Island Wave Continues to Push Caribbean Music Forward at Music Matters Singapore Targeting DSP Providers to Add Caribbean Music as a Standalone Genre
Island Wave is a platform dedicated to bringing the music of the Caribbean to the forefront of the international scene. Island Wave provides funding for Caribbean artists to showcase their music internationally and creates spaces on established stages for a line-up of talented, emerging Caribbean musicians.
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Island Wave is a platform dedicated to bringing the music of the Caribbean to the forefront of the international scene. Island Wave provides funding for Caribbean artists to showcase their music internationally and creates spaces on stages for a line-up of talented, emerging Caribbean musicians.
Island Wave co-founder Kalpee, who has just spent 3 months in the MW Top 20 Black Chart, peaking at #4 and sandwiched by Beyoncé, closed the Music Matters Live Stage this past weekend as part of the Grand Prix Singapore season celebrations in Clarke Quay. As he lit the stage on fire with fellow Caribbean musicians Rhys Thompson on drums and Kwami Morrison on guitar, they blew the crowd away with their "New Calypso" sound, a genre pioneered by Kalpee and fellow Trinbagonian musicians as a way to identify their musical heritage and
proudly carry it forward.
Attending the All That Matters conference that followed (considered to be Asia's leading entertainment industry event including speakers from top industry names such as TikTok, AEG, Universal Music, TuneCore, Apple, Spotify and YouTube), Island Wave had one mission, to target DSP's and pose the very important question, "How can we work together to add Caribbean Music as a standalone genre on DSP's, so that Caribbean artists who can't currently identify their musical heritage will be able to label their music correctly?"
The question was met with enthusiasm by leading music industry figures including Sulinna Ong, Global Head of Editorial at Spotify and Chief Executive Officer Andreea Gleeson and her team at TuneCore.
Island Wave founders further tackled other important topics such as bridging the gap between Caribbean diaspora and the international music scene with Paul Smith, Managing Director of YouTube Music APAC Google on how to bring YouTube Music to the Caribbean, which is currently inaccessible.
Speaking on the Music Matters Singapore show, Melissa Jimenez, General Manager, Trinidad and Tobago Music Company Ltd. (MusicTT) who have supported the stage since it launched in 2021 said: "Phenomenal! That was what the audiences were echoing as the three musicians representing Trinidad and Tobago performed brilliantly creating Island Waves across Music Matters LIVE 2022 stages. Their networking efforts have opened several doors for possible future opportunities in Singapore, Korea, India, Malaysia and Australia. MusicTT are proud to support Island Wave and look forward to what 2023 has in store."
Island Wave continues to expand as they push "Sounds of the Caribbean '' across the globe. In next year's 2023 SXSW, Island Wave will return as the Official Caribbean Stage in Austin, Texas, where they will present a stage of over 30 Caribbean Nationals from across the West Indies. They will also host the first Official Caribbean Stage at Music Matters Singapore in 2023.
"It was a real reward to welcome Kalpee and his Trinidad band to Singapore to join us for All That Matters and Music Matters Live 2022. They showcased New Calypso Sound to our global delegation! Next year, we very much look forward to more Caribbean Vibes here in Singapore with the first Official Caribbean Island Wave Stage and it's full line up at MMlive 2023" - Sammy Shirra-Moore, Media Partners ATM / Director Music Matters Live / Talent Relations Branded Ltd.
Elsewhere at the festival, Kalpee introduced Island Wave's objectives and ethos ahead of performing an acoustic set for delegates attending the AEG Live Music Matters panel with speaker Adam Wilkes President & CEO, AEG Asia and moderated by Alexei Barrionuevo, International Editor at Billboard.
To close the festivities of #MarketingMatters, Kalpee, Rhys and Kwami filled the room with that same Caribbean flare that shone bright throughout the entire week, as they performed for the R3 closing party, an independent global transformation consultancy hired by CMOs to make their marketing more measurable and accountable to business impact. Established in 2002, R3 has worked with more than 100 companies and the likes of Sony Interactive Entertainment, Heineken, Google, Samsung and Unilever on global, regional and local assignments to drive efficiency and effectiveness.
After a packed week of festivities, Kalpee and Island Wave were invited to attend showcases and afterparties including the Spotify Lounge Party which hosted an array of VIP's including YUNGBLUD, who closed the Music in Universal Party the night before, the Zendyll S.E.A Showcase which included performances by RRILEY (SG), AE$OP CA$H (SG), Lil J (MY) and The Def Jam Showcase, where 15 acts from five countries, including A. Nayaka, ABANGSAPAU, ALYPH, and OG Bobby rounded out the Southeast Asian hip-hop extravaganza.
For musicians like Kwami Morrison, who has previously never traveled outside the Caribbean, such opportunities would not be available without the work of Island Wave.
Kwami Morrison, Island Wave Lead Guitarist tell us:
"This was my very first-time visiting Singapore and my first time leaving the Caribbean. I had no clue what to expect, or what the reception of the music would be. After the gigs, so many people came up to us in the streets saying how much the music meant to them and asking for autographs and pictures. I've never experienced that before, but it made me feel appreciated and gave me new motivation to elevate my craft."
Rhys Thompson Island Wave Drummer confides:
"Playing to new audiences is always a beautiful thing. Giving them a taste of what Trinidad and Tobago has to offer was the mission for this trip to Singapore. There were folks from every corner of the globe and all of them raved about Kalpee's live set. They confirmed that "New Calypso" and Island Wave is a force to be reckoned with and is here to stay. This is an experience that will stay with me for life."
