NEW YORK – Imagine being told that in order to be seen and heard, as an upcoming female artiste in the Soca music industry, physical exposure is necessary. Somewhat daunted by this, New York based artiste, Rreecey says she finds herself caught between being passionately driven and angered.
A new single, ‘Stink and Dutty’, done collaboratively with her friend and fellow artiste, Eggy Dan, Rreecey says she’s been open to marketing and promoting her music, using all available tools, however she makes it clear, she is not in the business of selling her body, arguing that women should not be made to suffer for their integrity.
Sexualization of Women in Music Industry
The sexualization of women in the music industry is not new, nor is it exclusive to Soca music. Other female artistes, among them, Alison Hinds, have spoken out on the hyper-sexualization of the music industry, but to no avail. Even though she is facing a challenge, Rreecey is determined to keep going. She wants to show that she deserves to be played on the radio and booked for events during the upcoming Carnival season.
‘Stink and Dutty’ was written by Jason ‘Shaft’ Bishop, one of the Caribbean region’s most requested songwriters. The duo say they’ve found tremendous support in Shaft’s camp, highlighting that with Jason, they’ve been given great music, and even better advice. “Jason is really good at what he does and he guides you really well. He’s a good one,” said Eggy Dan.
Having recently survived a major car accident, Eggy, whose real name is Marvin Lewis, is on the road to recovery. “I’m not back to my usual self just yet but I am doing physical therapy.” He was lucky to survive a car accident on Mother’s Day this year, suffering a severe back injury. “It’s been very hard. I haven’t been working, but with the release of the new single, we made the sacrifice needed recently, visiting Tobago for a promotional run, ahead of Tobago’s carnival,” he said. That experience however, altered his view on the business somewhat, lamenting that people in the industry are very good at making false promises.
Accountability In Soca Music Industry
“There is a lack of proper accountability in the Soca music business, with no redress available to upcoming artistes. People behind the scenes are taking on certain roles and giving assurances, but they’re doing it for money, not for the love of the artform,” said Rreecey.
Their trip to T&T last month was not wasted. The duo recorded new music at Millbeatz Music and are excited for the unveiling of these projects. “We’re looking toward the end of the year and we’re excited to share these new songs with Soca lovers,” said Rreecey. They plan on releases two groovy soca track individually, in the next few months.
The New York entertainer said she is meeting with industry leaders and event promoters. She wants to reduce risks after having some bad experiences recently.
Words of Encouragement
Friends and fans of the artistes have been very observant of their growth. “It’s always great to get the feedback of the people who’ve seen our development over time. Sometimes it’s difficult to maneuver as new artistes, and it doesn’t help when seasoned artistes refuse to share their knowledge and offer advice,” said the young female artiste. Eggy however recalled fellow entertainer, Preedy’s words of support to him. “Preedy told us it won’t be easy but he said we should just keep pushing.”
For both these entertainers, there is a strong will and desire to create long- lasting music. “I want my music to live on. I don’t want to create disposable music. That doesn’t make sense,” said Eggy.
Rreecey says despite the challenges that present itself for new artistes choosing Soca music as their outlet, she remains steadfast in her approach. “It’s really tough in New York now, with a lot of promoters becoming artistes and even hiring themselves. This could hurt the culture because if legitimate artistes who take this craft seriously, are continuously overlooked, what can we expect in 10 years?”
No matter the challenge, the New York based team of Rreecey and Eggy Dan is pushing through. The artists are focusing on visuals and marketing to promote their music. They aim to deliver great music, fun experiences, and lasting quality to the Soca scene in the coming months.