NeYo, Fantasia keep fans on their feet

NeYo, the headline act for the 2018 Tobago Jazz Experience, had patrons on their feet, dancing and singing for an hour and a half, from the time he hit the stage at 11 pm, at the Pigeon Point Heritage Park.

NeYo’s performance followed that of R&B and jazz singer and actress, Fantasia, who shot to fame as winner of the 2004 American Idol competition.

On Sunday night, by 9.30 pm, patrons were on their feet dancing to Fantasia’s performances of her R&B hits including Free Yourself, Sleeping With The One I Love and Without Me. During her performance, she left the stage to mingle with patrons, and urged Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley who was in the VIP section of the audience to join in the dancing. Showing some unaccustomed shyness, Prime Minister Rowley hesitated and then obliged, and was joined by his wife Sharon.

American singer Anthony Hamilton was also among the cast of international acts for the show, with several local setting the stage for a well-received evening of music. Local acts included the Carnbee-based Steel Xplosion, Trinidad-based BP Renegades, Spoken Word artiste Kleon McPherson, soloist Llettesha Sylvester, and a Tobago All-Star Band, Saxophonist Francis Prime and singer Kalpee.

George Leacock, Executive Chairman of the Tobago Festivals Commission, said he was pleased with the quality of the event and that “we will continue to build on this model and we look forward to more coming in 2019.”

He said the festival has the potential to “impact positively… on the economy of Trinidad and Tobago,” and that an ongoing study of the event over the last 10 years by economist Dr Ralph Henry of Kairi Consultants, would give a “proper quantification” of its economic value.