By Precious Mills
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (Wednesday 31st January 2024) – Kevin ‘Ras Kelly’ Kelly, the reigning Sugar Mas Soca Monarch winner and lead vocalist for the winning ‘Showcase’ Road March tune by Small Axe Band is happy to have gotten the opportunity to perform his ‘big’ song in celebration of the island’s welcoming the world’s largest cruise ship ‘Icon of The Seas’ on its maiden call having visited the shores of St.
Kitts as its first stop. In an exclusive interview with this reporter following his on land performance of the ‘Showcase’ jam at Port Zante on Tuesday 30th January 2024, he had this to say about the experience: “It was very epic!
It was good I could say and the – NEWS RELEASE – masqueraders, they join in so they make it bigger and better!” That outdoorsy event, organized by the St. Kitts Tourism Authority, featured an entertainment session showcasing local creative talents including masquerades, both male and female models wearing Sugar Mas 42 troupe costumes and also the reigning Sugar Mas steel pan competition champions EBJ Harmonics.
Both locals and visitors were seen dancing about with merriment enjoying themselves. Commenting on the significance of the local talents of the creative industry linked to the tourism product, Kelly gave his opinion that more artistes should sing patriotic songs in upholding traditions.
“Well, I think everyone should sing about something about the country, about the craft, about the culture and about the heritage, you know? Because it’s like tradition and we have to keep the tradition goingMasquerade, bull, clowns.
You have so much things we could sing about, about the Arawaks, you know. To keep the tradition going in St. Kitts. So what was the inspiration for your song?” Asked about his inspiration for the ‘Showcase’ song, he lyrically responded: “The inspiration for my song was making ‘St.
Kitts and Nevis bigger and better for the world to see! Carnival right here in SKB!” Kelly also shared that his song was the perfect one for the welcoming of the Icon of The Seas’ occasion. “because if you listen, I changed the lyrics.
Instead of saying Carnival, I said, let’s make the Icon bigger, Icon bigger! So, that’s when they called me [Tourism Authority] ‘They said ‘We want you to change the lyrics a little bit’. And, I’m not being boasting, but this song could sing for any place.
I could go to Dominica and say, ‘let’s make Dominica. I could say, let’s make Antigua big… Any country because this song is universal!’ In other entertainment news, students of the Cradles Learning Centre have won the hearts of many nationals and visitors alike with their patriotic poem performance aboard the massive vessel saying each letter of ‘ICON OF THE SEAS’ and what it stands for in expressing That’s what St.
Kitts means to me!” with a “Welcome to St. Kitts!” as the ending phrase. C is for Culture, O is for Ocean breeze, S is for Sugar Sweet memories, T is for Traditional, H is for History and A is for Adventure were some of the lines.
Videos of the children’s performance have gone viral on social media platforms as many people applaud the patriotic brilliant confidence of the little ones who received thunderous applause from their live audience that day. Front Page Photo: Kevin ‘Ras Kelly’ Kelly, the reigning Sugar Mas Soca Monarch winner and lead vocalist for the winning ‘Showcase’ Road March tune by Small Axe Band seen while performing at Port Zante on Tuesday 30th January 2024, as part of the welcoming activities for the world’s largest cruise ship ‘Icon of The Seas’ on its maiden call to the shores of St.
