The island nation is also the birthplace of calypso music, which has its roots in African folk songs, but with a heavy influence from the French, Spanish and British who settled on Trinidad and Tobago. Calypso music was long sung in Patois (a French dialect) before shifting to English.

Where did soca music come from?

Soca stands for “soul of calypso,” and it was pretty much invented in the 1970s by Trinidadian artist Lord Shorty, who claimed that the soul of calypso was as multicultural as his island’s African and East Indian descendants. To set this post-colonial hybrid to music, Shorty sped up calypso and gave it an Indian twist.

What music originated in Trinidad?

calypso music

The Caribbean state of Trinidad and Tobago is best known as the homeland of calypso music, including 1950s stars Lord Kitchener and Mighty Sparrow. Other forms of music include Carnival songs like lavway and leggos, as well as bongo music (which originated at wakes).

Which form of music emerged in the French Antilles in the 1880s?

zouk, popular dance music associated mainly with the Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique, as well as Saint Lucia, Dominica, and Haiti, all in the French Antilles (French West Indies). The music blends a variety of Caribbean, African, and North American music styles.

Where did calypso music come from?

Calypso is rooted in traditions developed by West African slaves brought to the Caribbean.

What influenced soca music?

In particular, Soca has been influenced by EDM, Afrobeats, and Dancehall. Soca has since dominated the popular music scene of Trinidad and Tobago and the wider Caribbean, with Soca artists typically producing new music during the intense Carnival season.

Who created Caribbean music?

Caribbean Music & Style



Caribbean music developed as the peoples and cultures of West Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas combined across the island chain during 500 years of European colonization.

What influence did the French have on Trinidad and Tobago?

Trinidad’s French history came about because of the proclamation of the second Cedula de Población that allowed Catholic settlers and their enslaved workers as well as free coloureds entry into Trinidad. French citizens and others (including some Irish) came in their droves, soon outnumbering the Spanish.

What dance did the French bring to Trinidad?

A bélé is a folk dance and music from Martinique, St. Lucia, Dominica, Haiti, Grenada, Guadeloupe, and Trinidad and Tobago. It may be the oldest Creole dance of the creole French West Indian Islands, and it strongly reflects influences from African fertility dances.

What did the Europeans bring to Trinidad?

As a result large numbers of French immigrants came to Trinidad complete with all their possessions, slaves and way of life. In the beginning they planted cotton, cocoa and coffee. However, by 1797 when the British conquered Trinidad, sugar had become the most important crop.

Is soca music from Jamaica?

Since its inception in Trinidad and Tobago, soca music has also blended into the culture of many other countries, including Jamaica, Barbados, Grenada, the Bahamas, Dominica, Guyana, Belize, and the United States (particularly in New York).

Is soca Haitian music?

It is a genre of music that originated in Trinidad and Tobago in the early 1970s and developed into a range of styles during the 1980s and after.

What phrase is soca short for?

SOCA. / (ˈsəʊkə) / n acronym for. Serious Organized Crime Agency: a British government organization set up in 2004 specifically to combat organized crime. Slang.