Soca star Ian Alvarez (Bunji Garlin) says local artistes need to use the opportunity created by Grammy Awards featuring T&T artistes and create music which can reach wider audiences.
Alvarez said this during a telephone interview yesterday following a win for Best Dance/Electronic Album by international DJs Skrillex and Diplo on Monday night.
The two won for their album Skrillex and Diplo Present Jack U.
The album features a song by Alvarez called Jungle Bae, as well as contributions from another soca artiste, now radio announcer MX Prime.
T&T’s influence was also felt through rapper Trinidad James, a T&T national whose real name is Nicholas Williams.
James is listed as one of 11 writers of the song that won the Grammy for Record of the Year, Uptown Funk, by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars.
The third T&T link to the Grammys came from Meghan Trainor’s award as Best New Artist, for her song All About the Bass.
Trainor has insisted that her song, which had topped the US Billboard Charts, was a soca tune.
She said she was inspired and encouraged by her uncle, Tobago-born soca artiste Burton Toney, who is married to her aunt.
Last year soca star Machel Montano was added to the first round ballot of nominations for three categories.
“None of the genres in the categories were soca but T&T’s influence was still felt,” Alvarez said.
“That should be grasped as an opportunity but we have to understand that it is not an overnight thing as well.”
Alvarez said work had to be put in and artists had to invest their time to ensure the T&T sound reached further.
He said it wasn’t necessarily for the personal fame and benefits for today’s soca artistes but that it was more important to provide a stepping stone for future generations.
“We need T&T to stand firm. This is a revelation of the possibilities there are for us. Here is a moment where you can move forward.
“I am sure that because of the wins last night, the name of our country was on the lips of some executive or big person in the music industry. They could be wondering what else they can find here.”
He said electronic dance music producers saw that there was an energy in the country that they could tap into.
He said artistes needed to start making more music outside of Carnival.
“We need to be us but we also need to make music in a more robust way.
“We can do some songs dedicated to Carnival but if you have an opportunity to craft your music in a way which reaches more audiences, we should do that also.”
Alvarez said he and his family celebrated the win, not only because of his involvement but because the album had something which reflected T&T.
He said there was a lot to offer from T&T and if artistes allowed it to happen, the music could consistently reach international audiences.