Bad Gyal Ce’Cile had no trouble keeping the audience’s attention!
Now that’s what you call entertainment, I definitely got my money’s worth.” So said some patrons of the just held Caribbean Divas concert when the lights went down on Thursday night. Though it was the middle of the workweek, Samaans Park was the place to be. It was ladies night, and the feeling was right, for the thousands of persons who attended the highly promoted show.
Empire Entertainment presented the event in collaboration with LIME and from all indications the show went down without a hitch. It was an all-Caribbean affair and the line-up included Denise “Saucy” Belfon and Fay Ann Lyons from Trinidad, Jamaican “Bad Gyal” Ce’Cile, Nicole David and Q-Pid from St Lucia, St Vincent’s Tabia, TC from Barbados and more.
Q-Pid hit the stage first and wasted no time getting into her new track “I Do.” Her performance started with a marriage ceremony skit, and though the groovy tempo song was released recently, it is already a hit among St Lucians. Particularly the line in that says, “Did you really, really ring di panty in di macaroni pie to make di mun say I do.”
Denise “Saucy” Belfon is always a crowd pleaser. That woman sure knows how to back it up!
Souse from Dominica came next and pleased the crowd who demanded to hear the comical “Gyal You Looking Good, Like a Plate of Food.” A diva’s line-up is incomplete without Nicole David and she did not disappoint performing songs like “Matte,” “Bounce” and more current tracks like “Road Block” and “Head Bad.” The queen of the jungle even added Tina Turner’s “Rolling on the River” to the mix, much to the delight of the crowd.
“It’s ladies night, we can do whatever, sing whatever, and the men cah vex,” said Tabia when it was her turn on stage. The pretty, petite lady with the huge stage presence came on with her Soca top charter, “Boom, Boom, Boom.”
With a short break in between, the show quickly moved on to the women of the night. Ce’Cile first, who hyped everyone up with tracks like “Goody,” “Hot Like We,” “Waiting” and “Nah Stress Over Man.” Notably there was a message in between her performance that would be missed by some, but not forgotten by others. At one point Ce’Cile questioned the females in the audience, “Ladies, all you know about safe sex and dem ting?” When she seemed satisfied with the response she went on with her performance.
As with any outstanding Soca show, rain added to the festivities and Fay Ann Lyons officially declared the occasion a “Diva’s Wet Fete.” When she came on stage seeking shelter was the last thing on anyone’s mind. “Start Winning” and “Ah Something” all it took for Fay Ann to send the crowd completely wild. Fay Ann also had a positive message for the ladies:
Q-Pid has had the first hit song of the Carnival season.
“If men don’t want to give you the respect you deserve then they don’t matter. You don’t need a man to validate you. God made you woman because you’re equal to none. The same stuff they do, you can do better!”
Her words were greeted with cheers from the audience that was largely female.
Denise Belfon provided just what her fans expected and more. Her set started off with “Bring Out De Jamette,” which was certainly one of the top songs for the night; one of those songs that never really dies no matter how much time goes by. A saucy set by Belfon is incomplete without tracks like “Licks” and “Bicycle Wine,” and Belfon had moves to kill to go along with each song. Some were likely left awestruck at her antics, and to those who were, Belfon left instructions to practice the dance moves when they got home!
The ladies sure didn’t hold back!
