New soca release from Blackie

Blackie, whose most memorable singles, Ah Hook and Tack Back, made him a household name, is back with a new soca release for Carnival 2023, Do Not Disturb.

The soca and calypso artiste said it’s been a while since he’s felt as confident in a song as he does with this one, which he described as a witty, bacchanal-laced soca anthem.

“The irony of this whole thing is that it was included on a CD Ronald Ford did with both Tack Back and Ah Hook, ten years ago,” Blackie said in a media release.

Songwriter Ronald Ford and producer Juelio Nelson gave him those two hit singles.

Blackie explained he had been searching for the CD for years, and had even thought his wife might have thrown it out, but found it earlier this year, packed away in a brown envelope, the release said.

“I couldn’t believe it. I sent it back to Ronald and he changed some of the words, and together with Juelio, we breathed life into the ten-year-old song.”

Blackie said Do Not Disturb may cause a stir in the industry, pointing out it may have some semblance of relatability to a particular situation that some people have been whispering about. Not one to get involved in industry gossip, Blackie said the song just happens to be released at the right time.

“This is what I call perfect timing. People will love this one.”

He said the song exudes his style. “This is Blackie!”

The release is one that he’s comfortable with, confident about and excited to deliver, the release said.

Commenting on the sound of soca music, Blackie warns that Trinidad and Tobago’s artistes must be careful not to experiment too much with the authentic sound.

“If you really look at other genres, like Spanish music for example, there isn’t too much altering of the original sound, and these artistes command big money internationally for their performances.”

He said his hope is that radio DJs understand the importance of patience when it comes to new music releases. He made it clear he knows what makes songs marketable and enjoyable.

“I attended conferences and learnt a lot over the years. I know that ideally, a song should not be longer than three minutes, and the sweetness should be at the beginning, to get people from the top.”

He advised up-and-coming artistes to educate themselves on the industry.

The new single was released on November 7 and is available for digital download and streaming on all streaming platforms.