Prior to this album, Winchester released Under My Spell (2002), Press Play (2004), Give Thanks (2005), Evolution (2006), Adrenaline (2007), Renaissance (2008) and Y.O.U. (2009).
Ali. They were recently contracted by Tribe for 3 years and the night of the band launch was their first official event. “Devon knew how important this was so he pushed through to be there” Ali said. When asked to describe who Devon Matthews was, he stated “Devon was somebody who believed in himself and made things work. He was inspirational and that stood out the most to me. He was somebody that took his time with his craft as well, dependent and selfless. A recent post to Ali’s Instagram account also reiterated what their friendship meant to him and the sadness his death brought as the caption read “18yrs as a team we did it, no one could imagine what I'm feeling right now. I introduced him to radio on 98.9 when he was still in his teens because he had that drive and passion I was looking for in a mic man. RIP brother and may god bless your soul and your mommy.” In closing, Ali admitted that he was still trying to come to terms with Matthews’ untimely death and was unable to return to air just yet. ET&T would like to take this time to offer their sincerest condolences to Devon Matthews’ friends and family. It is in times of distress and uncertainty that we choose to remember, “even though the road is long, yes I know I go make it.” Rest in peace Devon, you will always be remembered.
t s u J l l i W . e . l . p h o t i e P w e g n m i o h t S y r e v E h s a W E R A C Y R D N U LA
Soap Powder
It’s not Clean until it’s
ET&T NEWS
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ortmore, Jamaica definitely has a way with music, doesn’t it? The latest hit creator from the Jamaican garrison is an artiste who resides in the Baltimore DC area, but has independently managed to make it to #1 on the Billboard Reggae Chart. The world is about to switch gears even further as dancehall music and its accompanying rhythmic influences are securing chart tops like Billboard with ease it would seem; all this while penetrating deep enough to influence top shelf influencers like DJ Khaled, Jay Z and Drake. Xyclone is going after his. A recent spike in sales of his sophomore album, ‘From The Basement to the Big Leagues’ has single handedly placed the owner of RSQTHP Music Group, ahead of big names like Major Lazer, Ziggy Marley, Sizzla Kalonji and
INDEPENDENT CARIBBEAN ARTIST DOMINATES BILLBOARD CHART, OVERSHADOWING EVEN SIZZLA AND MAJOR LAZER
even Collie Budz. The album was released last December and immediately debuted at #14 on the charts. It stood at #12 in January and some five months later in May, with the remix of one of the singles on the albuma track called, ‘How Yuh Bad Suh’, the album toppled Major Lazer’s, ‘Know No Better’ EP, to the second spot on the Billboard
Reggae chart. The young father of one is humbled but excited all the same. He’s worked hard and continues to, alongside a team that is headed by none other than well-respected dancehall artist, Spragga Benz. “The album’s doing very well. If I can get it to #1 in the US that would be great,” said Xyclone- this as he pondered the recent course of the dancehall genre. “A lot of the Hip Hop songs right now have a strong dancehall vibe. It’s the sound that everyone’s using right now, so I’d say dancehall is in a good place.” Since the album topped the charts, Xyclone’s been getting the calls he’s hoped for. “My phone has been ringing off the hook and I’m grateful. I’m heading to Europe in August on a semi-tour. I’ll be going to Leeds, Switzerland and Birmingham,”
he mentioned, adding that he’s also flying to Australia soon. Believe it or not, he’s the first independent artiste, in eight years, to make it to the Billboard charts. Having conquered that feat, he’s now making the right moves to ensure that he captures major global music markets, including that of Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean. The single, ‘How Yuh Bad Suh’ has a strong Soca flavor and this, Xyclone says is what he expects to hear more of from the top music creators worldwide as the beats and melodies of the Caribbean and Africa sell themselves with ease. His journey has only just begun and even having recorded with dancehall superstars like Beenie Man, Red Rat and Spragga Benz in the past, this music maker is confidently pushing with one goal- and that’s to make it to the top.
