Tag: Carnival

Spotify Celebrates Toronto’s Caribbean Carnival With Specially Curated Carnival Sounds Playlists

August 2, 2023

From Antigua, Grenada, Bahamas, and Barbados to Jamaica, St. Vincent, and Trinidad and Tobago, Toronto is home to a large Caribbean community from many islands and regions. It’s hard to deny the impact that such a large community has had on the city, particularly its music scene. Genres like calypso, soca, chutney, and reggae are an intrinsic part of Toronto’s framework. And at no time does that become truer than during the Toronto Caribbean Carnival, an annual monthlong event that celebrates the vibrant rhythms and rich heritage of the Caribbean.

Spotify is honoring the impact of Caribbean culture in Canada through an official sponsorship with the Toronto Caribbean Carnival, the event’s first official sponsorship by a music streaming service. And we’re kicking things off with some of the most prominent artists, DJs, and creators with Carnival Sounds—a global home for all things Caribbean, featuring curated playlists celebrating the sounds of reggae, dancehall, soca, and all of the vibes in between. 

Spotify’s Frequency initiative is also teaming up with the “Soca Prince,” Dr. Jay, and the legendary Soca or Die party for our first live event at Carnival. Attendees can catch us at the Cabana Pool Bar in Toronto on August 3 to celebrate. 

Toronto’s Caribbean Carnival has been a part of the city’s history since 1967 and is billed as the biggest Carnival event in North America. Revelers come from all over to celebrate the spectacular display of costume, sound, and color that moves through the city. The event ends with the grand parade on Emancipation Day weekend, which marks the full emancipation of enslaved people in Canada in 1838. And there’s no shortage of music. Past musical guests have included the likes of Machel Montano, Wyclef Jean, Diddy, KES the Band, Wuss Ways, Lil Natty, and Thunda.

“Canada is about diversity and inclusion, and that’s why our theme this year is Diversity and Culture Live Here,” CEO of Toronto Caribbean Carnival Mischka Crichton told For the Record. “In the Caribbean, Carnival is a national celebration and holiday. Every island has its own unique way of celebrating. And what makes the Toronto Carnival particularly special is that it’s representative of so many people. It’s the most diverse Caribbean Carnival in the world.” 

“It’s also important for our young people to see themselves reflected in the multicultural kaleidoscope that is this country.” she said.

The Carnival Sounds playlists include:

For the Record caught up with Dr. Jay to talk about Carnival and his connection to soca.

What’s your personal connection to Carnival? 

My mom (may she rest in peace) was born in Guyana and my dad is from Trinidad and Tobago. I was raised within the culture, and from as far back as I remember, Carnival was a huge presence in our lives. I played mas and even participated in the big costume presentations for Kiddies Carnival. So for my sister and me to now have a section within Saldenah, the band that has won the most Band of the Year titles at Carnival, is such a full-circle moment for me. 

From reggae to soca and everything in-between, the Caribbean is rich with a diverse range of musical genres. Which do you most strongly connect with and why?

I mean, I am “De Soca Prince,” so soca music, for sure. *laughs* 

My strongest connection is probably to the older music. I’ve called it Tanty Tunes or Big People Music. I can remember hearing Lord Kitchener’s “Sugar Bum Bum,” or “Lorraine” by Explainer, and seeing how everyone would react to those classics at house parties and family get-togethers. I’m also drawn to newer soca that’s rich in lyrics and melodies. Honestly, I just love the overall positive energy that soca music embodies. 

What are some songs attendees can expect to hear on your set? 

It really depends when I’m playing. No two sets are identical because you never know what the DJ before you is going to play. However, I try to play soca from across the Caribbean. So whether it’s “The A List” from Pumpa or Adam O’s “Warming Up (Top Soil Riddim)” to the Trinidad and Tobago road march “Hard Fete” by Bunji Garlin, just know that my goal is to make you dance and wine up yuh waist! 

How do you honor your own Caribbean heritage during Carnival and year-round?

This is my life. I’m not the type of DJ who only represents my Caribbean heritage during Carnival. This is 24/7/365. I play soca and Caribbean music all year long, and some of my most successful events take place in the middle of winter! I’ve spotlighted artists, bands, and international DJs throughout the year in Toronto and have been fortunate enough to travel the world thanks to soca. From Australia to Dubai, from Hong Kong to Berlin, it’s mind-blowing when I think about all the places I’ve DJed, and I owe it all to sweet soca music.

Get in the Carnival vibe with Dr. Jay’s House Party playlist.

Soca Icon Kes Explains Why Carnival Is the Can’t-Miss Event of the Year in Trinidad and Tobago

March 1, 2022

When it comes to Carnival traditions, there are few bigger than Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago. Taking place each year in Port of Spain, it’s a time when the community comes together for a multi-day fete full of energetic music, elaborate costumes, and overall good vibes. But it goes much deeper than that.

