Crystal ‘CC’ Charles spreads joy through music

SINGING makes Crystal Charles happy. And she loves sharing that joy with others.

The smiles on the faces of audience members and seeing them have fun remind her of this all the time.

She is now the lead female vocalist of the Brass 2 The World Band and is looking forward to a successful Carnival season.

The 34-year-old singer told WMN her fascination with performing began at age three at her Belmont home.

“My mom told me she was watching TV and there was this lady who was dancing and wining. And I got up on the table and I started mimicking what she was doing.”

“I fell down,” she admitted, laughing. “But I didn’t cry. I laughed and got back up.”

She adopted a love for singing and her first real performance was at a “Carnival jump up” competition at Melville Memorial Girls' Anglican Primary School.

“I grew up Christian but I still really loved soca.

“I was 11 years old and in standard five, and I actually performed Iron Bazodee (by Square One and Alison Hinds).”

At that age, she would not have understood the suggestive undertones of that song, but now, she finds the situation hilarious.

“The song was just so popular at the time.”

On performing in front of a crowd for the first time, she said, “I remember just being very anxious and fearful and (I had) butterflies (in my stomach) and stage fright. But it was still good and I had fun because my friends were cheering me on.”

When she moved on to St James Secondary School, she picked up dancing (don’t worry, she didn’t fall this time) and martial arts.

“I did those things for about six years.”

But singing called out to her again.

“I entered the school talent show in Form 5. This time, I performed Foolish by Ashanti and I placed third.”

She said she was not as nervous this time as she had “built her confidence” after the primary school show.

But she admitted, “I mean, to be honest with you, every time I grab a mic, I'll be nervous for like the first 10-15 seconds…I think a lot of artistes go through that. It's just a nerve-racking thing. But once you start singing, it goes away.”

She also sang at the school’s graduation ceremony, which she received a standing ovation.

She performed Hero by Mariah Carey.

“Everyone stood up, all my friends started crying and people told me they did not know I could sing like that.”

She soon realised she wanted to make a career out of music.

Exploring this interest, she entered season three of Synergy Soca Star in 2007. She did not make it that time but she persisted, trying again the following year.

“And then I made it to the top 12.

“That was exciting for me because this was my first time performing on a stage with a live band. And it was crazy because I was the people's choice. They loved me."

Under the sobriquet CC, she later did other songs like Crossing the Savannah, What Yuh Want Tonight and Dreamer.

Her manager at the time then introduced her to Kernal Roberts (Songwriter/artiste/producer) and then we did the song Steam with Benji on the AmA Riddim.

That riddim also featured Bunji Garlin, Buffy and Mr Vegas.

“Steam and Buffy’s song Anything were popular on the riddim. And we were actually nominated for best new artiste at the soca awards.”

Another moment of note, she said, was making it to the 2013 International Soca Monarch semi-finals with Soca Ah Luv Yuh.

She said she is generally a very “bubbly” person and likes to maintain that energy on tracks and for performances.

“Music is my dream. I love singing.

“I'm always very happy and I love my energy being contagious when it comes to being around people and making them happy like me. I love putting a smile on people's faces and entertaining them. And with music, I get that chance to do that.”

Other songs she has released include Party Behind Meh with Austin “Superblue” Lyons, Carnival Day and Dais It Dey.

She continued to share her joyous energy with audiences, this time aboard the Royal Caribbean cruise line for six years.

“There was this band, Spice Band, they called them, a Grenadian band. They didn't have a female vocalist as it was only four guys, and I joined.”

She said she had a lot of fun sharing aspects of her culture with foreigners.

“And then to top it off, we had Uber Soca cruise. So I got to reunite with a lot of local artistes.”

She recently returned to land and said she is ready to continue releasing solo music.

Last year, she did a song called Born Alone.

“The feedback was amazing…And this was just me welcoming myself back into the industry after being away for six years.”

And for the 2025 Carnival season, she released Whole Year.

She considered being a part of a band again upon her return home. Apart from it being fun, she wanted to be around others with good energy who love music.

“I auditioned for the Brass 2 The World band. I was nervous but they loved it.

“I had to perform The Electric Boogie and Conga, and they said, ‘We love your voice. We love your vibe.’”

Apart from soca, she said she has done R&B and funk and hopes to try jazz someday as well.

She said right now, her ultimate goal is to gain more recognition as a singer.

“A lot of people may know a song but they don't know the artiste behind it. For me, this season, I just want people to be able to say, ‘Oh, that's Crystal,’ or ‘’Hey, that's CC.’

“I just really want to gain respect in the industry moving forward, not only for Carnival, but throughout the year. And I want to continue to be consistent.”