TT FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES STRONG LINEUP OF CARIBBEAN FILMS A
strong lineup of critically acclaimed, award-winning Caribbean films will screen at this year’s trinidad+tobago film festival (ttff), to be held from 19 - 26 September, at MovieTowne Port of Spain, San Fernando and Tobago, as well as at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine. The films from some of the Caribbean’s finest filmmakers, include, from the Dominican Republic, Jose Maria Cabral's Carpinteros (Woodpeckers), a high-octane, no-holds barred movie about a forbidden relationship conducted through prison bars and across the 200 yards of empty space dividing the male and female prisons in Santo Domingo. Described by critics as a raw, intriguing and energetic blend of the tough and the tender, Carpinteros played at the Sundance Film Festival, to great acclaim. Bahamian filmmaker, Kareem Mortimer’s moving and topical
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A Caribbean Dream
film, Cargo, tells the tragic story of human trafficking from the point of view of reluctant trafficker, Kevin. An American exile with a gambling addiction, living in the Bahamas, he begins smuggling Haitians to Florida in an act of desperation, to keep his secrets buried and get out of a financial bind. Mortimer, haunted by a vivid childhood memory in which Hai-
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tian migrants who drowned on route to the United States, washed ashore in the Bahamas, re-creates the incident to great effect for his opening scene. No stranger to the ttff, Mortimer’s films have always played to a full house and Cargo is expected to do the same this year. In 2015, Cargo was one of 15 films in development that participated in the ttff’s Caribbean Film Mart.
In A Caribbean Dream, Barbadian director and screenwriter Shakirah Bourne re-imagines Shakespeare's magical fairytale A Midsummer Night's Dream, under a full moon and during the annual Crop Over (carnival) festival. With the lovers’ quarrels, powerful herbs, mis-steps and mishaps - Bourne’s modern-day retelling mixes Shakespearean language with Barbadian dialect amid lush tropical imagery, for a Caribbean take on a comic classic. Also in this year’s lineup, is a strong showing from Trinidad and Tobago, with four feature length films and over 34 short and experimental films, to be announced soon. Still to be announced, also, are the international films screening in the Festival’s Panorama section. The ttff/17 opening night film Green Days by the River, by Michael Mooleedhar and Christian James, was announced last week.
REGIONAL NEWS In the month of October, Jamaican songstress Etana is carded to follow up her acclaimed album Better Tomorrow with I Rise. This is her fourth studio album and it features the popular single Richest Girl. Protoje has announced that he has finished recording his third album Ancient Future, a set that will drop in November. In a post on his Facebook page he hinted at a new sonic direction as he wrote “the sound changes once more…” In the meantime, Protoje has already released a single. The tune “Who Knows” is a combination with Chronixx voiced over a hiphop influenced beat produced by Overstand Entertainment.
JAH CURE SURVIVES SERIOUS CAR WRECK
NEW ALBUMS FROM ETANA AND PROTOJE New albums have recently been announced from two of the biggest names on the contemporary reggae scene.
