Wayne T releases Mash-up soca

Winston Thomas, commonly known as Wayne T, a Trinidad-born, US-based singer, has returned to the music industry after a two-decade hiatus.

His Carnival 2022 soca tune is Mash up-Mash up, a song that he and Franklyn Grant wrote and produced, about women partying and having a good time together.

Cindy, a woman from Sangre Grande, inspired Thomas to write his latest song, Thomas told Newsday. He recalled striking up a conversation with the cheerful stranger in the checkout line of a Brooklyn supermarket. He recognised her Trinidadian accent after hearing her speak. She then recognised his features and connected him to his soca hit Doye Doye from 1993.

With Mash up-Mash up, Thomas hopes to achieve the same level of success as Doye Doye.

Thomas, 61, is originally from Techier Village in Point Fortin. At age nine, he started singing while attending Vance River RC primary school.

He migrated in 1972 and continued pursuing and showing his talent in the music industry.

He sang Rude Party in 1992, which was well-received by partygoers both locally and internationally. In 1995, he sang Ding Ding, a popular song at the time. He told Newsday that his biggest soca hit ever is Doye Doye, a collaboration with his brother Roger Thomas aka Silky Slim.

“That was a top favourite. That song that made everyone shake their head,” Thomas said.

“For 20-plus years, I had stopped singing. But I was still involved in spreading the culture. I was designing Carnival costumes. I was part of mas band Dream Team. I helped the launch of Bahamas carnival. In 2019, I came back on the music scene. I have since had several songs including a soca parang (Santa Santa) last year.

In 2020, Thomas released two songs – Ah Want Ah Vene and Gyal Wah Yuh Want?

His family's musical background extends to his mother and uncle. Like Thomas and his brother, their late mother, Velva “Incredible V” Thomas-Daly, was also a singer. Wayne T reminisced that in 1994, the three of them performed for Lord Kitchener’s Calypso tent, The Revue.

Thomas-Daly’s brother, Alan “Blackstone” Thomas, is a songwriter and has written many songs for artistes, among them calypsonian Edwin “Crazy” Ayoung, soca parang king Irwin “Scrunter” Johnson, and soca singers Anslem Douglas, and Denise “Saucy Wow” Belfon.