Dil-E-Nadan wows world

FOLLOWING a highly-successful Carnival, crossover music band Dil-E-Nadan (DEN) has been to almost every part of the world, playing to mixed crowds who have been going crazy with their performances.

In an online interview with lead singer Raymond Ramnarine yesterday, he walked back through the band’s engagements after Carnival this year. With DEN’s growing popularity and demand, the signature Everybody Loves Raymond concert, usually held two weeks after Carnival and which attracts thousands of Bollywood music fans every year, saw its biggest turnout this year and featured guest artiste Amit Mishra from India.

“It’s the most attended local family event,” Ramnarine said.

DEN followed with trips to Orlando, New York, Baltimore, Canada, Miami, London, Guyana and Suriname.

Ramnarine said: “In Orlando we made several trips during the year for events like Curry Duck, Orlando Carnival and recently they hosted my birthday bash. While in NYC we did the annual Mother’s Day concerts in Queens.”

DEN also performed at the Amazura Concert Hall for Chutney Glow where the proceeds went to assisting less fortunate children in Guyana.

Ramnarine is a part of the Guyanese-based Save Abee Foundation, that was responsible for that fundraiser. He said some of the children will be visiting Trinidad soon.

“I’m also a part of a movement, headed by Robert Amar and 104.7FM, geared towards bringing awareness to domestic violence against women. Basically, we’re trying to empower women. And I also did my part with friends from Canada’s High Commission to support women and empower them too, recently on International Women’s Day. So I’ve been doing a lot. So much that maybe I forgot to add.”

The band performed on Labour Day weekend at Brass Fest at the Brooklyn Museum grounds in NY. DEN did another concert at the Buena Vista Ballroom in Baltimore titled We Love Raymond, but before that they were in Canada. Ramnarine said: “Canada is one of my favourite places to perform every year for Caribana and family concerts. That we did and will be heading there again in November for the fans. And London, oh sweet London! I was invited by Forbes Entertainment in London to perform for a huge West Indian party and we’ve developed a strong bond since. Upon my return and after a successful event, they wanted the entire band for Notting Hill Carnival. London we conquered! Chutney Kingdom was lit!. Representing red, white and black at the Starlite Suite in London where the club holds 2,500 persons, we played to mixed crowds comprising West Indians and Europeans.”

DEN made a quick stop to the Eiffel Tower in Paris before returning home for a gig at the Rig, Gulf View, La Romaine and Chutney Bang in Sangre Grande, then it was off to Guyana and Suriname for more performances.

Ramnarine said: “We performed in Guyana at the National Stadium for thousands of fans at the Fire Fest, and Clash of the Titans, and in Suriname, at Suriname loves Bollywood music at the Anthony Nesti Hall in the capital Paramaribo.

Currently in Miami Ramnarine said: “Miami carnival is another staple for us. Winning Best Playing Band here before has inspired us as a team and we haven’t missed it in years. The Carnival Committee here in Miami together with Gemini Production have always put us first on their list and for that we are thankful.”

After Miami they head to St Maarten, then fly across the Atlantic to Holland and Spain.

“It’s the first time Dil-E-Nadan will perform in St Maarten and the people there are super-excited. That’s taking place next Saturday.

“I’ve been performing in Holland years now. From the Hague to Rotterdam to Amsterdam we’ve performed and at one of the events we were invited by the Queen of Holland to perform for her birthday. There were celebrations throughout the country. Fan bases there in Holland are from Suriname, Turkey, Belgium and of course Holland. It’s the most thrilling atmosphere to perform at. We did the African Festival in Rotterdam one year and that was an experience! Spain is da bomb! Buses are loaded from Holland and they do their tours to Spain.

We go to Gerona, Spain. Based there we will be performing at numerous parties...foam parties....clubs .... you name it. It’s the wildest parties, and we are again looking forward to performing in Barcelona because it is truly beautiful.”

In between all that, Ramnarine said DEN has always touched base at home for local weddings, parties and corporate events.

They also played at an Independence function in Miami attended by Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar and one week later at a wedding held at Brian Lara’s residence and had everyone dancing including the Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and his wife Sharon.

Then another couple weeks later, after performing in NY, Ramnarine said: “It was truly a wonderful evening at this memorable event. The dedication and love shown by my team was just incredible! Then straight from Brooklyn with no sleep we gave an amazing performance here in Trinidad at the launch of Carnival. That’s why I just love my Dil- E-Nadan and my DEN Nation universe.”

Ramnarine also found the time to recently release his new song, Show Me, a song that is basically saying “no woman no fete.” A lyric video is out and fans can subscribe to his YouTube channel to see it.

The band is in studio finishing up some more soca and chutney tracks for fans.

After touring the continent, Ramnarine will host his House Party 2 boat cruise next month, then its back to USA and Canada till December for a number of shows.

After a bumper year thus far, with many other overseas engagements still to be fulfilled, Ramnarine said, “The feeling is blessed. Just blessed. We work extremely hard as a team. We pray together. So when you combine prayers and hard work and you experience such a fantastic year, the feeling is blessed. I wanna thank everyone who continue to believe in us and to the fans, promoters, media, family....everyone Thank you. I always tell my team to stay humble and focused and that’s what we do. It’s unbelievable knowing how much we are loved throughout the entire music industry. I’ve seen our growth and we have managed to keep our feet on the ground. We are all about music and what music brings to our people and that is Love! Hence why we call our fans the Den Nation Universe.”