Jah Cure recently walked away scratch free from a serious car crash, but his new AMG Mercedes-Benz didn’t fare so well. The reggae crooner’s family and fans are breathing a sigh of relief today following a serious car wreck that he was involved in on Saturday night. A rep for the singer told Dancehall HipHop that he is currently at home resting but is a bit shaken up as a result of the accident. “The singer is okay, he wasn’t hurt physi-
WORLD NEWS
BRUNO MARS DONATES $1M TO FLINT WATER CRISIS VICTIMS
Water Crisis victims. Mars, 31, joins fellow artists such as Big Sean, Pusha T, The Game, DJ Mustard and, of course, Eminem in ensuring the people of Flint get back to an acceptable quality of life. “I’m very thankful to the Michigan audience for joining me in supporting this cause,” Mars said in a statement. “Ongoing challenges remain years later for Flint residents, and it’s important that we don’t forget our brothers and
R&B superstar Bruno Mars isn’t losing sight of the big picture in lieu of his recent successes. During his Auburn Hills, Michigan leg of his 24K Magic World Tour, he shocked the sold-out audience by revealing that he was donating a cool million dollars to Flint 8 ET&T • AUGUST, 2017 • www.amgtt.com
cally but is a bit shaken as a result of the unfortunate accident,” his rep told us. An eyewitness on the scene said that another driver pulled out in front of Jah Cure who was traveling at a high speed along the Runaway Bay main road in Saint Ann. The “Stronger” singer lost control of his 2017 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe which crashed head on into a tree. The car suffered a significant amount of damage, but Jah Cure escaped injury. A video has since surfaced of Jah Cure inspecting the damage. The singer soon took to social media to assure fans he was all right, posting a pic with the captions “From you have life you have everything.” #alliswell #jahisgreat #longlive
sisters affected by this disaster. As people, especially as Americans, we need to stand together to make sure something like this never happens in any community ever again.” With assistance from Live Nation, Bruno was able to allot earnings from the Detroit show to The Community Foundation of Greater Flint. According to the organization’s mission statement, The Community Foundation of Greater Flint “serves the common good in Genesee County – building a strong community by engaging people in philanthropy and developing the community’s permanent endowment – now and for generations to come.”
TOM CRUISE APPARENTLY INJURED WHILE PERFORMING MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 6 STUNT Tom Cruise appeared to suffer an injury on the set of Mission: Impossible 6 in London Sunday after slamming into a building as part of a stunt. The 55-year-old actor, who has
for years performed his own stunts for the spy film franchise, had tried to run and jump from a platform onto another structure while wearing a safety wire. He appeared to leap too soon and hit the building, as seen in a video posted on TMZ. He is then seen pulling himself up and limping over to crew members filming a few feet away. Crew members on the other side them help hoist and maneuver him back to the platform, where he is escorted away. The extent of Cruise's injury is unknown. His rep had no immediate comment.
ET&T MODEL MANIA
Name: Adisha Willis Age: 20 Hometown: Arima Hobbies: Nature/ hiking/outdoor sports. Adisha has been modeling for less than two years, but she has al-
ready been a part of some memorable shoots by some esteemed local photographers. Jodel Derby, Sancho Francisco, Retouchermarc and Especia are some that come to mind. The beauty has also been featured in an ad for Island girl glam tt. Despite making such early waves, modeling doesn’t seem to be a long-term career choice for the equally intelligent vixen. She is currently employed with the Judiciary, but has plans of becoming a teacher. “I didn’t always know that’s what I wanted to do, but I knew I always had a passion for kids. I am currently a Year 2 Student at the University of Trinidad
and Tobago, Valsayn campus. I chose to major in the B.ed programme under Primary specialization because I believe if you want to solve a problem, you have to start from the root.” As for her overall goals she states, “My ultimate goal revolves mainly around starting a family. I’m super excited to be called “mummy” as weird as it sounds (lol), I want to return that love that was given to me by my mom.” Also included on her long term goals are becoming an entrepreneur and getting married. If anyone has intentions of becoming her Mr. Right, they should note that her pet peeve is deceit.
Adisha believes people must be able to man up and be truthful while taking responsibility for their actions. Most of all, they must keep their word at all times. When it comes to her style icons, we can say Adisha is being real when she highlights Yoko Fung, Nwannia Sorzano-silva, Vivrebychelsea and Heather Jones as her favourite designers. Finally, when it comes to keeping in shape, this beauty says she incorporates crossfit training into workouts while her diet consists of staying hydrated and keeping her sodium intake low. We hope to see more from this beauty soon.
