Yung Bredda embracing role-model status, vows to tone down his steam

HE is known as the King of Steam, but Yung Bredda's (Akhenaton Lewis) penetration into the 2025 soca and calypso realm, which has catapulted him into something of a role model, is making him rethink how he portrays himself and the impression he wants to leave behind.

As he crafts a musical legacy, Yung Bredda acknowledged this new-found thrust into the spotlight has placed a great weight on his shoulders.

At 25, this rising star from Sea Lots is determined to uphold and shape that responsibility with pride, to leave a positive and permanent mark, while he grows as an artiste.

Even as he strives to pursue accolades like the Calypso Monarch, his mother’s voice keeps resonating in his ear, reminding him to be humble and grounded, not to forget where he came from.

“My mother is a person, anytime I get too hyped up and thing, she does just bring me back down to ground level. She has instilled that in me so even when she is not around, I still remember that teaching to be just normal.”

He made the comments in an interview with the Newsday after his energising and exciting performance of We Rise at the Calypso Fiesta, Skinner Park, San Fernando, on February 22. Yung Bredda spoke of the burden that has been placed on his petite shoulders.

“I have a big reputation to hold up, a big weight to carry now,” he said. His hit song The Greatest Bend Over has been taking him to ever major fete stage and then some. He said he had seven engagements on February 22 and four more the next morning.

The father of a daughter said he is aware, “the youths are looking up to me (to be the role model they can emulate). Even the elders are looking up to me."

Before his breakthrough into the calypso and soca genres, Yung Bredda was noted for his raunchy form of freestyle music, steam, a sub-genre of dancehall, which he said, is his way of being different from zess and Trinibad music. Steam consists of sexually-charged lyrics which are geared toward women. He said he intends to continue with his steam but with some emphasis on toning it down.

“The youths are the future generation I mean, they are looking up to me, so I am not going to do my steam as I normally do, how I used to do it, anymore. Because I am elevating. I will still do it. I will try to do it in a clean way but still to enjoy myself. I will still be doing the party songs for the youths.”

While working to perfect his craft and ensure that positive influence, Yung Bredda asserted, “I would not be boxed in. Really and truly, I started singing calypso at primary school, so when I get the breakthrough with The Greatest Bend Over, my manager just came and say it is always good to remember foundation and learn foundation because I am a young entertainer.

“I want to build and in order to build, you have to know foundation. So he tell me about going back to calypso and being big on foundation, I said, 'that is the right way to do it' and here I am.”

That is not where he intends to stay, however, pointing to the different genres he is currently exploring.

“I am an Afro (beat) artiste as well. I do Afro (beat) music. People just haven't heard it as yet because it is unreleased. I am also working on my second album for this year and on music for the summer."

He is scheduled to undertake several overseas tours after Carnival, including a performance at the Caribbean Musical Festival, Kensington Oval, Barbados, on April 20 and, Live in Montreal on June 28.

Having worn a suit to perform at Skinner Park, he expressed the new confidence and respect that dressing formally brings, rather than in party clothes.

“Loving the suits, big up to Yung Next Generation DWWW Creations. It is boosting my confidence. I believe when you dress a certain way it gives off a lot of emotions and feelings. I am feeling like a king right now.”

He said he was grateful and humbled by the crowd response when he made his debut performance at Calypso Fiesta.

In anticipation of his entrance on the grand stage, the patrons showed their appreciation with lusty applause, while shouting out his name and asserting, before the judges, that he had a place in the finals.

To this idol-like welcome, he said, “I feel good, but at the end of the day I come off my high horse and try to be normal. Remember I am human too. I just want to help people and do the right thing.”

In preparation for the March 2, National Calypso Monarch 2025, Yung Bredda said he is, “drinking my ginger tea, doing my warm water and salt and honey routine.”

He is among 11 calypsonians who will do battle with reigning monarch Machel Montano, for the title and the $1 million purse which includes, $700,000 cash and a car, valued at $300,000.

The second prize is $500,000 cash and the third prize is $350,000. The fourth prize is $250,000 and the fifth prize is $175,000.

Along with Yung Bredda, the finalists include, former monarchs Terri Lyons, Roderick “Chuck” Gordon, Karen Asche, Helon Francis, Duane Ta’Zyah O’Connor and Kurt Allen, nine-time Chutney Soca Monarch, Samraj "Rikki Jai" Jaimungal, Young Kings 2025 Anthony "Squeezy Rankin" La Fleur, Ann Marie "Twiggy" Parks Kojo and newcomer Roslyn "Roslyn" Reid Hayes.

Morel "King Luta" Peters is the reserve in the competition with his song Comrade Roget.