Soca darling Lima to represent Trinidad and Tobago at big carnival |19 February 2011
Soca is a linguistic fusion of so from American soul and ca from calypso and is Trinidad and Tobago's domestically developed popular music, with an unusually large number of musical roots.
“I’m very excited and I can’t wait to get to Seychelles and represent my country,” says Lima, who was a part of the Trinidad and Tobago trade mission to China, Korea and India in 2007. “Since the trip to India, I have had a growing interest in visiting that part of the world. I am just ecstatic that I can do that and be on stage representing my country, and even the region too as I am not aware of any other performer from another Caribbean island who will be there.”
Lima will perform on the three carnival days, starting with the opening ceremony on March 4. On carnival day, March 5, a costumed Lima will perform on a float that will parade around the streets of Victoria, which are expected to be lined with jubilant locals and tourists alike. When the procession ends, local revellers will congregate in Victoria for a costume party.
The last day of the festival will be a family fun day and will take place at the Roche Caïman stadium complex. Lima will join other international artists and their Seychellois counterparts there to entertain the crowds.
Her trip to Seychelles comes about through the efforts of Caribbean Exposé, which last year booked her for the Ip-Art Festival in Ipswich, England. She returns there again this summer.
Lima also has plans to work on a Christmas album and record songs for the 2012 carnival season.
Known for her infectious personality, she has dazzled fans – whether performing to playback or with bands such as Blue Ventures, Atlantic, Arrow’s Multinational Force from Montserrat, Antigua’s Baygon Band (now Burning Flames), or Byron Lee’s Dragonaires (formerly Byron Lee and the Dragonaires), Jamaica’s oldest Soca band.
She has been featured on compilations such as Soca Gold and Kassav’s Difé Soupapé. In 2004 Lima won an International Soca Award for her hit song Di Garden.
She will soon leave Trinidad for performances in the Cayman Islands and New York. She will fly from JFK International Airport on March 1 and stop in Dubai before arriving in Seychelles.