Starting with the enslaved peoples of Trinidad and Tobago in the 18th century, Carnival has become a symbol of liberation and emancipation for those who grew up in and around Trinbagonian culture. Whether it’s the reenactments of the Canboulay riots on Carnival Friday, the J’ouvert paint party in the wee hours of Monday morning, or dressing up in a masquerade costume and “playing mas” during the main Carnival parades, these events are a way to remember and honor the ancestors and history of Trinidad and Tobago.

Still, music is at the heart of the Carnival, and the festivities revolve around two genres that originated from Trinidad and Tobago: calypso and soca. Shantel Noel, a member of the Artist & Label Partnerships team in Toronto who traces her own roots to the Caribbean, explained to For the Record that calypso and soca are staple sounds for Trinbagonians, much in the same way reggae and dancehall are at the core of Jamaican culture.

Calypso, anchored by legends such as Calypso Rose, is characterized by its storytelling, verbal wit, and use of the steel pan as a main instrument, she also noted. Like reggae, calypso songs tend to be on the slower side, and every year during carnival, calypso bands take part in Panorama, which is the largest calypso competition in the world.

“Soca, on the other hand, is more energetic,” she said. With faster-paced, drum-heavy rhythms, soca is music made for dancing. It’s during Carnival that the icons of the genre, such as Destra, Machel Montano, and Patrice Roberts showcase their latest tunes for the crowds.

In the eyes of Kes, another titan of soca, Carnival is an important time for musicians, not only because it’s a chance to perform for thousands of people, but because they help set the tone for the entirety of Carnival. 

“The music is the soundtrack of Carnival. It ties everything together and dictates the energy and mood,” Kes told For the Record. “It carries the vibration of the people right up to the culmination when we take over the streets on Carnival Monday and Tuesday.”

But while Kes’s focus tends to be on the parades during Carnival, he still finds time to take in J’ouvert.

“If my J’ouvert is good, my Carnival is good.” Kes shared. “It’s where we take over the streets—covered in paint, mud, oil, or even chocolate!—and vibrations stay high from 4 a.m. until after the sun comes up. J’ouvert celebrates the Canboulay when the slaves revolted in the early hours of the morning and fought for their right to celebrate Carnival over 100 years ago.”

And much like other holidays around the world, Kes revealed that Carnival not only helps him connect with the history of Trinidad and Tobago, but with that of his own family.

“Carnival Friday morning I enjoy going to see the reenactment of the Canboulay riots, which is why we still celebrate today,” he said. “My father grew up around the corner where they hold it every year on Piccadilly Street in Port of Spain, so it’s my way of remembering him and all he taught us about culture growing up.”

Once the events wind down, Carnival-goers often experience a unique feeling referred to by Trinbagonians as “tabanca.” As tabanca sets in, many people experience deep sadness and might even cry as they return to their everyday routines. But it also gives them a sense of anticipation for the next year’s Carnival. 

And as they carry on through the rest of the year, Kes explained that music is still at the heart of the culture.

“It’s in the way we speak, dance, eat, make love, and mourn,” Kes said. “It’s a general reflection of our innate vibe as Trinbagonians. We have always found the joy, laughter, and humor in the hardest of times. It’s our medicine. This is our culture and this is who we are.”

To catch more of the Carnival 2022 vibe, check out the Soca Classics and Soca Bashment playlists.

Spotify’s Virtual Notting Hill Carnival Microsite Amplifies Black Creators Like Never Before

August 19, 2020

London’s annual Notting Hill Carnival is a 54-year-old celebration of the United Kingdom’s Caribbean community, and it’s often filled with parades, food, and, of course, music. Due to this year’s social distancing recommendations, the Carnival’s in-person events are on hold, but the art and culture of the U.K.’s Black creative community can be heard just as loudly as Notting Hill Carnival goes online. As an official partner for Notting Hill Carnival 2020, Spotify is excited to share our dedicated Carnival microsite, with a full virtual musical lineup, playlist takeovers, art experiences, and more.

That’s right: The party isn’t stopping; it’s just moving from the streets into your home. Our new microsite is filled with playlist takeovers from big names, and it gives fans a chance to explore over 40 of the official Notting Hill Carnival sound systems and on-the-road DJs who spin dub, reggae, soca, soulful house and everything in between. Plus, we’ll be featuring an exclusive portrait and film gallery from renowned photographer Ekua King, podcast episodes covering Carnival’s rich history and a look forward, and ways to tune into live events throughout the weekend.

“Notting Hill Carnival is such an important celebration of Caribbean heritage for communities in London and beyond—enriched in tradition and activism and lived through music and dance,” says Sulinna Ong, Head of Music at Spotify U.K. and Ireland. “While it can’t take place in its usual way, it’s key that the celebration continue—in homes, living rooms and gardens—especially given the current climate.”

Learn how you can celebrate Carnival through some of Spotify’s microsite features.

