Tevin Hartman's journey from beating desks to making soca

Tevin Hartman. - Photo by Ian Davis
Tevin Hartman. - Photo by Ian Davis

AS a singer, what matters most to Tevin Hartman is remaining consistent. And through this, the 28-year-old Chaguanas native hopes to become a household name in TT’s soca industry.

Beating books…and desks

He told Sunday Newsday his interest in performing began in form five at ASJA Boys’ College in Charlieville.

In their green and white uniforms, he and his friends would create rhythms by beating their desks with stationery and freestyle over them.

“We would sometimes try to enjoy free periods a little bit. And that is where the whole thing actually started … beating a desk with my friend and now barber Akil Haynes and a few others,” he said with a laugh.

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They recorded one of those sessions and posted it to Facebook. And to their surprise, strangers praised it.

The song was titled Don’t Tote which was about them telling a schoolmate “doh tote if gyal wine on me in a party.”

He had never thought about a career in music until the video began getting traction.

After completing his business studies, he sought guidance from some artistes.

But, he recalled, “They did not really take (him) seriously.

“But then I reached out to Akeem ‘Preedy’ Chance, and what I am about to say is why he is could call on me for anything any time in his life...”

Tevin Hartman. - Photo by Ian Davis

He continued, “At that time, I was looking for opportunities to do music. He spoke to me and said, ‘Bro, you need to invest in yourself, invest in your craft and invest in what you’re trying to get done.’”

And those words stuck with him.

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A few years later, local producer “Damien “MillBeatz” Millien launched a contest for upcoming artistes to win a free beat and studio recording.

Competitors had to e-mail a video singing an original song and Hartman won with Don’t Tote.

The song is on YouTube and other music-streaming platforms.

He was nervous recording in a professional studio for the first time but said Millien’s positive feedback boosted his confidence.

“It kind of added an extra spark.

“He was amazed at what these young fellas (created) in a classroom.”

He then worked with producer and songwriter Anson Pro (Anson Soverall) in 2015 on a track called No Way.

“Anson also told me, ‘Keep sticking to it, you have a future.’ And it wasn't that it felt as though he told me that just because we're going to do work (and) money passing. It felt genuine.”

He continued to build connections in the industry, eventually teaming up with Kris Kennedy and Mical Teja on tracks like Major Key and No Shame.

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“We also worked with Sekon Sta that season on a song called Reflections produced by Nikholai Greene (NMG Music). At the time, Nikholai had a project called Hear Them Out that gave new artistes the chance to collaborate with established ones.”

Tevin Hartman. - Photo by Ian Davis

Other tracks by Hartman include Overproof, Permanent, Company, Flatten featuring Erphaan Alves and Go Low.

Solidifying his sound

He said when he began hearing his music on the radio and in public, as well as seeing people talk about the tracks online: That was an amazing feeling. Each moment of growth throughout the years has felt amazing, to be honest.

He added, “The only person I could credit it to is God.”

Hartman is still working on his sound, while being careful not to “put himself in a box,” creatively.

“I want people to be able to identify my sound and say, ‘Yes, that’s Tevin Hartman,’ but I also want them to hear something different and say, ‘I could see him trying something like that too.’

“But ultimately, I think the sound I want is new school vintage.”

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For the 2025 Carnival season, he released Darlin and Rum Again.

For Darlin, he got the beat while in New York for Labor Day celebrations and “fell in love with it instantly.”

It was produced by Kedon Charles and Sheriff Music.

He said Preedy freestyle part of it and then told him: “I giving you that. The rest is yours. Figure it out.”

He recalled struggling to find a second verse and deciding to shelve the project. But his music colleagues, including Erphaan Alves, persuaded him not to.

In hindsight, Hartman said it is “crazy” that a song he loves so much may have never been released.

“The issue was I didn’t have a second verse, and Erphaan was like, ‘Bro, I have a song where I don’t have one. Put it out and let people decide if they like it or not.’”

Rum Again is what he calls an "unconventional rum song" produced by Supayouth.

He has performed at several events including Xperience, Sol of Soca, MAS The Experience and others.

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Asked what it is like entertaining crowds who may not be familiar with him, he said it helps that he does not get nervous.

“They may not know me but I’m going to deliver. And if I get one person to move, two people to move…I try to focus on them. So it's only us in this party and I blank out the noise around.”

But he added that sometimes, people know the songs but not the artiste.

Tevin Hartman. - Photo by Ian Davis

“So at times, I would be watching from backstage when they announce my name. And people would cheer but I know they’re thinking, ‘Who is Tevin Hartman?’ But when they start to hear the music, they go, ‘I know this song.’ And when I go out and receive that energy, it's it's like Tekken where they start to power into you. The performance starts to get a bit stronger and there is a bit more confidence.

Asked what’s next, he said, “Remaining consistent.

“I want to be a household name in TT and the Caribbean…even the world once the Lord blesses me with the opportunity to be that. However, consistency is all on my mind, all that I'm focused on.”

He also had a message for other young artistes: Continue striving for what you want to achieve. Be real with yourself as well…The opportunity will come. And just make sure when it comes, you grasp it with both hands.”

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