Isasha in full concert at Sando Hill
Reggae icon Isasha (Brendan Young) is gearing up to host his first-ever full concert performance at the San Fernando Hill on November 25.
Dubbed Isasha the Concert – An All-White Affair, the event plans to lyrically traverse the artiste’s catalogue of conscious music while incorporating other positive, musical influences from the soca and Trinidad dancehall genres.
The Don’t You Know singer believes the time is right to deliver his first full concert performance and is excited to share an intimate night with his longtime, and new fans.
“I believe now is the time,” Isasha said. “There’s an old saying that nothing happens before its time. I could have done this a long time ago – I don’t know if I would have gotten the desired result and support I’m getting right now, and the love from the people. We’re positive.”
Isasha, 43, has been one of Trinidad and Tobago’s most consistent reggae singers over the years. When he broke on to the scene in 2005, joining him was late brother Kevin "Million Voice" Young.
The pair recorded a number of collaborations, with I Know Jah, their biggest joint hit. But Million Voice died on October 5, 2018, from kidney failure, after suffering from cancer for a year.
Isasha has continued to release inspirational and relevant songs promoting love and unity.
“Anything positive right now, the country needs it. My aim at this concert is not a money-making event. We want to stamp our name and add a message, same way. The type of artistes we’re having in the show are positive artistes. We have a mix with gospel as well,” he added.
The concert falls within San Fernando’s City Month celebrations in November, and Carla Bridgewater, Isasha’s publicist, confirmed that it had received city mayor Robert Harris’s blessing and support.
Bridgewater wants to use the event to also market south Trinidad.
“We’re showcasing south in a positive light; the beauty and gem of south. For those who’ve never been to San Fernando Hill, it’s also a thrill. For them to come out and see the beauty of the Hill in the night. It’s a historic landmark and we want to capture that to show that reggae is Trinidad music too,” she told Newsday.
Joining Isasha from the TT reggae fraternity are Jamelody, Prophet Benjamin, King David, Mr King, Kushite, Ziggy Rankin, Black Loyalty and Jalifa.
So far, soca talents Nadia Batson, Mical Teja, Preedy and College Boy Jesse are confirmed to perform, in addition to Trinidad dancehall’s JahLlano, Rheon Melbourne, Raskality and Jahz-Blaze.
On the dynamic cast of performers, Bridgewater said, “Every other genre has their space and reggae has one as well, even without Jamaicans or international acts. We want to give local artistes the same forward.
“We’re putting on a full show and production. We’ve been rehearsing as if we’re going to the Grammys, just to get it right. We want to give that spectacular performance.”
She added that Isasha’s career has made full circle and that, “he’s ready and ripe.”
Bridgewater continued, “His voice hasn’t lost a beat, it may have even improved and gotten richer in sound. The confidence is there to show that local reggae artistes can stand their own just like other genres such as soca and so on.
“He can do the same. It’s a music festival with reggae, soca and dancehall; a full concert. It features someone (Isasha) who has been there many years in the industry."
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"Isasha in full concert at Sando Hill"