“Energy cannot be destroyed, only transferred!” One-on-one with soca legend, Machel Montano

“[…] If you’re trying to build something, it’s up to you to decide whether or not you’re looking for fame, a quick joyride, or a genuine connection that grants you the ability to positively impact people.

“Once you decide what you’re building, then you’ll know what kind of foundation you’ll need…”

Trinidad and Tobago soca icon Machel Montano has been at the forefront of the music genre for decades, with a string of accolades from around the globe—not least one Calypso Monarch, six Soca Monarch, and 10 10 Road March titles, along with the Hummingbird Gold Medal and an honorary doctorate from UTT.

Machel opened up on his artistic evolution, passion for promoting soca, and his future plans during a one-on-one with Wired868:

What is your date of birth?

24 November 1974.

Where is your hometown? What school did you attend?

I was born and raised in southwestern Trinidad, Siparia. I attended La Divina Pastora, Siparia Boys RC school.

Can you tell me about the moment when you realized music was your path?

At first, my origination in music was entirely coincidental because my older brother was the one who used to take guitar lessons when I was only seven years old. During this time, he used to ask for my assistance in strumming the guitar strings, or singing a song for him whilst he was playing the chords for it.

It was him, as well as our parents, who had first realized that there was something in me, because one day they said, “You know, you have a nice voice. Maybe you should try out singing lessons.” So I did, and when I started lessons my music teacher began placing me to sing in church choirs and calypso competitions.

I was just going along with it during the early stages of singing. I didn’t really recognize music until the people around me began putting all this effort into my voice by placing me here and there for an audience.

However, my full interest had started in 1984 when I won my first calypso competition, and I realised I had a passion for music because I began liking the sounds being birthed from the record player back at home.

Who were your earliest inspirations in music?

Earliest inspirations would be the Bee Gees, Michael Jackson, Bob Marley, Sade Adu, Lionel Richie, Mighty Sparrow, Lord Kitchener, and Super Blue.

As someone who grew up in Trinidad and Tobago, how did your cultural background influence your sound and identity as an artist?

Well, I knew of other musical genres, but what I was being led to was calypso. Therefore, it was what became closest to me—I sang calypso more than anything else during my younger days.

I grew to realize that calypso was an art form that was loved by the elders, and that piqued my interest into finding out what was the younger sound, which I then learnt was soca. The downside of this is that a part of our culture, especially in the younger generation, had a tendency to like foreign music more than Caribbean music.

That fact alone steered my path into soca because I felt capable of finding a way to make soca younger, especially by blending it with other genres of music like hip hop, reggae, and R&B in order to fatten people’s love for the music in their own culture.

Over the years, you’ve had countless hits and memorable performances. Is there one particular song or performance that stands out as a career-defining experience?

Yes. One memorable experience for me was my 1986 Too Young To Soca performance at the Dimanche Gras. For the show, I did a little stage play where I came out of a stroller dressed like a baby, and I had on a diaper that started falling off of me as I was performing. That was a classic moment I would never forget.

Right after, in 1987, I’ll never forget competing as the youngest person in the Caribbean sound festival as well, singing my little R&B song Too Early For Your Love. I went up against the greatest singers in the Caribbean at that time, and I couldn’t believe I placed first when the results were announced.

Are there any genres or collaborations you haven’t explored yet but would like to?

I love country music as a genre, and given that it is one that I haven’t explored yet, I want to begin working with country music artists. I also have a dream to create music with indigenous people and learn more about their culture because I want to bring beats from a variety of people, especially coming from a traditional source.

For me, collaborating has always been a natural thing. Though, there is one person in particular that I would really love to explore soca music with, and that person is Rihanna. Seeing Rihanna come home to the Caribbean and put her touch on soca is something I hope to see one day.

Yes, collaborations have always been a big part of your career. What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned from working with other artists?

The most important lesson I’ve learned is that hard work is definitely a common place amongst people who do great things.

I’ve been given the opportunity to form some great collaborations with people like Pitbull, Doug E Fresh, and Ashanti, and every single time I was there in the process I was able to see how hard other artists work and the many hours they dedicate to their music.

What’s the driving factor behind your desire to fuse different musical styles?

One of the driving factors is unity. Unity is strength, unity is power, and I see that similarity in all music just as I see it in all people. When you open your eyes, you can identify what makes you similar to what makes you different. It’s fun to discover that, and it’s even more fun to share that, because now you have two things that can become one.

I’m quite the unity freak; I love partnership, and I came from that position where I was just a solo performer who desired to share the experience with his friends and family. Now, I have a whole company behind me, and it’s a beautiful thing to create with others for the impact we can have on people’s lives.