ADISHA WILLIS
Photos by retouchermarc/mjstudios
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ET&T DREAM
GUY
NAME: Kavi Dookie AGE: 33 HEIGHT: 6’1” WEIGHT: 215 CAREER: Hospitality/Marketing Management
BRIEFS OR BOXERS: Boxers FAVOURITE SCENT: Davidoff Cool Water DESCRIBE YOUR DREAM GIRL: You ever see Fast & Furious? A real life version of Letti. YOU WERE HEARTBROKEN: Yup. Don’t wanna go back there. YOUR HERO: I don’t think hero is the right word…. I more admire particular qualities in many different people and try my best to learn from them FAVOURITE FOOD: DOUBLES IS LIFE! THE WAY TO YOUR HEART IS: Through my belly… I love food and good vibes.
YOU’D NEVER: Put myself before others. WHAT ABOUT PETS: Love dogs, but I love all animals BEFORE YOU DIE YOU’LL: Travel the world more, just to eat foods that I can’t get here. FAVOURITE ARTIST: I’ll listen to Richard Marx all day every day. FAVOURITE MUSIC: I’m a Trini so I was born with Soca in my blood. I love Latin music, EDM some rock and dancehall, basically everything except Chutney. FAVOURITE PLACE FOR A MEAL: It’s not about a place for me. It’s the company that makes everything better.
THE FREAKIEST THING YOU HAVE EVER DONE: Do tattoos and Body piercings count??? YOUR WEAK SPOT: My Belly. Once you feed me I’m happy. YOUR MOTIVATION: My motivation is trying to be a better person than I was yesterday, each day is an opportunity to learn and grow and move forward. HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN YOUR BODY: I’m always active and I try to go to the gym as often as I can, but my secret…. DOUBLES…. Believing in the power of channa… #doublesislife #poweredbychanna.
Photography by Suresh Gopie of maxrishka photography
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ET&T FASHION
THE IFS IS HERE
e follow up last issue’s pre IFS coverage with yet another spread featuring some of the talent that will be at the August 26th event. The Aaron Moneer directed Island Fashion Show (IFS) is carded to feature the best in local and regional W designs. One such featured collaborator is the uber-talented Shaun Griffith Perez whose resort wear is quite the commodity these days. Designer Rishma ali also lends some of her swimwear to the spread which was shot by Carlos Alexander. Enjoy. Photographer: Carlos Alexander Makeup: Anastaisia Lewis, Kandis Taung Aki Models: Anastasia Shepherd, Christian Carty, Dianna Ramjattan, Julisa Loobie, Mileya Baptiste, Natalia Bailey, Rickila Isaac, Shanise Herbert Designers: Shaun Griffith Perez, Rishma Ali
Mileya is all sorts of ebony goodness in SGP designs. Rishma Ali’s dope swimwear will make heads turn.
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Anastasia is decked off in an allwhite SGP ensemble.
ET&T FASHION High fashion meets the beach when Julisa and SGP team up.
Shanise can choose to show off more skin or add extra style with this swimsuit and wrap by SGP.
Natalia looks ready to defeat those dark skies in this flowing SGP piece.
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AUGUST, 2017 • ET&T 15
ET&T GONE TOO SOON: REMEMBERING THE JOURNEY SPECIAL PAYING TRIBUTE TO A RELATIVE, FRIEND AND INSPIRATION FEATURE Article by Marvin Mason
Gone Too Soon
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hen you are a child, all you have are dreams. Some of us live our entire lives as dreamers, while a chosen few have what it takes to bring those dreams to life and inspire the dreams of others. Devon Matthews was one of the chosen few. Not only did he have the ability to positively turn his dreams into reality, but he also helped to erase living nightmares for others through his charitable work as an adult. It is a great feeling to be able to tell one of your peers you are proud of them and Devon provided many proud moments which allowed me to do so. I spent most of my time around Devon during those childhood dream years forging many precious memories along the way. We used to spend weekends and vacations at each other’s houses just being care-free and creative not knowing what the future had in store for us. As creative as we were as kids, when it came to name-calling we liked to keep it basic. I was “Skinny Boy” and he was “Fat Boy.” Suffice it to say, because he was a bit older than I and he was Fat Boy and I was Skinny Boy, I couldn’t beat him up in our play fights. He was silky with it too. So he would always get away. Devon, along with my other cousins Adrian and Ryan, would hold me down and sit on my stomach till I passed gas. My shame would soon become anger. So I would start running behind them fuming and they would casually and happily walk outside just in time for Uncle Selwyn (his dad) to catch me acting crazy in his house. Truth be told, I was a bit afraid of Uncle Selwyn. As cool and as loving as he was, he was also nononsense. When Uncle Selwyn scolded you, you were scolded for life. Whatever mischief he caught
Skinny Boy (left), Fat Boy (standing) and an unidentified friend doing God knows what.
