Machel Montano is Trinidad and Tobago’s answer to Michael Jackson. He started singing soca at the age of eight. Over the years he and his band Xtatik have come to define the very essence of soca — raising the bar for live performance so high Montano is often airborne. His collaborations started with Jamaican artistes, such as Buju Banton, Beenie Man, Mr Vegas and Sean Paul, and have continued for decades, reeling in Vybz Kartel and Tarrus Riley to join him on songs that defy definition. With international artistes such as South African legends Hugh Masekela and Ladysmith Black Mambazo, rappers Nicki Minaj and Pitbull, and R&B singer Ashanti, among others, Machel has created new dimensions for Trinidad’s Carnival that draw fans and foreign artistes alike. Little wonder, then, that more than 20,000 fans converged on the Hasely Crawford National Stadium in Port of Spain, Trinidad, on Friday, February 17 to celebrate his 40th anniversary in the business with “One Show – From Nigeria to Trinbago”.

A host of Jamaicans were in the crowd, taking cues from sponsor Caribbean Airlines’ Carnival 2023 theme song Welcome Home, a collab featuring Machel Montano, Voice and Agent Sasco.

Please turn to Page 13 for more Carnival highlights.