Chutney-soca artistes benefit from arrival concert $$$

CHUTNEY-soca artistes affected by the coronavirus pandemic have begun to receive proceeds from the $45,000 raised from the May 30 virtual Arrival D Concert.

The first two beneficiaries are Sam Boodram and Budram Holass.

The concert, organised by Southex CEO George Singh, promoter of the Chutney Soca Monarch competition (CSM) was held to raise funds for artiste most affected by the shutdown of the entertainment industry due to the pandemic.

Singh said $45,000 was raised to assist many of the less popular artistes who have been quietly suffering without an income as they basically made a living from gig to gig.

Earlier this week, Singh and other members of the committee which assisted in organising the show went to the homes of two of the legends of the Indo-Caribbean music industry, Boodram and Holass.

The two men who have been battling medical issues, were each presented with a cheque for $5,000 to assist with their medical expenses.

Singh said, apart from those two, a host of other artistes who are less known have applied and will benefit from smaller grants to help them though what has been a very tough period in the local music industry.

Singh said, as one of the caretakers of the Indo-Caribbean music industry, the company felt obligated to take care of those who have kept this genre of music alive but now find themselves without an income.

“While many other businesses may see a light at the end of the tunnel, our local artistes in TT are faced with zero income from an industry that went from the top of its game to literally nothing overnight. There is no light at the end of the tunnel for artistes.”

Economic activity is slowly restarting with the retail and public sector being reopened from June 1. Hairdressers, barber saloons were reopened on Monday and the Prime Minister has asked for a little more time to reopen beaches.

With physical distancing still in effect and large gatherings outlawed, it is not certain when the live entertainment industry is likely to be reopened.