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you doing… that was the last time you would ever do it. So it is easy to see why Devon grew into such a well-rounded individual (No pun intended). However, I would still get my payback on the occasions Devon came to spend time by me in Malabar. He was still my older, bigger cousin, but to my friends he was just Fat Boy, so they would rough him up for me. He would say, “I go bring Javie (his best friend) and dem for allyuh.” In hindsight, I guess him calling on his Santa Rosa brethren was the earliest incarnation of what we now know as Team Rosa. Getting a team to stand behind him was always easy for Devon because he always espoused leadership qualities without ever having to sacrifice his humility. Those qualities helped him to rise swiftly through the ranks of the Trinidad and Tobago cadets, an institution he always held dear. It also helped him get people on board for many of his philanthropic endeavours. Speaking of things he loved dearly, Devon had a great love for music. From as early as 7 or 8 years old we would spend almost all day making up songs or just singing popular tunes from back in the day. We were both obsessed with Blue Boy (Superblue for the younger ones) and I remember we used to argue over which one of us would get to be Blue Boy when we would perform for our imaginary crowds. The one person I could NOT argue with him over was Michael Jackson. I don’t even think obsession was a strong enough word to describe how Devon felt about MJ as a child. We would be singing and jumping on the bed and every time he landed I bounced. He would hold his hair brush microphone in one hand, while the other hand was covered with one side of socks as a glove; because he was not Devon, he was Michael Jackson. Devon went to great lengths
ET&T SPECIAL FEATURE to be like MJ. He used to sprinkle baby powder on the floor to make it slippery just so he could moonwalk. (and don’t get it twisted. Fat Boy had moves). More importantly, he had LOADS of personality. He just oozed positivity and personality in everything he did and even on the few occasions he was trying “ah ratch” he could convince the hardest of us to go the extra mile for him. For instance, early in his soca career he came to Malabar to do a video shoot for the song “High” in a scarcely used part of a factory we used to play in as children. So he is trying to shoot this video without the people in the factory knowing a video is being shot. He also makes me ask a tenant living at boxing hero Claude Noel’s house to give him an electrical hookup from across the road... because as he said, “It go be a quick ting.” Every half hour Devon kept telling people “only half hour again,” until day turned to night and the entire factory got wind of what was going on. Somehow Devon managed to convince them he could stay. Claude Noel comes home and sees people using electricity from his place and starts getting on like he wants to knock out somebody. But guess what? Somehow Devon managed to complete the video and no humans were harmed in the process. Apart from being persuasive, Devon had the ability to make you feel incredibly comfortable around him. A couple years ago I remember telling him I was starting to take songwriting more seriously and I had something for him. He didn’t react by saying “well lemme hear what yuh have” or “if it good enough.” His response was “I would love to sing one of your songs cuz.” That kind of encouragement is priceless. He was straight with you and he made you feel you could be straight forward with him. He would send me songs for feedback and I felt comfortable enough to be blunt. When he played Frolic for me I told him it was a miss. He said “Daddy real like it”. Due to my fear of Uncle
Devon poses with his “batch” during his Cadet days
Devon hooking up with a wax figure of his idol MJ at Madame Tussauds.
