The Spicemas Corporation (SMC) successfully concluded its Mastering Performance and Business for Calypso and Soca Artistes Workshop on Wednesday, 5 June 2024 at the Grenada Trade Centre, equipping 20 calypsonians and soca artistes with valuable skills to elevate their careers.
“This workshop is a testament to the Spicemas Corporation’s commitment to fostering the growth and success of Grenada’s thriving music scene,” stated Cecil Noel, CEO of the Spicemas Corporation. “By providing artistes with the tools to refine their craft, build strong business acumen, and understand the legal and financial framework of the music industry, we are empowering them to reach new heights in their artistic journeys.”
The 4-hour workshop was led by Music Educator and Arts Adjudicator Nubia Williams who has judged Steelband, Calypso and Soca competitions throughout the Caribbean for the past 29 years.
“Artistes must understand the artistic aspects of Calypso and Soca that can help them in and out of competition. The level of music presentation in Grenada will improve as they work towards a particular standard in musicianship and performance,” said Williams. “In the workshop, we ensured they developed a deeper understanding of the judging criteria as we introduced a detailed rubric created by the Aibun Industries Co. Ltd. for Calypso, Groovy Soca, and Power Soca competitions.”
The artiste development workshop also delved into financial guidance by Spicemas Director responsible for business and finance Christopher Phillip and legal insights from Attorney Kim George.
Former Soca Monarch third-place winner and 3-time St David Soca Monarch Kendel “Lednek” George was pleased with the workshop. “I appreciated learning about the business aspect of the music industry and particularly the importance of connecting with lawyers at varying stages of the music creation process.”
The artiste development workshop preceded a 3-day Adjudication Workshop for Calypso and Soca Judges, where Williams trained over 40 participants hoping to judge the upcoming carnival competitions in July and August.
The Spicemas Corporation thanks the Grenada Trade Centre and FlyLife Grenada for partnering on this initiative. The corporation is dedicated to developing the talent in the tri-island nation and looks forward to the continued contributions from the participating artistes to Grenada’s rich musical legacy.
Spicemas Corporation
