‘FYA’ IN THE PARK
Former St. Vincent and the Grenadines Calypso Monarch Fya Empress on Saturday electrified picnic-goers at the Second Annual Vincy Day Picnic in Brooklyn.
Fya Empress, whose real name is Lornette Yoland Nedd, brought the crowd alive at Canarsie Park, on Seaview Avenue and East 85th Street, in Brooklyn, ripping them with her signature “True Vincy.”
She also belched out “No Money, No Wuk”; “Lahlo”; and “Rum, Please” from her wide repertoire.
“It’s always good to perform before your own,” the former Ragga Soca Monarch and Road March Winner in Vincy Mas, and three-time Tobago Soca Monarch told Caribbean Life immediately after firing up picnic-goers.
“I’m enjoying every bit of it,” Fya Empress added.
Other performers included soca artiste Edson “Lively” McDonald, who helped to promote the event on social media.
Lively jammed “Big Thing,” “Tek Dat” and “We Drinking,” backed up by Vincentian DJ Mwando “M 1” Bailey.
“The picnic is getting bigger and bigger,” he said afterwards. “A lot of people came out. The turn-out is great, despite the pandemic, and we have perfect weather today.”
As a group of nationals played dominoes nearby, amid the cacophony, Brooklyn resident Leroy Neverson couldn’t withhold his delight.
“It’s a very nice thing,” he said. “Everybody is getting together and having a good time in the park; show respect for each other.”
Anthony Maloney was also happy about the hosting of the picnic for the second year in a row.
“It’s not bad,” he said after posing for photos with a few of his compatriots. “I was here last year.”
Zillard “Mr. Cool” Samuel, who headed the organizing group, said he was pleased with the event.
“Everybody likes it,” he said. “Everybody comes to have a good time. We’re like family.”
Sitting close by on a bench, with her friend and compatriot Dawn Duncan, Brooklyn resident Rosita Providence agreed.
“I think it’s a good thing that they chose to have this day,” she said. “But the real Vincy Day is in August (20th at Heckscher State Park, East Islip, L.Is). “But it’s a good thing that we can come together and do we thing.”
Ulric Augustus Bartholomew, picnic co-organizer, said the event is aimed at bringing Vincentians together.
“We organize this thing to have fun,” he said. “We don’t try to make money.”
