Trinibad singer/songwriter, "Lady Lava" will perform @summerstagett
Lady Lava, Sackie, Squid, Rheon Elbourne & Tech Sounds to perform
T&T-based acts, Rheon Elbourne, Tech Sounds, Squid, Sackie and Lady Lava will all appear and perform for the massive crowd expected to attend, instead of just opening for the foreigners and performing before an early meagre audience as has traditionally been the case in the past. Keisha "Lady Lava" Harris is elated at the new dynamic being explored and hopes this will be established as the standard going forward.
"We're gonna try it and see how it works," said Harris, "and I'm hoping it sways in the direction of this becoming the new norm to give the local artistes a good spotlight and position on shows happening in their respective countries. A lot of our artistes are appreciated in this way already in other countries, so it makes sense for us to honor and appreciate our own in this way also and should help to motivate the artistes to give their best on stage.
"I will definitely be coming to deliver a high energy, highly interactive performance," she added, "and I want to thank the Magnum and SummerStage teams and organisers for supporting dancehall and for giving us the chance to shine alongside the Jamaican stars we all admire and love."
Kesi wins Magnum Spotlight!
Following weeks of intense competition, Arima-based singer/songwriter, Ola "Kesi" Tempro emerged as the winner of the $10,000 cash prize along with a trip to Jamaica to record with Romeich Entertainment and a performance slot on the Summer Stage this coming Saturday night.
"I'm elated," she gushed enthusiastically after the finals. "I've been doing music since primary school days. I've done Calypso, Soca, ah touched reggae...everything! But I just keep pushing, I was resilient and I keep pushing and the night before the deadline, I asked my sister if I should enter and she said yes, give it a try. I sent in my entry at midnight and that was it. I was hopeful to get in and now I'm grateful and I thank Magnum and SummerStage for the opportunity. I'm representing for Trinidad and Tobago now... and will be taking dancehall, Trinibad, all over the world."
Magnum Spotlight Winners, "Khid", "Desi" and "Jza King" celebrate on stage after the results were announced for the Magnum Spotlight competition finals held recently at Silverpin Studios in Chaguanas
All 10 finalists on-stage awaiting the results
A "dream come true"
For the top three local Spotlight winners, namely: third-placed Jayden "Jza King", second placed, Jevaughn "Khid" Smith and especially the champion, Ola "Kesi" Tempro, this is "a dream come true".
@direalkesi receives her commemorative plaque after being announced as the winner of the Magnum Spotlight competition
Stiff Competition
"It was stiff competition because we have so much talent in T&T," Tempro admitted. "These youths are really talented and I want to say to everyone still: if you have a dream, don't give up. It does take years sometimes, it could be 100 days and then just one day - on the 101st day - that's the time your dream could come true. Doh give up. Doh study nobody. If your heart and your mind telling you it, that's it."
L-R: Khid, Squid, Kesi, Supa Hype, Tech Sounds and Jza King pose for a photo following the conclusion of the Magnum Spotlight competition.
Find something to do
As for the detractors who condemn the local genre for its raw and often graphic content, Tempro is unapologetic about her dedication, passion and support for music in general.
"To the critics who are staying home behind their screens criticizing Trinibad," she said dismissively. "Gosh allyuh find something to do na! I went back to the old school original format of dancehall and I did it and I bring it and I was successful. To all the naysayers: sorry, not sorry! We outside! Trinibad will live on forever!"
Local acts on at Prime Time
Stage Manager, Wendell Naipaul informed Overtime Media that "the organisers really want to give inspiration and commendation to the local acts also due to growing prominence and global success of the Trinibad movement".
"In all my years of working at these shows," he revealed. "I've never seen our local acts put on at prime time, so this will be a first and hopefully set a new trend and standard for shows going forward. Magnum has really invested in this industry in a meaningful way and they continue to create opportunities for young talented individuals to grow and experience success and development in their careers. I must commend the team and the brand behind this initiative for changing the status quo and really giving the young people a fair and proper chance to shine."