Vibes is a word that’s often used in soca music. How would you describe the ‘Machel Montano vibe’, and how do you maintain it in every performance?

From my understanding, vibes is short for vibration. Where there is energy there is a vibration, and putting on performances has always been about that for me. We all know that energy is one thing that cannot be destroyed, it can only be transferred, and during a performance that energy is transferred from me to the audience and then back to me again.

It’s something about it that lights up the place—I intend to keep that energy flowing positively every time as it means that I am doing something for the benefit of everyone in the experience. As we Trinis know, the Vibes Cyah Done.

How do you stay grounded and inspired to create after so many years in the industry?

The music industry requires things from you that are not just about having fun. It requires longevity, as well as consciousness, and I take my job very seriously in those aspects.

I have to be deep and understanding because I know that it means something to me personally. It brings me joy, takes care of my family, and touches a lot of people. So to maintain that connection, I have to hold it very sacred in my heart.

I never take it for granted, never disrespect it, and never not give it my full attention and respect. I can’t afford to be careless or wild with my art all the time—sometimes, you have to button down and become one hundred percent dedicated once you understand that it is a business you entered, and it will define your life as a result of your passion for it.

You’ve managed to reinvent your sound time and again. What’s your creative process like when you’re crafting new music?

First thing I always do is approach it with an open mind. Music is a receiving thing where you have to pay attention to what is out there, and when I say out there I mean both in the universe and the industry.

During my creative process, I like to pay attention to younger musicians in order to get that sense of youth, and I like to listen to the older generation for the history I learn through them. I always keep myself open enough to receive inspiration from nature, as well as our Creator.

Other times, it’s really just what I’m feeling to express in that moment and how I intend to direct my craft in the form of music.

Soca music has always been central to Caribbean culture. How does it feel knowing that you’re one of the key ambassadors bringing it to a global stage?

You know, it feels good, because when you work hard the reward pays off. Imitation is the greatest form of flattery is a saying that I resonate with. Reason being, I can see a lot of my creations and the things I’ve worked hard to establish circulating throughout the rest of the industry, and it’s nice to have that influence.

It also speaks for the power that you have, as well as the understanding that people are looking up to you, so you make sure that you lead them in the right direction and do things that are life affirming, rather than things that are destructive, to produce positive effects.

Looking back, what do you hope your legacy will be in the music industry, especially for soca and Caribbean culture?

Honestly, I don’t really have a hope for my legacy—I just focus on what needs to be done today. Sometimes, things have happened to me that made me realise I am capable of making things happen, and these things were happening in view of the fact that I was applying my work.

I believe that it’s people who decide what your legacy is, not you. Your work will dictate your legacy, yes, but people will decide what they feel you represent or stand for. So, I just want my work to speak for itself, and hope that it has a positive impact wherever I am interpreted.

I do want to say that I will always consider what has the integrity to be admired, and I am grateful that the rest of the world can learn and use those things.

What advice would you give to young artists trying to break into the soca scene today?

If you’re trying to build something, it’s up to you to decide whether or not you’re looking for fame, a quick joyride, or a genuine connection that grants you the ability to positively impact people. Once you decide what you’re building, then you’ll know what kind of foundation you’ll need.

With foundation, you have to know your industry and a lot about crafting your skill. You must know that knowledge comes first, then understanding, and then skill. Skill is your practice—if you want to be a singer, then you gravitate toward a vocalist. If you want to produce music, you go for keyboard lessons.

Invest in yourself and find time to practice and produce your creativity. The greater knowledge you have on what you’re into, the better your ability will be in utilizing it in your success.

How has your perspective on fame and success changed from when you were a young artist starting out to now?

I always sought success musically, but at some point both fame and success came hand in hand in my career. That was a given, though; the more my music played, the more I became recognized, and it was a tough thing for me to grasp in the beginning because I used to be quiet and reserved.

With silence there’s more space to observe everything, and while I am still a very observant person I had to develop who I was in order to grow in the business of music. I had to sacrifice that shyness for music because it is what I decided to dedicate my life to.

I had to be able to present myself on a stage and sing to be heard by all. That experience changed me over the years and equipped me with the skill in knowing how to handle fame whilst truthfully expressing myself.

As a celebrity, everyone wants your time and attention, so you have to accept that you can’t please everyone. You have to know how, and when, to say no. Fortunately, the greatest advantage from that is it helps you in knowing what kind of person you want to become in the centre of it all.

In recent years, you’ve been very open about spirituality and personal growth. How has this influenced your music and performances?