As a mental health advocate, Kalpee was also invited to speak at the Music Matters Academy Panel, Mental Health Matters, alongside Singaporean artist Inch Chua and Canadian artist Chad Price. Earlier this year, Kalpee and Island Wave opened the conversation amongst Caribbean men with a media campaign that addressed mental health within the Caribbean community during Men's Mental Health Awareness Week. Kalpee was joined by a host of Caribbean men such as Oritse Williams, founding member of the UK group JLS and Grammy Award-Winning artist-producers Izzy Beats and Walshy Fire.
Kalpee Notes on His Experience In Singapore:
"Coming to Singapore is always an incredible experience. This was my 2nd time at Music Matters and the purpose of the trip was to introduce Island Wave to the delegates attending the All That Matters conference. Not only was the performance at Clarke Quay extremely well received, but the reception towards the ethos of the platform was motivating. So many labels, brands and DSP representatives understood and resonated with the importance of what Island Wave represents and our goals moving forward. Next year is going to be something special as Music Matters welcomes us back as the 1st Official Caribbean stage with our full 2023 Island Wave lineup of artists. To say that this trip was a success is an understatement, we're inspired and energized and can't wait to help bring new opportunities and evolve what Caribbean music and artistry can feel like."
"Make sure yuh come vibe with us, Cuz yuh kno it gwan be ah Island Wave!"
ABOUT KALPEE
Kalpee Is a rising artist from Trinidad & Tobago and part of a new generation of Caribbean musicians pushing a fresh tropical sound aptly named "New Calypso". Having just spent 3 weeks in the UK MusicWeek Black Chart Top 20 after peaking at #4, Kalpee continues to build on the explosive success of this year's music releases which saw coverage from all sides of the globe. Radio support came from the likes of Capital Xtra, BBC 1xtra, Amazing Radio, BBC London and Slam, while in press Kalpee gained accolades from Notion, Wonderland, Clash and Wordplay Magazine, praising his spellbinding soulful melodies and modern fusion of Calypso, dancehall, and reggae rhythms.
Kalpee has previously worked with platinum recording superstar Stefflon Don on his sun-soaked single "Gimme De Ting",' & Jamaican "Lightening" singer Mortimer on their "Lessons"release. He has also worked with an elite line up of Grammy Award winning producers & writers including: Carla Marie Williams (Beyonce, Sean Paul), Yei Gonzales (Diplo, Dj Khaled) & The Anmls (The Weeknd, Future, BANKS, Belly, French Montana).
"Kalpee is a force of positivity & blends Caribbean spice with some international pop flavours." – Clash
KALPEE online: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TWITTER
ABOUT ISLAND WAVE
Founded in 2021 by Trinbagonian artist Kalpee and his manager Miss Vivianna and now the Official Caribbean Stage at SXSW Austin Texas and Music Matters Singapore in summary, "Island Wave" provides funding and creates spaces on stages which would not usually cater for a line-up of established and talented emerging Caribbean musical artists.
Island Wave endeavors to create opportunities for Caribbean heritage music to belong and be performed globally at established international events. It makes way for Caribbean participation at events that would not usually cater for Caribbean music by being able to fill sections or entire shows.
The platform has 3 pillars of activation: Commercial Events, Creative Industries and Community Outreach.
It provides the opportunity for artists to participate at both commercial festivals, where artists are paid to perform, and creative industry festivals, which are unpaid but offer artists the opportunity to be seen by industry professionals and network for further opportunities.
Additionally, community-led Island Wave also has development initiatives that include a tour of historical Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in the USA, which touches upon the heritage and culture of Caribbean music, the impact of positive music on mental health and mental health awareness (especially men's mental health within the Caribbean communities), and more recently, Island Wave is working with the Global Gift Foundation to host the very 1st Global Gift Gala in the Caribbean in 2022 to benefit local charities within the West Indies.
ISLAND WAVE x SXSW 2022 HIGHLIGHT SHOW
ISLAND WAVE Online: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER
ABOUT MUSICTT:
The Trinidad and Tobago Music Company Limited (MusicTT) was established in 2014 with the mandate to stimulate and facilitate the business development and export activity of the music industry in Trinidad and Tobago to generate national wealth. As a subsidiary of Trinidad and Tobago Creative Industries Company Limited (CreativeTT), MusicTT provides industry-wide strategic direction and action plans toward the development of the music industry as well as guidance and access to music education and capacity development, especially in the business and monetization of local music and protection of the same.
MusicTT online: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM
ABOUT BEACH CLEAN UP
"Post Music Matters Live, artists and new friends that were still around were invited for a day on the water to chill, paddle board, revitalize and reconnect with nature by doing our small part in taking steps to clean up and gave back to the island of Singapore. It's something that as a music community we'd like to support and help raise awareness of, and we would like to continue to do more." - Sammy Shirra-Moore
"The spirit and passion these beautiful souls brought on our Junkboat today was such a treat. They joined us on a standup paddle and beach cleanup — picking up trash and micro plastics off the beach and in the water; asking how they can make an even bigger impact. Most of the trash we collected were tiny from degradation, many only about 2mm in size but they got in there and picked up loads of tiny trash — all 5kg of it. That's a lot for tiny trash! They came onboard as passengers and left as ocean warriors." -Mel Olsen @uptownsalty @junkboatsg @uptownsalty @sup_ventures @musicmatterstome @havalina_wine #matters22 #mmlive22 #mmlive22cleanup
Media Contact
MISS VIV, ISLAND WAVE, 1 3109626271, [email protected]
SOURCE Island Wave
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