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Before his historic Budweiser Stage show, Kes sat down with The Brandon Gonez Show to tell the story of his career. (Courtesy: kesthebandofficial/IG) Facebook Twitter Reddit Copy current article link The first soca artist to headline Toronto’s Budweiser Stage, Kes the Band is paying homage to Toronto for helping him reach the height of his musical career. Earlier this month, the Trinidadian musician made history as the first soca artist to headline Budweiser Stage, with the iconic show bringing together fans from across the Toronto area to celebrate the city’s deep connection to soca and the Caribbean. Before his historic Budweiser Stage show, Kes sat down with The Brandon Gonez Show to tell the story of his career. KES: GROWING UP IN SOUTH TRINIDAD Kes describes his upbringing in San Fernando, Trinidad, as a time that he was surrounded by soca and calypso music. With limited exposure to the rest of the world, Kes shared that he connected with the cultures of other countries by watching international television. Advertisement “We had one TV station, TTT, and whatever they showed, we watched it. It exposed us to a mix—American, Canadian, [and] Japanese shows,” he said. The star says that he always had a natural inclination toward exploring beyond the islands, eventually growing a musical career which led him to Toronto, Canada, where his career took a turn. KES: LOVE FOR TORONTO With his music underperforming and finding himself struggling to produce a hit song, the artist says that it was at this point in his career that he reached an all-time low. “I wanted to quit soca at some point,” Kes admitted. However, amidst the cold, dark winter in Toronto, he found light and warmth after a collaboration with Trinidadian-Canadian producer Kerwin Du Bois in a local studio, which led to the production of his first hit song, “Wotless.” Advertisement Unexpectedly, the release of the groovy and celebratory song took Kes’s fame international, with his music playing across global radio stations. Soon after, he took first place in the 2011 International Groovy Soca Competition, and the same year was nominated for the Soul Train Music Awards under the “Best Caribbean Performance” category. From nearly ending his music career, to becoming a soca superstar after years of perseverance, Kes shows love to Toronto for being the city which birthed this breakthrough hit and the first city he toured outside of the Caribbean. “I love Toronto, man. It holds a very special place in my heart,” Kes shared. “It was the first city we ever toured outside of the island. Y’all took my touring virginity,” he joked. “The soca fans in Toronto play such a substantial role in the entire picture,” the artist added, saying that his Toronto fans are the best. Advertisement The artist explained that it feels like success came “like a thief in the night,” with the release of “Wotless,” which was followed by hits “Savannah Grass,” which is a tribute to his late father, and “Hello,” a song inspired by his divorce. NEVER STOP, NEVER SETTLE: KES’S MANTRA FOR RESILIENCE Although Kes’s musical career came with many challenges, including demands to create hit songs much more frequently than artists in other musical genres, he stated that “something has to always give,” if a situation in life is not working. This momentum has repositioned his obstacles into deeper forms of celebration, which is what soca music is all about. After collaborating with renowned artists like Shaggy and Snoop Dog, and his song being featured on Tyler Perry’s newest Madea film, Kes is making soca history and continuing to reach a broader audience. BRINGING SOCA TO THE WORLD Advertisement As the long weekend approaches, so does Toronto’s annual Toronto Caribbean Carnival, one of the largest cultural festivals in North America. The annual celebration brings together over one million guests from across Canada and around the world. Having previously attended the festival, Kes was asked how he thinks carnival celebrations could be improved. He encourages cities to maintain the cultural aspects and artistry of carnivals and soca. “Instead of just the party aspect of it, I feel like it would give people a reason to bring their kids out…bring a friend, to view something,” Kes said. He emphasized that carnival and soca are about more than partying. It is about art and rebellion, a message which does not typically translate outside of the Caribbean. “We’ve now just focused on the revelry of it, and I don’t think everyone can relate to that unless you’re part of it.” Advertisement Keema Lesesne Advertisement Twitter Tiktok Instagram Youtube Facebook Threads Blue Sky Follow us @nowtoronto Advertisement What’s Trending Posted 2 days ago Katy Perry dropped new photos with boyfriend and former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau — and people are reacting Posted 3 days ago ‘It’s alarming,’ Hamilton man claims Tim Hortons reused a cup for his order Posted 2 days ago ‘I will not tolerate slum lords,’ Mayor Olivia Chow introduces motion to crack down on bad Toronto landlords Advertisement