Selwyn It didn’t take much for me to stand down. On the other hand, when he sent me the demo of the Journey before Ella Andall was included, I remember telling him and then my mother later that night: “Devon is about to have his first BIG HIT”. The song brought me back to the days of us filling buckets to bathe and when he first got his license and we would drive in his father’s old Mazda. The a/c wasn’t working so Devon put ice in the vents and turned on the blower. As the ice melted the blower would sprinkle water into our faces. Hard times, but good times. I didn’t speak to Devon for a couple weeks before his death. Strangely, something pore-raising happened to me on the Saturday of the band launch. I was inspired to write a song that I felt would be perfect for Devon. Strangely enough the words that came to my head were about the unpredictability of life and canceling negativity so we can achieve the impossible. I was going to demo it and send it for him during the coming week. About 10pm that same night, I just couldn’t stop humming Michael Jackson’s Ben. It moved me so much I put on an MJ playlist on YouTube and the first song that played was ‘Gone Too Soon.’ I started joking that people die when they are 70 and 80 years old and some people are so bad minded they choose to sing that song in the funerals. A couple hours later at only 36 years old, Devon was Gone Too Soon. It was as if I was being forewarned, yet the news was devastating. When I visited Aunt Gloria (his mother) on the day Devon passed, she said she wasn’t doing too well. Yet, she still had that sweet smile on her face. She is probably the most pivotal person in Devon’s journey because that pleasant disposition and inner strength she passed on to him worked wonders for the man he became. I can see why his mantra was “No worries.” Devon Matthews… continue to moonwalk in Heaven.
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AUGUST, 2017 • ET&T 17
ET&T FATAL ATTRACTION BY YUMA VIBE Y E umans assembled at the Hasley Crawford stadium in Port of Spain for the launch of their favourite band’s 2018 Carnival collection on Saturday August 12th. The costumes were colourful and edgy and we can just imagine people heading straight from the launch to the treadmill in order to be able to pull them off. The atmosphere at the launch wasn’t the craziest, but there were lots of beautiful people present to take part in the festivities. We were happy to capture them in their element. For more photos, check out ET&T on Facebook.
Nice crew
Buddy lime at the launch
VENTS
Smiles abound
Sizzling hot
Looking well
Three fans of the brand
You can tell they enjoyed the proceedings
Wildin out
Two wonderful Women
A happy, young trio
We’re taking whatever you’re sharing
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AUGUST, 2017 • ET&T 19
ET&T EVENTS
Feathery perfection
No words needed
Men play mas too
So vibrant
Having fun on the ramp
Getting lost in the moment
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Tada!
Providing the attitude the costume deserves
ET&T EVENTS
CAMPARI’S BITTER SWEET SATURDAY
he crew at Campari hosted a promotional event to kick-start July at Vas lounge. T A dress code of red and trendy set the tone for the evening as invited guests celebrated this renowned cocktail enhancer amid warm ambiance and moving music. A team of well-trained mixologists made a host of memorable concoctions to savour while the attendees mixed with each other. Here are a few shots of the action.
He has reason to be happier
What’s a lime without your team?
They didn’t miss their photo – op
All black everything
We know what’s on the menu… Campari
Campari smiles
Four ladies pose
Seated sippers
This trio enjoyed the lime
They had fun
Repping for the brand
Adding extra beauty to the ambiance
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FANTASY CARNIVAL PRESENTS ISLE OF OLYMPIA ET&T
hile some people are counting down the days to Christmas, others are already W warming up for C2K18. The big bands definitely seem to be ready as the launches have been coming fast and furious. Team Fantasy is no different. The 2018 pres-
entations for Fantasy Carnival & Entice Carnival took place at the Queen's Park Oval on July 22nd and drew a solid attendance. Costumes were paraded while patrons enjoyed some of the mid-year soca releases that firmly put them in gear for Carnival next year. Here is a sneak peek. For more, check our Facebook page.
