Mykela working toward soca success

SINGER Michaella “Mykela” Jacob is willing to do the gruelling work it takes to become a well-known artiste, locally and internationally.

The La Horquetta resident has two releases for Carnival 2025: Heated and Tsunami.

Although she knows there are many talented people competing for a spot, she does not mind doing shows for free to gain the needed exposure.

Her journey in music began early.

“When they realised I could sing was in primary school. I attended La Horquetta North Government Primary and they had a soca/Carnival competition which I won.

“Prior to that we had a field trip at City Hall and the music engineers who hosted that field trip told me I should look into music and writing. They saw some qualities,” she said in a phone interview.

Mykela, now 27, stunned many when she won the school’s competition.

“They knew me to be this quiet, doing-my-work, not-loud kind of person.

“So when they saw me waving, performing, jumping and having the crowd get on, they wanted to know where this side came from.”

She also participated in music competitions at her alma mater, Bishop Anstey High School East and won.

“That just solidified and locked it in. I said, ‘For sure, I want to do this.’”

Some better-known artistes, writers and producers would often sit on the judging panel at these competitions.

Some of them would pull her aside, after the competition, and say, “‘You should really do this. Why are you not in Junior Soca Monarch doing this thing?’

“My parents did not really know much about it and they wanted me to focus on school and then, after, then I could divert to that direction.”

Mykela later pursued a degree in business at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine. During that time, she researched how she could get into the music industry.

She had no help and searched social media, looking for networking contacts.

On Facebook, she discovered Warren Civic, a member of Patrice Roberts’ team, she said.

He often gave information about the industry through his posts. She decided to message him one day and express her interest in music.

Civic guided her to Precision Productions’ Audio Essentials Workshop. The workshop helped people navigate the music industry.

“That was before the covid19 pandemic and that was the last one. I got in and that was where I made connections and learned to understand the business a little more.”

There she met songwriter and producer Jelani “Pops” Shaw and they soon began working together.

She later signed up for a songwriting course with songwriter/producer Darryl Gervais. Participants were required to write a song for a Gervais-produced riddim, where five of them would win a free demo. She was one of the winners and also met System 32’s Kevin Beharry.

While there was no immediate success from the demo, Mykela now had something to share with industry specialists when she met them.

Through this she also met songwriter/producer Shumba Mahluli and Don “Iko” George.

She messaged George and sent him her demo.

Her first soca, Multivitamin, was born out of that interaction in 2023. She was also able to release another through Mahluli, that same year, called Hot Gyal on the Storm Riddim.

She was interested in performing for the 2024 season but knew there were few opportunities.

“You had to suck salt.

“I messaged Iko and asked him if it was possible to perform in Nadia Batson’s Artform.

“The theme that year was the Market Open. He said, ‘You know I don’t have any say, it is really Nadia who does the lineup. I said, ‘Oh gosh, you will let me know, no problem.’”

A couple of weeks later, he messaged Batson’s lineup and she was on it.

She met other artistes there as well.

The public sector clerk does not limit herself to soca and said she loves Caribbean-infused music because she grew up listening to R&B and other genres.

Mahluli also encouraged her to do other things and she released a holiday single called Champion Lovin’.

Asked how easy it was for her to navigate the industry, Mykela said it was very difficult.

“Firstly, I was coming from a place where I had no connections. I realised you need to know somebody.

“It is just like every sector, private/public, it is who you know in TT. If you are doing it on your own, it is extremely, extremely hard especially if you are bold and doing it on your own,” she said.

She said Mahluli really helped her a lot and even though there are stories of women being exploited in the industry, that was not her story.

“You know you would hear young females coming up and they would try to come around you inappropriately. But I think, with me, it is really just how you carry yourself.

“I never had a problem with that but you still have to keep your guard up.”

Even though these difficulties exist, it does not deter her from pursuing her dream.

She is trying to help herself and ultimately believes success in the music industry will happen.

“I have already started and why stop now. That does not stop me at all because I have a bigger goal ahead and I am really hungry for it. I have to get it.”

While she admits that it is going to be tough in the social media age, but she intends to keep growing and developing her craft.

She thinks she has a competitive edge because of her vocal ability and her ability to switch between genres.

She also plans to use market trends to create her music.

“I listen to the people, the audience. Once I see they prefer this and like this, that is where I really have to maximise on.

“While not being fake, make it work for both parties.”

Mykela hopes to perform at some venues this Carnival, even if it is for free.

“I am still new and I have to understand they might not want to hire because it is what the people want. They are paying to come to a show, so the promoters don’t want every and anybody.

“I understand that and I am willing to build myself, when I reach a particular point, bookings will come.

“But for now, I just have to figure out how to get on to shows, even if it is to perform free. Who cares? Right now, it is to get the exposure.”

She described this as the introductory phase to her career.