‘LIKE YUH SELF’
Trinidadian soca artistes Patrice Roberts and Machel Montano have just released their newest collaboration, “Like Yuh Self.”
Marie Driven, the Haitian-American managing partner of the Brooklyn-based entertainment company PlaybookMG, told Caribbean Life on Sunday that both artistes are set to produce their concerts during Trinidad and Tobago Carnival.
On Feb. 15, Roberts will host her first concert in Trinidad and Tobago, dubbed “I Am Women,” Driven said.
The next day, she said “Machel 40th” will present “One Show” at The Hasely Crawford Stadium, featuring other popular Trinidad soca artistes.
“The two artists have been working together for years, and this latest release [“Like Yuh Self”] will surely get everyone on the dance floor,” Driven said. “This song is sure to be a hit for Trinidad Carnival 2023.”
She said “Like Yuh Self” was released on Jan. 17, 2023, “and has already gained traction with music fans worldwide.
“Patrice Roberts’ smooth vocals paired with Machel Montano’s upbeat production make for an irresistible combination with you dancing all night,” Driven said. “The lyrics are uplifting and empowering, encouraging listeners to embrace themselves and their unique qualities.”
In addition to the single, Driven said Roberts and Montano have also released a music video for “Like Yuh Self,” which features vibrant colors and stunning visuals that capture the spirit of Trinidad Carnival.
“The video has gained millions of views since its release, proving that these two artists are still at the top of their game,” she said.
Trinidadian soca superstar, Machel Montano. Photo by Che Kohtari
It was in 2005 when Patrice Roberts shocked the entertainment industry in Trinidad and Tobago with her talent, according to Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia.
It said that Roberts’s introduction through a vocal collaboration was with Bunji Garlin who, at that time, was in the spotlight.
“It was her refreshingly soothing and powerful vocals that quickly got her the attention that many established entertainers desired,” Wikipedia said. “Very few were able to provide accurate answers about her and her career, appearing mystery-like. Patrice Roberts has assumed her position in the Caribbean music industry as a force to be reckoned with.”
In 2006, shortly after Patrice shot into the spotlight she became one of the frontline vocalists and the only female vocalists in the internationally recognized Soca Band, which at that time was known as Xtatik, Wikipedia said.
“For Patrice her professional career had just begun and she was in full flight. It would be a challenging and difficult journey for Patrice but one that she would embrace and make her own when given the opportunity,” it said, adding that Roberts went on to be named the youngest female Road March winner for her collaboration with Montano, titled “Band Of The Year.”
“This achievement would solidify her existence in the soca world and prove to critics that she was more talent than they expected,” Wikipedia said. “Her talent has provided her with opportunities to travel extensively throughout the Caribbean, the USA and Europe with more opportunities still presenting themselves.”
It said Roberts’s singing career began at the age of eight. She has also played the tenor steelpan.
Wikipedia said that, in her early career, Roberts first won the 1995 Sangre Grande Junior Calypso Monarch competition.
In 2000, she became a top finalist in the competition, marking her ascent in the calypso arena.
A year later, she became the National Soca Monarch, the National Library Calypso Monarch and the National Junior Calypso Monarch, according to Wikipedia.
It said Roberts again won the National Junior Calypso Monarch in 2002. Other achievements include Toco Personality Winner 2000 and U.N.D.P. second-runner up 2001.
“Patrice Roberts has also competed in the International Soca Monarch in Trinidad on several occasions,” Wikipedia said.
It said that, in 2006, she placed second alongside Zan with the track “Always Be” in the “Groovy” category.
Her collaboration with Montano, “Light it Up,” placed 4th in the “Power” category in 2007. In 2008, she placed second in the “Groovy” category with her song “More Wuk”.
“Her greatest achievement so far has been winning the 2006 Road March competition with the song ‘Band of the Year’, sung with Machel Montano,” Wikipedia said.
Cover of Patrice Roberts and Machel Montano new single “‘Like Yuh Self.’
Machel Jesus Montano, on the other hand, is not only a soca artiste but also an actor, record producer and songwriter.
Known for his high energy, fast-paced, and often unpredictable on-stage performances, he is one of the genre’s most popular artists, Wikipedia said.
It said Montano is the front-man of the soca band The HD Family. In 1987, he was the youngest finalist to ever win the Caribbean Song Festival. His career spans more than 30 years.
Montano’s first shot to fame as a nine-year-old boy came with the song “Too Young To Soca,” while he was still in primary school, Wikipedia said.
It said that, in 1984, along with his older brother Marcus and neighbors, the group Panasonic Express was started and, in 1989, the band became Xtatik.
In April 1986, at the age of 11, Montano appeared on the mainstream television show Star Search. In 1987, he took part in the Trinidad and Tobago National Song Writers Festival, and placed second with his song “Dream Girl.”
Wikipedia said he also won the Caribbean Song Festival in Barbados, becoming the first Trinidadian and youngest contestant to win this competition.
On Jan. 20, 2013, it said Montano released the official video for the single, “The Fog”, from his 16th solo album, “Machelements.”
Seven days later, it said Montano released another video for his single, “Float”; and two days after, another visual was released for his song, “Happiest Man Alive”, Wikipedia said.
It said other songs that were followed by immediate visuals are “Epic”, taking two months to create and release, and “Ministry of Road,” taking less than one month to follow up on.
In 2014, Wikipedia said Montano took an interest in electric dance music (EDM), collaborating with EDM artists Major Lazer to create EDM song with a Soca vibe, called “Sound Bang.”
In November 2014 Montano won a Soul Train Award for Best International Performance for the song “Ministry of Road (M.O.R.),” Wikipedia said.
It said his win for “Ministry of Road” is the second consecutive win at the BET Soul Train Music Awards for Soca Music just after Bunji Garlin won in 2013 with “Differentology”.
Wikipedia said Montano made his movie debut with Bazodee (2016), which was filmed entirely in Trinidad and Tobago. He stars in the movie as a soca singer who falls in love with a businessman’s daughter.
On Jan. 21, 2019 Montano released the single, “The Road,” featuring R&B Ashanti.
In 2011, Montano won his first Soca Monarch competition (from Power Soca Monarchs) for his performance of the song “Advantage.”
In 2012 and 2013, he won back-to-back times in both sub-categories for his performance of his songs “Pump Yuh Flag” and “Mr. Fete”, in 2012 and, “Float” and “The Fog”, in 2013, Wikipedia said.
It said Montano won the Power Soca Monarch in 2014 for his song “Ministry of Road,” however, he was dethroned by Kerwin Du Bois and his hit song “Too Real” in the Groovy Soca Monarch category.
Montano set a new record by winning the 2014 Power Monarch, becoming the first artist/ performer to win a total of four titles, Wikipedia said. He won the title again in 2015 with his hit song “Like Ah Boss.”
On Feb. 14, 2020, Wikipedia said Montano married his longtime girlfriend Renee Butcher (now Renee Montano) at Trinidad’s The Red House, “the first such wedding in 20 years at the country’s seat of parliament, making him only the second Soca singer, male or female, to get married in the month of February after Alison Hinds (with whom he did a remix of her Crop Over 2007 song “Roll it Gal”) who got married on Feb. 26, 2004.”
He is also the only soca singer to get married on Valentine’s day and the second male soca singer in the English-speaking Caribbean to get married after Lil Rick of Barbados, Wikipedia said.
Follow Machel Montano:
Twitter | https://www.twitter.com/MachelMontano
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/machelmontano
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/MachelMontanoMonk
Follow Patrice Roberts:
Twitter | https://twitter.com/patricermusic
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/patriceroberts1/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/PatriceRMusic