Freeing up on stage
Team T-stance
Flaunting her feathers
We like the look of love
We like our wine barefoot too
Sashaying in style
Becoming the mas
EVENTS
Ready to take flight
Carnival body in gear
God bless our nation
Posse fuh yuh money!
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AUGUST, 2017 • ET&T 23
ET&T EVENTS EXTRA
TRIBE CARNIVAL’S ONCE UPON A DREAM T
he brand Tribe has become synonymous with Trinbago carnival. Suffice it to say, their band launch would have attracted strong attendance despite the economic climate that has crippled many a mid-year event. As predicted, people came out in their costumes to take a gander at the costumes on offer in Tribe and Bliss’ many sections. Many of the attendees just came for the fete. Unfortunately, the launch at St Mary's Grounds was not without incident. It was overshadowed by the death of media personality and entertainer Devon Matthews backstage. However, until that somber moment, the atmosphere was as animated as ever. ET&T was there to capture some of the event’s lighter moments.
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AUGUST, 2017 • ET&T 25
FP VOWS TO “DUST OUT” FASHION CRIMINALS T
he FP squad never seems to have it easy when dealing with cases of visible body powder. We understand that some crimes are cultural in nature and this is one of them. That doesn’t mean we will give up the fight to dust away all traces of those white substances resembling powder.
Why in God’s name are we working overtime dealing with issues such as “Powder pon neck”? Maybe the people don't have access to our PSAs. We will continue to work hard to rid the world of this scourge. This young lady was made an example of for her recklessness.
She’s standing between two taller women, but they were not adequate protection for her. For the powder on the chest and neck she was corralled into the van.
ISLAND CELEBRITIES
PAPARAZZI
A SEDATE DJ PUN CHILLS DURING GREAT FETE 2017
JASON WILLIAMS SHARES THE SPOTLIGHT WITH FORMER MISS T&T ATHALIAH SAMUEL
ECLIFF ENJOYS A COCKTAIL AT A RECENT EVENT
PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER TO THE STARS ADANNA ASSON AND BUSHMAN SHARE A PHOTO AT GFW2017 www.amgtt.com •
AUGUST, 2017 • ET&T 27
CELEB PROFILE
MARIA KIRILENKO
M
aria Yuryevna KirilenkoStepanova, simply known as Maria Kirilenko, is a professional Russian tennis player. She was born on 25 January 1987 in Moscow, Russia. She is the winner of 2002 U.S. Open Girls’ Singles and 2005 WTA Tour title. She has reached three Grand Slam singles quarterfinals - the 2010 Australian Open, the 2012 Wimbledon
Championships, and the 2013 French Open. In doubles, she has reached two Grand Slam doubles finals, at the 2011 Australian Open and the 2012 French Open, won the 2012 WTA Tour Championships and was a bronze medalist at the 2012 London Olympics. In June 2013, Kirilenko reached her career high ranking of World No. 10.
Despite all of her achievements on the court, Kirilenko is most known for her beauty and fashion
MOVIES
SOMETHING FOR THE KIDS M
ost of the summer blockbusters so far have contained PG13 or R-Ratings, excluding the children from the big screen experience. However, there are some potential kidfriendly big earners around the corner.
My Little Pony: The Movie When a dark force threatens Ponyville and the Mane 6, they go on a journey to the end of Equestria to save their beloved home and they meet new friends and dangerous challenges along the way. Emily Blunt, 28 ET&T • AUGUST, 2017 • www.amgtt.com
Kristin Chenoweth, Liev Schreiber and Michael Peña all lend their voices to this fulllength adaptation of a children’s classic.
The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature Following the events of the first film, Surly and his friends must stop Oakton City's mayor from destroying their home to make way for a dysfunctional amusement park. The film is directed by Cal Brunker and features the familiar vocal talents of Will Arnett, Katherine Heigl, Maya Rudolph and Jackie Chan.
sense. Maria has appeared in numerous fashion magazines, such as Vogue and the Sports Illustrated.
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