SOCA music has made it to NPR’s Tiny Desk concert series.
Machel Montano and a group of talented musicians made history as they brought the Washington, DC, studio alive with the vibrant sounds of the TT-born genre.
The 20-minute concert was uploaded to YouTube on January 13 (images from the concert leaked online in late November 2024).
The Tiny Desk Concert series, which began in 2008, allows singers and musicians to give intimate live concerts. Many of its videos garner millions of views.
NPR Music’s YouTube channel has over ten million subscribers and nearly 3,000 videos uploaded. Major artistes have graced this studio, such as Usher, Adele, Sting, Shaggy, Alicia Keys, T-Pain, Justin Timberlake, Damian “Jr Gong” Marley, Erykah Badu, Coldplay, Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift.
Montano opened his show, in front of a live audience, with his 2007 hit One More Time.
Before moving on, he told the audience, “My name is Machel Montano, from Trinidad and Tobago.”
He added that in the Caribbean, “It’s always dancing time.”
He went on to sing Dance With You, then told the audience to get ready for “wining time,” moving on to Fast Wine.
Taking off his jacket, he joked, “Time to turn up that heat.”
He explained they would be transitioning from groovy to power soca, then sang Like Ah Boss, Famalay and Soca Kingdom.
Audience members jumped, danced and sang along. Some waved bandanas with the national flags of different Caribbean countries.
[caption id="attachment_1132621" align="alignnone" width="683"] Machel Montano in his element during the filming of his NPR Tiny Desk concert in Washington, DC.- Photo by Anil Mathi/Courtesy of Monk Music[/caption]
Montano was accompanied by musicians Kyle Peters (guitar), Bayete Williams (keyboard), Duane “Abletron Gawd” Williams (effects), Dwain “Dwaingerous” Antrobus (keyboard), Damien Neblett (bass guitar), Melvin Alick (drums), Etienne Charles (trumpet, flugelhorn), Rhys Thompson and Modupe Onilu aka Boomboomroomtt (percussion), and Lamar Antwon Robinson and Michael Chandlar as backup vocalists.
In an Instagram post, Montano said it was not just his moment but “our (TT’s) moment.
“Today we made history. For the first time ever, soca music has graced the iconic NPR Tiny Desk stage, and I am filled with gratitude, and an overwhelming sense of pride, to represent our culture on this global platform.
“(This is) a moment for every soca lover, every Caribbean soul, and every person who carries the rhythm of the islands in their heart. Let’s celebrate this milestone together. Watch it. Share it. Be proud of how far our music has come. Thank you for being part of this journey.”
NPR Music posted on Instagram: “Stretch and loosen up! Machel Montano is the first to bring soca, the high-energy dance music of the Caribbean, to the desk.”
Montano replied, “What an honour and a privilege! Thank you for the opportunity and for sharing the joy of soca to the world. We had a blast at your spot!”
Fellow artistes congratulated him including Mical Teja, Wendell Manwarren
