[UPDATED] Iwer to release new version of Happy People

After coming under scrutiny for the use of the national anthem in his song Happy People, Neil “Iwer” George said a new version of the song will be released on Friday – without the anthem.

It will be released at midnight on Thursday, he said in a phone interview with Newsday on Wednesday.

The original version was released on November 17.

In a press release on Wednesday, Iwer said he deliberately used the word “attention” at the start of the song to signal to people that they should stand at attention.

The anthem’s use at the start of the song was meant to be patriotic.

“However, based on people’s perception of Iwer George, I could understand that persons (sic) may think that when I hit the stage, people will be jumping up when the anthem is playing.

"In light of that I decided to release on Friday a new version of the song removing the national anthem.

“As such I am asking my fans and the people of TT to delete the previous version and stay on course with the theme of the song Happy People.”

He added that the song’s aim was to return TT to a place of pride, respect, love and happiness. He encouraged people to show this despite what was happening currently.

“Trinbagonian people are happy and proud people and we have to continue to show this to the world,” he said.

In that press release, George said he was only made aware of the controversy by Newsday last Saturday.

“I said to myself, ‘Controversy again, Iwer?’ How could any person, who love their country, have any issue over their song?”

Iwer said the national anthem belonged to the people, and people should not mind hearing it every day, all day “because of the lyrical content and how the country is going today.”

At a press conference at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s, on Monday, the Prime Minister added his voice to criticism about the song, saying he would prefer the anthem not to be treated that way.

After being alerted to the issue by Newsday, Iwer decided to monitor social media.He said he realised TT people were engaged in “healthy discussion” about the song, the West Indian Federation,
who wrote the anthem, what year it was written, who wrote it and the laws and protocols surrounding the use of the anthem.

Iwer was contacted by an entertainment site asking for comment, but told them he would comment later.

He did not give a comment earlier, but decided to continue monitoring social media, as people were still discussing the song and he did not want to respond while they were doing so.

When he heard Dr Rowley was hosting a press conference at 2 pm, Iwer said he decided to “wait and hear whether a journalist will pose a question to the Prime Minister for his opinion about the song.”

When Rowley said he was taking off his Prime Minister’s hat and paused during the press conference after being asked by a reporter, Iwer said, “'Oh God, George, you in trouble.’”

He decided to respond after hearing Rowley’s response.

Iwer called on people to remember to hold the flag with “great pride and patriotism, and show the world that we are more than just a place of adversity and let us continue to stand together as one.”

This story has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

Iwer George will remove the national anthem from his controversial song Happy People and release a new version on Friday.

He made the statement in a release on Wednesday on Instagram.

The singer came under widespread public scrutiny and criticism for using the anthem in his song.

Even the Prime Minister spoke about it at a press conference.

Read more about this in tomorrow’s Newsday.