St. Johns, Antigua - Tanzania
“Tizzy” Sebastian returned to Antigua earlier this week from her first appearance in France where she headlined the Karibbean Bounce Carnival in Bordeaux. Bordeaux a city known internationally for its wine got its first taste of the “Tizzy Wine” on Saturday, March 6th. “We knew how popular ‘Expose’ was but I was surprised how well known her other hits like ‘Tizzy Wine’ and ‘Bounce’ are in France” said Tizzy’s manager Rohan Hector. Apparently a youtube video of Tizzy demonstrating her signature dance during a radio interview went viral spawning the dance craze in France.
Tizzy and her band El A-Kru have become fixtures on the entertainment circuit throughout the Caribbean and Caribbean Diaspora since she received the award for “Best New Female Soca Artist” at the International Soca Awards in 2007. Having already performed in London, Saturday’s performance became Tizzy’s first in continental
Europe.
Her popularity in France was clear as she was approached by fans asking for autographs while sightseeing in Bordeaux prior to the show. “People were running up to me in the streets to show me their ‘Tizzy Wine’” Tizzy answered when asked about her reaction in France. “It was amazing being onstage and having people who do not even speak English, singing our songs word for word.”
The show was a success with an above capacity crowd turning out to see Tizzy’s energetic performance. Forced to improvise when her microphone stopped working in the middle of a song, Tizzy taught the crowd the ‘Tizzy Wine’ until her microphone was replaced. She received several encores, the promoter himself said “she was very good, they loved her.”
Tizzy and French Friends
“I believe Tizzy will be the first female artist to take soca Global,” says Brad Hemmings, CEO of Caribbean Entertainment Tizzy’s agency that has also booked reggae and soca artists to perform in exotic places such as Russia, Australia and the Middle East.
Tizzy is scheduled to return to other countries in Europe this summer on her De Road Show Tour which included stops in Guadeloupe and St. Thomas prior to France and continues on to Calgary, Canada this week.
