Although Atlantic Records initially sought out soca singers from Trinidad and Tobago, birthplace of the genre, when those deals failed to deliver expected product, the music industry giant turned its attention to other Caribbean territories.
By Terry JosephEven as it celebrates the Lyttle phenomenon and Rupee's potential, Atlantic' s latest press statement on the subject acknowledges soca's source, saying:
"It emerged as an expression of Trinidad and Tobago's African and Indian ethnic mix, incorporating dance-oriented East Indian percussive and musical elements into traditional calypso to create an energetic, irresistible party music.
"The soca fusion has been embraced throughout the Caribbean, where it supplies the rhythmic soundtrack to the islands' annual carnival celebrations. While it is only now achieving widespread popularity in the United States, soca (soul & calypso) has long been an integral component of Caribbean music and culture.
"The music coming out of the Caribbean is incredibly creative and vibrant," said Atlantic Co-Chairman and Chief Operating Officer Craig Kallman. "With the breakthrough last year of dancehall reggae and the multi-platinum success of Sean Paul, the global appetite was primed for a flow of exciting music from the islands.
"Soca is yet another fresh amalgamation of styles, and Kevin's fantastic debut offers further proof that Caribbean music has become a part of the mainstream. With our forthcoming release of the Barbadian star Rupee, soca is poised to become the latest sound to be embraced by listeners around the word," Kallman said.
Headlined "Kevin Lyttle turned on by #8 album debut: Soca music makes mainstream breakthrough as 'Turn Me On' single hits Top Five," the release gushed over those achievements, which mark the first time soca music has scaled those plateaux.
Lyttle has already begun to receive critical acclaim matching the success of "Turn Me On." The New York Times recently declared that the album is "likely to turn (Lyttle) into America's first mainstream soca star," while USA Today awarded the album three stars, noting that "The bouncy 'Turn Me On' is the biggest soca hit in 20 years, but just a taste of Lyttle's eclectic, effusive sound."
Atlantic sees the breakthrough as heralding soca's emergence as the latest Caribbean musical wave to cross over into the musical mainstream. Turn Me On-the album -has been in the Top Ten for five consecutive weeks, while the title track rocketed into the Top Five on radio across the US, with an audience estimated at over 100 million, has broken into the Top 25 on the R&B/Hip-Hop charts, made the Top Ten on both MTV and MTV2 and is a "Rated Next" video on BET.
"Everybody's searching for something new," Brown said. "That's the way of the world." Lyttle is modestly enjoying success, saying: "I'm trying to be an ambassador for a music that's been underestimated. My main focus is to take soca music where it has never been before, so people can hear our music, our deep culture. It is important for people to know where I come from."
Of course, he comes from St Vincent.
