Anika Berry Saddles up for 2025 Carnival season

SO sweet!

Four years into her soca career, Anika Berry believes she has found her breakout song. Gracing the Tilden Hall Riddim alongside Machel Montano, Lyrikal, Yung Bredda, Voice and Motto, her tune Saddle is blazing trails.

The singer, who proudly calls herself “d sweetest berry” is from New York in the US, but her parents are from Trinidad and Tobago.

With songs like Ginger, Lash Up, Jammin, ATM and Romance, among others, she is gradually building her catalogue.

In a 2023 interview with Newsday, she had described her sound as “old-school” woven with new-era flavours.”

And Saddle is a perfect example of that.

Jason “Shaft” Bishop wrote it and De Red Boyz produced the entire riddim.

She actually got sent the demo and riddim while at her main job as a nurse. Bishop, who she has been working with since 2022, told her she had two days to send back a recording.

“We were also working on another unreleased song, then he sent this. And I thought, ‘How am I supposed to learn this in two days?’” she recalled, laughing.

“Normally, I take a week to really learn a song. But for some reason, the song just stuck with me immediately. I recorded it the next day, I felt comfortable with it, and I had to deliver it.”

Upon submitting it, she thought the rest of the team would request “a few tweaks here and there…

“But they took it right away.”

In the brass-filled track, she warns men her wine “ain’t no easy ride,” so they should take their time “before (yuh) fall off d saddle.”

She said she was aware it was a riddim but only knew of Voice, Motto, Lyrikal and Yung Bredda as being featured.

“I knew I was the only woman and I thought, ‘These are big names. How will they (listeners) receive my song as a newer artiste?’”

Soon after, she learnt Montano was also on the riddim and, “I was like, ‘Wow, this is huge! I’m on the same riddim as Machel,’” she said in a cheerful tone.

She met up with him in Miami and out of pure excitement, told him that she’s going to be on the same riddim as him.

“He said, ‘I know,’ and I was so surprised. He had already heard the song and he told me he loved it.”

Once the riddim was out, she said the feedback to her track was great, which was boosted by a visualiser/music video.

The visualiser has over 221,000 views on YouTube, while the audio has near 10,000 listens on that platform.

She has performed at several fetes for the 2025 Carnival season so far like Xperience, MAS: The Experience, Soka In Moka and Berry Brunch. Compared to other places, she said performing in TT is “a different experience."

“I always laugh and say, if you could perform here, you could perform anywhere in the world.

"I feel like here, you get a lot of constructive criticism. People truthfully tell you, ‘Hey, this was good,’ or, ‘Hey, this was bad.’ They don’t hold back.”

She said a lot of people in TT “pay attention to the artistry behind being a performer” and look at details like usage of stage, etc.

“But so far, the crowds have been amazing. The supporters have been great. Saddle's been doing great.”

Since she is still relatively new, some people are still unfamiliar with her name and face.

She said she has experienced seeing people’s facial expressions move from confused to, “'Oh, she sang that song?'

“So (crowd response) is a mixture. Some people who are on social media would see my visuals for Saddle on YouTube and Instagram, and I've been pushing hard. I've done a lot of radio stuff, so if they hear Anika Berry and the ‘So Sweet’ tag, it rings a bell.”

Alongside Saddle, she has a song called Doh Rough It Up featuring Imani Ray, and another called In Charge for the 2025 season.

She feels especially proud after doing a lot of groundwork during her first year, which required her to be open-minded.

“It was about knowing that even if people don’t respond immediately, some will still connect with my sound.”

And now, many approach her after performances or message her on social media to tell her she did a great job.

She thinks having visuals (music videos or visualisers) to complement music is very important in the industry.

“They always help.

“People are very visual these days, and having content that shows who I am is key.”

Describing Saddle as a “breakout track” in her career, she is thrilled to reap the benefits of her hard work.

“It feels great. A lot of time and money has been invested. I have an almost three-year-old daughter, so I miss family events, but I know it's all part of working toward a bigger picture.

“Seeing the progress feels amazing, and my team is excited. We’re getting more support from promoters, DJs, and fans, and we're on the right track.”

She urged other upcoming, female artistes to do two things: Find a solid team and trust them.

“There will be distractions and people telling you what to do, but stay focused.

“This industry is male-dominated, so it’s important to protect yourself, stay with your team. Women in this industry should support each other and stay positive. It's important to stick together and keep your energy right.”

She has also qualified for the semifinals of Ultimate Soca Champion with Saddle.

The semifinals begin at 9pm tonight at the Naparima Bowl in San Fernando.

She said she is proud to have progressed given it being her first major soca competition.

“It feels amazing. I worked hard and to be selected from over 200 people is incredible. I’m getting prepared for the next round, and my family is really excited. No matter what happens, I’m proud to have made it this far.”