Calypso Monarch Terri Lyons lifts fans' spirit with new song

After years of pursuing her dream, just as she was about to give up, calypsonian Terri Lyons achieved it by becoming the 2020 Calypso Monarch.

She immediately began preparing to defend her crown but the covid19 pandemic occurred, crushing those plans as Carnival 2021 was cancelled by the Government.

Despite these ups and downs, like many local artistes, Lyons continues to live her passion by recording, releasing and performing music.

“Creative people never stop creating. Whether they put it in a form that others can see or it’s in their heart and brain, that is something that never stops. Our creative mind and skill are not dependant on a festival or a time. So, it is very important for us to continue producing music and doing the things we are accustomed doing.”

She continued writing after Carnival 2020 but her vibe changed and she started to get different ideas as it got closer to 2021. Even though there is no Carnival, she said there is still a Carnival vibe in Trinidad and Tobago.

“There are times you feel hungry because your body knows it has to eat. Around this time we know it’s Carnival and there is a different kind of energy.”

Keeping it light

Lyons is known for her social commentary and songs that send a message. From the title to the lyrics, Can’t Take My Joy, written by Darryl Gervais and Ryan Hamilton and produced by DJ Private Ryan, sends the message to haters.

However, her two other releases are different.

Calypso, produced by Ato Williams and written by Lyons, is an ode to the artform, and she describes it as having a “back to Africa” feel.

One verse refers to the days of slavery when calypso was the “poor man’s (news)paper.” Many people were illiterate or could not afford to buy newspapers. Calypso was how they got information, told stories, mocked the masters, and educated themselves about their history.

She told WMN she wanted to connect with the youths, show them calypso can educate without being boring, that they can sing about anything and not necessarily about politics or social matters, that it can be fun, and something to which they can dance.

Her newest release, Wine on All was produced by GBM and written by Full Blown Entertainment. She explained it was about a couple in a relationship who have a fight at a party.

“If you want to leave go ahead. I going and wine on all – yuh bredrin, yuh sistrin, yuh padna, yuh neighbour, the one from work who hate meh, meh ex-man, the next one, your ex-gyul, the best one. I doh care at all, I going and wine on all.”

She said people need lightness and to lift each other’s spirits during the pandemic because everyone is frustrated for a variety of reasons including the fact that there are things they can no longer do or they have to do things they did not have to before.

“I think we need some happiness, something motivational, or something to make you feel free and forget everything, even if it’s just for the duration of the song.”

Lyons is planning to do a music video for Calypso because she noticed, as opposed to soca artistes, hardly any calypsonians make videos for their songs.

“One of my missions is to get people to stop separating calypso and soca as if they come from two different countries. They are both ours and we always have to remember that calypso is the spark that start the flames of soca.”

The show must go on

Lyons is extremely disappointed that she will not be defending her crown this year.

She said she had been striving for so many years to get the crown, and it felt as if covid19 took it away. In addition, she had many performances booked, especially in the UK because of her Meghan and Harry song, but all were cancelled because of covid19.

“But I am still grateful, because before that competition, I had planned to give singing a rest. I was starting to feel weary. I have a child and instead of spending all my money behind my dreams, I was going to put more towards his, even though he said he wants to be an Avenger. You have to save real money for that.”

Calypso was supposed to be one of her competition songs, but she did not hold it back for next year because she does not confine herself to being a “competition artiste.”

Still, she has every intention of defending her crown if there is a Carnival 2022. She said, at this point, she does not care if she comes last, she would be excited to “be out.”

“Performing at Kes (at day one of the IzWe concert series) was such a fresh breath of air. He had an audience and just to tell people to put their hands in the air, and hearing them actually making noise… Wow. I almost didn’t come off the stage. It was almost Terri on the Rocks!”

In the meantime, she has been hosting and performing at virtual concerts. Twice amonth during the first lockdown she had a virtual concert series in collaboration with WACK radio, called Up Close and Personal.

Now, she has Calypso Fest, where she invites calypsonians to sing and get paid for performing because she believes it is necessary for artistes to help each other as much possible, especially those who are less known.

“It’s a platform, not just for the well-known calypsonians but also for those who are just as good but we don’t give them that much of a chance. And calypsonians are feeling it (no Carnival) more than soca artistes because, even when there is Carnival, calypso tents only run for three or four days for three weeks, while there are fetes all over the place for soca.”

She does not have sponsors but raises money through FundMeTnT, which she uses to pay the artistes. Bmobile customers can also contribute different amounts by texting various codes. And the contributors have a chance to win prizes.

She is also planning a show at the National Academy for the Performing Arts, Port of Spain, a bigger version of Calypso Fest, with a limited live audience according to covid19 protocols. She hopes to get sponsors as well as to have it streamed for a small cost, to keep the spirit of Carnival going beyond the season.