Terri Lyons: On her own beat

She took the Soca Monarch semifinal stage by storm on February 15 at the Arima Velodrome, commanding the crowd with her performance of her 2019 soca offering, Mad#AF, handing down a strong performance in a short psychedelic shift dress with an asymmetrical hemline, fish net stockings and sturdy boots.

Terri Lyons told WMN she went into the competition with the intention to deliver a performance worthy of getting her into the finals, and she did just that.

She again got the judge's nod of approval last week when she made it into the semifinal of the Calypso Monarch competition with I am Woman. Lyons assured her fans that she went into yesterday's competition popularly known as Calypso Fiesta at Skinner Park, with the intention of making it to the final and better 2017's fourth place position. This year, the Calypso Monarch final would be held on Terrific Thursday (Carnival Thursday) and not at the traditional Dimanche Gras show on Carnival Sunday.

For the 2019 Carnival season, Lyons has been hitting the stage as one of the frontline vocalists with Nadia Batson and Sass the band.

Terri Lyons has always wanted to leave her own mark on the soca and calypso industry, not relying on any possible advantage of having been born into a singing, performing family. Her lineage includes father, veteran soca and calypso artiste Austin "Super Blue" Lyons; mother, singer Dionne Phillips; and sister, popular entertainer Fay Ann Lyons-Alvarez, who is also the current chair of Caribbean Prestige Foundation, producer of the International Soca Monarch competition.

Lyons has sought to diffuse any misconception that having iconic soca lineage meant an automatic spot in the fraternity. Rather, she said, it was quite the opposite. She had to show her true mettle through years of learning, adapting and honing her own personal style and skills, both on and off the stage.

"Both my mother and father were in the soca arena, so I think being around it drove me to do the same. Part of my life as a kid I went on tour with my dad and was home schooled for a while as a result.

"I did not grow up in Point Fortin. I was born in Port of Spain General Hospital and grew up in the Port of Spain area. Growing up with singing parents seemed normal to me although to others they were stars, but to me they were simply my parents."

Lyons shared with WMN, "My mother had me in everything: dancing, acting, modelling, singing, gymnastics. But my interest along with singing, is acting. My mother ,who was my mentor, always pushed me to be a better version of myself."

Lyons believes 2019 will be her year to truly shine.

The former student of Barataria Junior and Chaguanas Senior Secondary schools, told WMN one of her major challenges has been "staying afloat in this business" and constantly being compared to relatives in the soca arena. She said she has been able to hold her own by staying focused and being consistent with the material she offered her fans and the public.

A resident of Couva, Lyons said her focused shifted somewhat with the death of her mom in 2002 and the birth of her son, in 2014. She looks forward to taking care of her son every day, while she is still struggling with not having her mom at her side, cheering her on and encouraging her every move. That void, she said, was partially filled by Super Blue, as he became doting "granddaddy" during her pregnancy.

She also opted to work, with advice from her doctors, up until shortly before the end of her second trimester.

"My mother changed my perspective on love, on being focused, and the greatness of finding purpose. It's what keeps me going even when I feel her loss profoundly. My will is what drives me after God and my son. I just don't know how to leave things incomplete, so l will always push. l have a serious fighting spirit. The more you discredit me it steams me up to continue and prove you wrong," she said.

Lyons has also held her own within the calypso fraternity, which saw her emerge first in the social commentary category at TUCO's calypso competition in 2017 and third at the NWAC Queen competition in 2018.

While her mom was an integral part of her life, Lyons, credits her ability to accomplish whatever she sets her mind to, solely on God. "Firstly, always make prayers a priority; it's just and as important as breathing.

She advised, "Aspire to be a better you. Don’t try to be like anyone else because that person has someone they are wanting to be like as well. Life ain't easy at times, but it's still a blessings to be alive just to be able to speak of it."

While going on tour with her father and being partially home schooled helped shaped her as an artiste, Lyons said she has opted instead to have her son remain in a public school environment. This also means he does not go on tour with her, as she prefers he does "not miss any school at all".

On the topic of her relationship with sister, Fay Ann, Lyons simply said, "No comment".

So what's on the cards for Lyons in the next two to five years? She joked that that was the easiest question throughout WMN's interview.

"I always wanted to have my own line of clothing, but now that I have a child I'm doing it around him, so it is now his line of clothing. It's in the making. As far as myself as an artiste, I see myself established as an entertainer locally, regionally and internationally. In five years continuing the preparations for my son's journey in life; his goals and his dreams. For today... I would be doing an album soon, but right now I'm just focused on my releases for 2019 which are Wey yuh Dey with Mr Killa (Hollice Mapp) from Grenada; Company on the Sangria riddim (a groovy song); Mad#AF, my power soca; and All on D Ground. That's my immediate focus, as of now," she said.

As for what she intends to give to the crowd for Fantastic Friday, the final of the International Soca Monarch competition, Lyons promised regardless of the outcome, it will be memorable.

"All I can say right now is you can expect a dynamic performance... one to remember," she hinted with a quick smile.