Montana for Machel Monday

CARNIVAL, as it is known today, would not be Carnival without certain events. Machel Monday has become one of the most anticipated shows on the Carnival calendar.

Over its 15-year existence, Machel Monday has converged the best of local, regional and international talent at Hasely Crawford Stadium, Wrightson Road, Port of Spain, for hungry, soca-loving audiences over the years. When it first began, the show was called Alternative Concept which ran for seven years and then was reformatted and rebranded Machel Monday.

Now in its eight year, the show will once again feature the top artistes for this Carnival season along regional and international acts. This year’s top international act is Moroccan-American hip hop recording artist French Montana.

The 33-year-old migrated with his family to the US when he was only 13. Montana formed Coke Boys Records which grew into Cocaine City Records.

But Montana is also best known for his hit single Unforgettable with Swae Lee. Last year, Jungle Rules, the album on which the single was on, peaked at number three on the Billboard 200.

Lil John, Pitbull, Angela Hunte, Boyz to Men and Major Lazer are some of the international acts to also perform on the Machel Monday stage. Montano has also been creating headlines by performing on international stages with trending international artistes. Late last year, he performed with DJ Khaled, American record producer and radio personality at Tidal X: Brooklyn, organised by JAY-Z’s streaming service Tidal. Montano performed along other top-billed acts like Stevie Wonder, JAY-Z and Jennifer Lopez.

On Monday he will perform with SuperBlue with whom he sings Soca Kingdom, one of the top songs in running for the Road March. Iwer George whose Savannah is also a Road March contender, Patrice Roberts whose Sweet Fuh Days is also a Road March favourite, reigning Soca Monarch Voice, Shal Marshall, Destra Garcia, Nadia Batson, Nailah Blackman, Olatunji, Erphaan Alves, Preedy, Marge Blackman, Lyrikal, Ravi B and Karma, the 2018 Chutney Soca Monarch Nishard M and Neval Chatelal and Turner. From the region will come Skinny Fabulous, Lil Natty and Thunda, Motto, M1, Marz Ville and Problem Child.

Peter Minshall and Exodus Steel Orchestra’s The Eyes of God will also be at Machel Monday. The show takes place on Monday from 6 pm to 2 am.