Caribbean Entertainment Hub, has named Kees Dieffenthaller, the lead vocalist of Kes The Band, our Male Soca Artiste of The Year., 2021 saw Kes performing the role of Soca Ambassador taking Soca to places where it had not gone before with surprising appearances and pushing soca globally.

Last October, Kes introduced soca at the World Food Prize Laureate Award Ceremony held in the magnificent Iowa State Capitol Building in Iowa, USA. for Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted, the Trinidad-born recipient. While being presented with the award that is often described as the “Nobel Prize of food and agriculture”, she was serenaded by Kes with his famous four words: “Hello Hello Hello Hello!”. In this august body in heart of America, soca was being heard by many for the first time.

Kes at the World Food Prize Laureate Award Ceremony

Kes also made it onto the Breakfast Club back in November where he spoke with the famed personalities of the very popular American radio station, Power 105.5FM located in New York City hosted by the popular trio Angela Yee, DJ Envy, and of course, Charlamagne Tha God. On the show, Kes spread the good gospel of Caribbean music to the world.

Kes The Band was the only Caribbean act selected to perform at the 26th Essence Festival of Culture on June 26. Known as “the party with a purpose,”  Kes used the festival as a golden opportunity to showcase the talents and culture of Trinidad and Tobago to a captive American audience.

What first started as a concert series held during Trinidad and Tobago’s carnival week soon blossomed into a US Tour! The IzWe concert series saw a lineup of various artistes such as Nadia Batson, Patrice Roberts, Farmer Nappy, Nailah Blackman, and many others. Besides Port of Spain, Trinidad, performances were held in The Boardwalk Lot, Coney Island, in Brooklyn, New York. As for the US tour, the band embarked on it on August 28th at Norfolk, Virginia, then made their way to Orlando; Washington, D.C, Atlanta, Houston, and Miami Carnival. The concerts were attended by many sell-out crowds despite the dangers of Covid -19 still being present.

And in his desire to take soca to a more diverse audience, Kes collaborated with Jimmy October on a track titled ‘Magic’ featuring the renowned Trinidad jazz trumpeter, Etienne Charles to bring a slight touch of jazz to soca. ‘Magic’ has been well received; accumulating over 233k views on Youtube thus far.

It is with these feats under his belt that we made Kes the Male Soca Artiste of The Year 2021 as he waved the Soca Ambassador flag high. Hats are definitely off to him and we’re just about ready to witness the heat he and his band will undoubtedly bring in this 2022!  Till then, reminisce on this performance from his IzWE concert held in New York last year!

 

 
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