Vaughnette Bigford to celebrate Trinidad and Tobago

Singer Vaughnette Bigford will celebrate all that is red, white and black in her upcoming concert on December 3. The concert is called Vaughnette Bigford Celebrates Us: Red, White and Black.

It will be held at the Central Bank Auditorium, Independence Square, Port of Spain, from 7 pm.

In a release, Bigford said she had visions of hosting an event to celebrate Trinidad and Tobago’s 60th anniversary of Independence, which was celebrated in August this year.

Even though she was unsure of the exact nature of the event, she knew it would heavily feature the national colours.

While she wanted to do it on either August 31 or September 24, time did not allow. She was involved in other projects, including the recently-concluded 12 and Under children’s talent competition.

The concert, which will last over two hours, will offer “music that came from these islands, or was made popular here,” the release said. The music of Carol Addison, Oliver Chapman, Ras Shorty I, Nailah Blackman, Machel Montano, Voice, Ella Andall and Denyse Plummer will be celebrated.

“These are all people whose music affected me in some way, even as far back as my childhood. I feel honoured to give that music new life.”

It will also feature guests Ray Holman and Neval Chatelal.

“I have another surprise guest, but I’m keeping that secret under my hat,” Bigford said.

She began planning the show when the country was coming out of pandemic restrictions and “there was a huge sense of optimism and relief about being free to hold a concert again,” the release said.

Like other artistes, Bigford felt the pressures of the pandemic, it added.

“We were in a space where we didn’t know how long it would go on. I know artistes who earned next to nothing, relying on their families to survive. Contrary to popular belief, creative people and artistes don’t want handouts from the Government or anyone else. We want opportunities and spaces to showcase what we do, so we can live.”

Bigford connected with fans by hosting live broadcasts from her living room on Friday nights.

“It helped release anxiety, theirs and my own,” she said. “Now that we’re getting back out, I think I have even more people interested in what I do, because they’ve been following me over the past couple of years.”

The release said Bigford enjoys shaking up things by holding different types of events; from sit-down concerts in some of the best-established halls in the country to outdoor events with a more relaxed, party atmosphere.

“As an artiste, I feel the need to continuously reinvent the product. A lot of the same fans come to my events, so it’s important to keep it fresh, do things that will keep them on their toes.”