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Conscious Minds November to Remember 2 – Night of Divas

Soca Queen Destra Garcia
Soca Queen Destra Garcia

Divas, both big and small (and fluffy and slim) congregated at the Guyana National Stadium for Conscious Minds’ “November to Remember 2 – Night of the Divas” concert last Saturday, November 17, 2012.

I understand that with November being the month to raise awareness for Domestic Violence, head of Conscious Minds thought it wise and timely to hold an event showcasing Caribbean Dancehall & Soca Divas. However, he neglected to include his own Guyanese divas but I guess we’ll discuss that later, first let me tell you about the show.
The show was hosted by Lisa Punch and Mondale Smith. Lisa, though not slated to perform opened up with a song (a song the DJ took forever to find) before she introduced the first act of the evening. Rags up! Flags up! If you’re not a soca loving diva then you would really find it hard to appreciate Destra Garcia’s music. Bringing the revelry and excitement of Carnival, Destra took us from hits to hits of her sweet sweet soca music. Many of the stiletto wearers decided to forego their ridiculous heels for flats to jump and frolic around to hits such as Max It Up, In D Air, Carnival, Jumpin’ and many more. She had patrons moving from one side of the stadium to the other. She even called a young lady from the crowd to represent for the Guyanese ladies. No one from the VIP opted to represent so a very willing young girl from General jumped the barricade to join Destra on stage. Her jumping did not go in vain because she surely didn’t disappoint.

Denise "Saucy" Belfon

In the middle of her performance Destra introduced on stage with her another one of Trinidad’s soca sensations, Denise ‘Saucy Wow’ Belfon. Saucy wasted no time in getting down to business and displaying her agility as she did the bicycle and many other gyrations. She even schooled the divas on what to do to their men when they got home, I hope many took notes. Saucy Wow’s energetic performance featured hits such as “Saucy Baby” and one of the best impersonations of Tina Turner’s song, “Private Dancer”. Destra got back on stage and the soca duo performed “Obsessive Winers” together before Destra finished off her performance and culminated the soca aspect of the show. Yes, I can tell you that many persons were dripping at the end of all that wining.

Tanya Stephens
Tanya Stephens

From Trinidad to Jamaica, from soca to dancehall, from the revelry of Carnival to stimulating social commentary, from the soca queen to the dancehall queen, from Destra to Tanya Stephens. The ladies (and surprisingly some men) all rushed to the front of the stage to get a little closer to Tanya. Women respect Tanya because they can relate to each and every one of her songs, some of the few she shared included “Yuh Nuh Ready Fi Dis Yet”, “Tek Him Back”, “Boom Wuk”, “It’s a Pity”, “What a Day”, “Good Ride”, “These Streets” and many more. A for Amazing Tanya!

Spice

The show got a little hyper when dancehall diva Spice came on stage, the very vulgar Ms. Jim Screechie , who looked much better in her outfit last night then the clown suit she wore in August belted out the few tracks she has and then invited fluffy Pamputae on stage with her. Pamputae might be fluffy but she can move thus her recent single Slim vs. Fluffy which she sang with help from Spice and two girls, one fluffy and one slim from the crowd. The fluffy girl outdid the slim girl just like the song says. LOL. Pamputae ended her performance with her signature “Pat Yuh Pu$$y” and left Spice on stage who did an amazing but very raw rendition of the Power of Love.

Dancehall Queen Lady Saw
Dancehall Queen Lady Saw

The last diva to grace the stage was the Queen of Dancehall, the one, the only Lady Saw who got right down to business by taking off her heels and belting out hits such as “If Him Lef”, “Woman Mi Name”, “Sycamore Tree”, “Gal No Worry”, “Wife a Wife”, “Hardcore (It’s Raining)”, “It’s a Pity”, “Push

Over” and concluded with her very recent “Heels On”.
The show was an epic one I must say. Kudos to the Divas!
But I would have really liked to have at least two Guyanese divas on stage maybe Timeka Marshall & Jackie Hanover (sticking to the dancehall genre) and one last thing before I go, why was the show so scarcely attended?

Click to view album –> November to Remember 2 – Night of Divas

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Denise Belfon – The other side of Saucy. Wow!

Trinidad Soca sensation Denise Belfon last performed at the Avalanche in Guyana four years ago but has been vacationing here as she says “on numerous occasions”.

The proud full-figured mother of four says from firsthand experience, she loves the Guyanese hospitality and while some cause stereotyping of the country through negative actions, she still admires the determination of Guyanese and says, “Guyanese people are hard workers and are willing to make sacrifices.”  Expanding she said “given that Trinidad is becoming like the New York of the Caribbean I see Guyana as a natural heaven where the indigenous culture is still evident.”

To her, seeing a horse drawn cart on the road is a classic, as is seeing a father ferrying his children to school on a bicycle. She’s outspoken on issues that put full-figured women in a bad light and is not opposed to instilling values in children as she does to her three daughters and one son.

She began her birthday celebrations on Monday November 23 in the Twin Island Republic and will continue tonight at the Friends.com Expressions party, Duke Lodge as a guest performer.

She is currently vacationing in Guyana with friends and performed at the Duke Lodge as part of her birthday celebrations with friends on Friday night where despite some technical difficulty she proved that she’s worth every bit of the title of being ‘saucy wow.’

Singing professionally since age 19, she is working feverishly to complete her first full fledge album for release by June of 2010. It will feature two of her three daughters Cassandra and Isabella as well as collaborations with Sizzla, Maka Diamond, Ghetto Flex and 10-year-old budding artiste Zebbie.  “I like to deal with youths to encourage them along a positive road.  She says she will be continuing her yearly drive of reaching out to the less fortunate children of Trinidad as part of her birthday celebrations.

From age seven she said she knew she wanted to be star and was always involved in everything to do with the arts.

As long as she is alive, she assures fans that she will be singing to make lives merrier and worthwhile living. Belfon came to prominence as an artiste with hits such as Kaka lay lay, De’ Jammette, Indian man, Garage, Lohtelah, Bicycle Wine, Hard Wuk  and Saucy Baby as well as Panic. To budding artistes and full figured women she said, “Believe in you and love you, and people will see that you are a positive person and it will radiate in your interest”.

Using her self as an example she said, as a mother, I love all of my children and I’m proud of them but I do not spoil them and they respect me for that. I don’t spare the rod and I’m a sticker for education.”

To aspiring artistes she advises that “You need to believe in you, do you and remain determined, developing yourself as is necessary and eventually if it’s God’s will you will succeed in the fullness of time.” She also advised that “even though God has blessed you with talent you will sometimes stumble but that should not deter you. However God has a way of getting your attention especially when you get too caught up in what you need as opposed to what you are seeking after.”

Especially for full-figured woman she said “fat is unhealthy if you let it be that way. We can’t all be like the skinny girl next door, so eat healthy, dress appropriately and carry yourself with respect, caring your body and being full-figured wouldn’t be an unhealthy look.”

“Don’t give up on yourself, you are the size you are for a purpose. Not every one can be the same size I believe that I am special and you should know that you are too.”

By – Mondale Smith