Playlist takeovers

We’ve worked with some of the U.K.’s leading Black creators in music, film, and entertainment to help guide fans through some of our most popular playlists, which will be dedicated to Notting Hill Carnival for the long weekend event. Fans can enjoy:

  • Lockdown success story No Signal’s take on Who We Be, the U.K.’s biggest hip-hop, Afrobeat, dancehall and R&B playlist
  • The legendary Marleys, who will help fans jam along to One Love
  • Little Mix’s Leigh-Anne Pinnock’s compilation of tunes for Throwback Thursday
  • Everything from reggae legends to the new school as Koffee introduces our Irie playlist
  • Spice, the Jamaican dancehall artist and star of Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta’s Dancehall Queen takeover

Notting Hill Carnival sound systems

Our microsite also gives fans the chance to explore over 40 of the official Notting Hill Carnival sound systems (aka large DJ booths) and on-the-road DJs. Check in with King Tubby’s, Carnival’s oldest sound; Rampage Sound, one of Carnival’s most coveted spots, the prince of U.K. soca, Martin Jay; and even Carnival’s only all-female sound system, Seduction City Sound.

“Last year I celebrated 25 years of being the only female sound system in Carnival,” says Lady Banton of Seduction City Sound. “I’m a woman and a Black woman, and I’m proud to be a Black woman. I’m also a child of the Windrush generation, so we never forget. I thought, ‘What a relief I am here again.’”

Exclusive photo and film gallery from Ekua King

Just as the in-person Carnival has music and art to boot, so will the microsite, thanks to exclusive work from Ekua King. The renowned London-based photographer of Jamaican heritage who shoots for the likes of i-D, Paper, and Vogue, has created an exclusive photo and film gallery on the site. Check out her stunning portraiture of the over 40 sound systems and on-the-road DJs, whose stories come to life through her shots.

Stream the Music of Mardi Gras As if You’re on Bourbon Street

March 1, 2019

Most people associate Mardi Gras with masks, parades, and projectile beads. But in New Orleans, the annual U.S. celebration before Ash Wednesday is all about beats. While similar celebrations—including bigger, louder, and older ones, like Rio de Janeiro’s colossal Carnival—are packed with parades and music, only New Orleans reflects the sounds of the celebration in their daily streaming.

According to our data, revelers in the Big Easy blast music by some of the city’s well-regarded local artists from Saturday straight through Fat Tuesday. Only New Orleans has a continuous soundtrack of sorts. In several of the world’s other Carnival hot spots—Rio; Venice, Italy; Quebec City, Canada; and Binche, Belgium—the locals stream popular international hits from the top 50—as opposed to music specific to the celebration.

If you want to feel like you just spent the day shuffling through the crowds in the French Quarter, look below to see some of the most popular songs that have been streamed consistently in New Orleans during Mardi Gras over the past five years.

“Iko Iko,” by Dr. John

This version of a classic, much-covered 1953 song is from the 1972 album Dr. John’s Gumbo (a tribute to New Orleans), and was named by Rolling Stone to the list of 500 greatest albums of all time. Dr. John’s “Right Place Wrong Time” also enjoys heavy streaming during Mardi Gras.

“Mardi Gras Mambo,” by The Meters

This song, as its title suggests, is dedicated to celebrating the festival “down in New Orleans where the blues was born.” Originally recorded in 1953, this cover by New Orleans funk icons The Meters is considered a Mardi Gras anthem. “Hey Pocky A-Way,” “Fire on the Bayou,” and “Cissy Strut” are also streaming favorites in New Orleans during the festivities.

“Do Whatcha Wanna,” by Rebirth Brass Band

Since they formed in 1983, Rebirth has become and remained one of the most prolific New Orleans jazz artists. Fast-paced and upbeat, their music is perfect for Mardi Gras. Rebirth songs “Casanova” and “I Feel Like Funkin’ It Up” also enjoy a Mardi Gras bump.

“Big Chief,” by Earl King

Basically a parade for your ears, this song has been covered countless times, including by Dr. John. The original, though, was written and recorded by Earl King, who was born and raised in New Orleans.

“Mardi Gras in New Orleans,” by Professor Longhair

First released in 1949, this song’s title says it all. Professor Longhair’s upbeat, blues-driven piano style earned him a spot in the Blues Hall of Fame in 1981, the year after his death. That’s him on piano on “Big Chief,” listed above.

“September,” by Earth, Wind & Fire

Although the revered funk band is from Chicago, not New Orleans, this disco classic is essential for any party playlist.

“Carnival Time,” by Bo Dollis

Bo Dollis was Big Chief of Mardi Gras Indian tribe The Wild Magnolias, which also performs as a New Orleans funk band. The song was originally written and recorded by singer and pianist Al Johnson, a New Orleans native. Here’s his original version of the song.

Looking for more music to party in the streets with? Check out Spotify’s Mardi Gras Party playlist.