Influencing spirituality expands one’s self, because this physical self is only limited to this eye, this wide, and this fast. When you go beyond the physical, you step into the spiritual, and it means that you can now perceive life on a broader scale.

In my experience, being able to do that has transformed me into a more creative, joyful, and attentive person. With spirituality, I am more in touch with nature as well as the nature of who I am. I am able to now put that spiritual growth into my work, and once I’ve improved that perception of spirituality, I can enhance whatever my vessel is made of.

My life has become more powerful, and I am living with greater ease because I am no longer anxious, depressed, or worried about who I am. I always understand that I have a lot of work to do, and I’ve extended myself to always be thankful, every day, for getting it done.

What’s your secret to maintaining that harmony when you have family and personal life?

We all know that family comes first, and I’m super, super grateful for my family and the love they have for me as I have for them. I also love the family of the universe as much as I love music, and with music I can bring a lot of joy to people.

It’s not just music that makes the people I love happy, it’s also the things that I can do for them with what I earn from music, and because of that I tend to put music first.

It gets a little off balance because of that habit, but I’ve accepted that there is something there that drives that to happen, and the people around me understand that as well.

Besides that, I do know when it’s time to take a break, reach out to loved ones, and spend time with them. I wouldn’t sugar coat it when I say that a skill like that is tough, especially for people in the music business because we tend to go into that creative mode that makes us spend an entire night in the studio.

Over the years, experience will let you know that you can go that hard at it, but it’s also good to know that you have family to lean on when you want to walk away from working. You just have to learn how to balance the two as life goes on.

Is there a side of you that fans don’t usually see? Something that you’re passionate about outside of music?

Not really. I’ve always been somewhat of an open book, someone who lives their entire life in front of the camera.

People see all sides of me because I believe that the expression of life is what inspires others, and everyone knows I like the ocean, the mountains, meditating, travelling, Africa, India, Asia, etc. So, there really isn’t anything I do that is not openly expressed.

However, I am also a very studious person. I work hard at my studies and my music, and I guess that’s something that people don’t see from me because it’s never something I broadcast. I am simply too busy to talk about the behind the scenes.

What can fans expect from you in the future? Any upcoming projects or surprises in store?

For Carnival 2025, I am coming back to Trinidad. Carnival is the nearest objective, but I’m also working on an album, so expect that to come as well. There are also some performances during carnival that you all can look forward to.

As you continue to evolve, what’s the next big challenge you’re excited to take on?

I would like to develop something that would be considered beyond where I’ve been or what I’ve previously done. I have a certain style of music and expression that I want to create and introduce, and that transformation requires quite a bit of study, trial and error, and collaboration.

Do you have any regrets, or is there something you would have done differently in your career if you had the chance?

I hold no regrets because I don’t believe in things being any other way than they are. However, if I could have done something differently, it would be having the space to professionally study my craft during my teenage years.

I wish I had gone to an art school, specifically one abroad, to increase my musical inclination since all art forms were more advanced and recognized in the states.

I wasn’t granted the opportunity because I was pushed into working, rather than learning, at a very young age. I never stopped since then, so I always had to find time to study professionally.

I recently completed my masters in carnival studies at the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT), and that took two years away from my work. I was still able to do some shows, but I wasn’t fully out there, and that felt good because I got the chance to actually study music.

Now, I seek to find the time to do the things that I never did, and I know that I can still go to school and learn things because it’s something I dream about, and when the time permits, I will one day wake up and do it.

What is it like being a band leader, and what’s the relationship like with your bandmates?

I don’t consider myself a band leader anymore. I used to be one, and I understood what it was like when I had Panasonic Express as a band group, which was then turned into Xtatik, but over the years my relationship with bands developed into me being the artist who would hire a band from time to time.

There’s two sides to that relationship: on one hand, you’re growing up with your best friends who are all trying to live out this dream and become successful. I had that relationship with people like Farmer Nappy, Kernel Roberts, and Patrice Roberts.

On the other hand, it becomes a job where you hire musicians and producers, and these people may not understand your lifelong dream because they weren’t the people by your side while you were growing into this person.

Instead of considering myself the leader of a band, I consider myself the leader of a visionary company. There is a level of skill required to interact and work with others while you try to inspire them and understand their perspective on things.

It’s a magical thing to work with a group of people, but it’s even more magical when music is the essence that brings us together.

What does Machel Montano want to be remembered for, beyond the music?

I don’t think I have a say in what people will remember me for, but I’d say that I have given a lot of content for all people to have many different memories of me. People will have bad, good, and great things to say and remember about me, but it wouldn’t be up to me anymore once I am gone.

All I can do is dedicate my hard work and keep experiencing life as an adventure so that others can be influenced to do the same.