Brandon Best wins record 5 awards at Gospel Music Awards of Trinidad and Tobago

VISHANNA PHAGOO

At five-years-old, Brandon Best, 30, began his musical journey and his love for it grew since he grew up around his mother who he described as a talented singer and songwriter. His push towards gospel music came from his father being a pastor and him singing in the church.

Best won five awards out of six nominations at the Gospel Music Awards of Trinidad and Tobago (GMATT) held at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA), Port of Spain, on April 30. He said words can’t describe how he felt about having that accomplishment under his belt.

“I do feel extremely humbled and grateful and winning the most GMATT Awards ever given to one artiste in one award ceremony is truly mind-blowing.

“However, it was in primary school that my passion for music was truly birthed. At St Margaret Boys’ RC, I took part in Clico and NJAC (National Joint Action Committee) calypso competitions and won,” Best said in an interview with Newsday,

He said at age nine, he won his first calypso road march with a song his mother wrote called Jump.

“After seeing this and major singers on TV I soon became inspired by the art and I decided I wanted to become a recording artiste just like those I admired. Along the path, I found myself influenced outside of the Christian circle and straying away from God’s faith for a bit. At age 14, I found myself in a studio in New York with my cousin who got me to record my first-ever track, I Love You, Baby.”

With the song having influence by stalwarts in music, Best said he felt as though he had made it since he was given the opportunity to release his first R&B track.

“I was excited to become a mega star. But, the arrangement was that I would go back to Trinidad to complete CXC, as I was about to go into form four.”

Best said not too long after his return to Trinidad, his mother and cousin died in a car crash.

“This rocked my mindset as a teenage boy since my mother was my everything. The reality of mum, who always served the Lord, dying in a tragic and sudden car crash was daunting and I soon realised that I had to become a lot more serious with my life and my relationship with God.”

After the accident, Best said he no longer felt the desire to sing “worldly” music, but to sing music that God would be glorified in, and pleased with.

“The reality of how very fragile life is, how quickly it can be snatched away from you, whether or not you know Jesus, and how death can happen to anyone, I promised myself that I would be better prepared to meet my maker everyday than die not knowing Him and face the consequences of my decisions.

“In 2008, I released my first gospel song, Ancient of Days, and this was the start of my gospel career. During that time, I did vocal training with renowned British vocal artiste trainer and manager Audrey Grey.”

Best also achieved a bachelor’s degree in marketing and human resources from the University of New Brunswick, Canada.

As for his challenges, Best said he went through a lot in his 12 years of building his gospel music career from his mother’s death to his brother dying by suicide the day after his second concert, Resurrection.

“But I took my pain, turned it into a positive message and testimony that I believe God wanted only me to tell the world – as out of my brother’s suicide experience, songs like Teach Me How to Praise was birthed. My story has been somewhat similar to many other humans trying to make something of this life as I would have encountered loss, depression and pain. Failing at times and winning at times, I had to learn how to take life one day at a time and to simply be patient and disciplined with my goals to ensure I develop character for every level up I attained.”

He added, “To know all that I overcame in these past 12 years, to now seeing just how much God has been preparing me for greater things and guiding me and the ministry He’s blessed me with, I can only be humbled and grateful. I do not boast in myself at all but only in God because I am only here because of His grace.”

Best is working on a few church tours and hosting another concert, Imela the Concert, which will take the stage next October.

“I am also a 40-Under-40 influencer with the Ministry of Youth Development and National Services and part of our mandate is to impact over 22 schools around TT – Inspiring their academic growth and igniting their passion to contribute positively to our society, as they are the future leaders.”

He also has some words of advice to those who are aspiring to become musicians themselves.

“My advice to the younger generation is to stay grounded. Living in a social media obsessed age, there are lots of distractions to make you lose focus, so don’t. Take your time and don’t rush, but be urgent. Procrastination will steal your time and pride while impatience would shorten it. Keep God as the centre of everything, because without Him, nothing is. Our country already has enough violence, abuse and bloodshed so sing positive and uplifting songs that would help our land and not further hurt it. Don’t stop creating positivity, and the day you stop comparing yourself, success would be right around the corner for you.”