Bunji Garlin

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Bunji Garlin
TnT PoS Bunji+Fay-Ann Fire Fete 2014.jpg
Bunji Garlin and Fay-Ann Lyons 2014
Background information
Birth nameIan Antonio Alvarez
Born (1978-07-14) July 14, 1978 (age 46)
Arima, Trinidad
Genres Reggae, soca, dancehall
Occupation(s) Musician, producer, songwriter
Instrument Vocals
Years active1999–present
Labels VP, RCA
Spouse Fay-Ann Lyons-Alvarez

Ian Antonio Alvarez [1] (born July 14, 1978), better known by his stage name Bunji Garlin, is a Trinidadian ragga soca artist. He is also affectionately known as the Viking of Soca. His spouse is Fay-Ann Lyons. [2]

Contents

Early life

Bunji was born on July 14, 1978, in Arima, Trinidad. [3] He is of Saint Lucian and Venezuelan descent. [4]

Personal life

He married fellow soca artist Fay-Ann Lyons on December 23, 2006, daughter of successful soca singer Superblue. [5] He is also a second cousin of singer Patrice Roberts, who performs alongside the popular Machel Montano. [6]

Career

Bunji has won Trinidad's Soca Monarch/International Soca Monarch competition on several occasions: 2002 (tied with Iwer George) with "Down in the Ghetto", [7] 2004 with "Warrior Cry", [8] 2005 with "Blaze the Fire" Both songs were produced by then band member Shawn Noel (Da Ma$tamind) [9] and 2008 with "Fiery" [10] He placed second in the International Soca Monarch 2009 with "Clear De Road", while his pregnant wife Fay-Ann Lyons placed first with "Meet Super Blue". [11] She also won the Groovy Soca Monarch title that same night with "Heavy T Bumpa".

Bunji Garlin's "Brrt" is featured on the Grand Theft Auto IV soundtrack. [12]

In 2013, Garlin won the Soul Train Award for Best International Performance for the song "Differentology", which features Nigel Rojas on guitar. [13] An album of the same name was released by RCA Records and VP Records in August 2014. [14] [15]

In 2017 he released Turn Up, his highest chart placing to date, reaching no. 3 on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart. [16] On Sunday, September 24, 2017 Garlin was bestowed with a national award of T&T, the Hummingbird Medal (Silver). [17] A song by Garlin entitled "All or Nothing", also appeared upon the pilot of the Netflix tv series Impulse. [18]

Discography

Albums

Singles

Collaborations

References

  1. "Antonio". Twitter.com. January 4, 2019.
  2. Bouknight, Sebastian (September 19, 2017). "Interview: Bunji Garlin and Fay-Ann Lyons on Soca Music Today". Afropop Worldwide. Archived from the original on April 22, 2020. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  3. "Bunji Garlin age, hometown, biography". Last.fm. Retrieved 2019-03-11.
  4. "Bunji Garlin wins Soul Train Award w/ Differentology". Damajority.com. 2013-12-02. Retrieved 2019-03-11.
  5. "Bunji Garlin and Fay-Ann Lyons Wedding :: Trini Jungle Juice". February 18, 2008. Archived from the original on February 18, 2008.
  6. "The Trinidad Guardian -Online Edition Ver 2.0". May 13, 2008. Archived from the original on May 13, 2008.
  7. "Jouvay.com: Interview with Ragga Soca Trinidadian Singer Bunji Garlin". Jouvay.com. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
  8. "carnival2004winners". September 7, 2011. Archived from the original on September 7, 2011.
  9. "Bunji Garlin Wins International Soca Monarch". Trinisoca.com. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
  10. "2008 Int'l Soca Monarch Bunji Garlin!". Bajanfuhlife Blog!. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
  11. "SUPER-FAY - Trinidad Express Newspaper - News". Trinidad Express Newspaper. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
  12. "5 things you didn't know about Bunji Garlin". looptt.com. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
  13. "Bunji Garlin wins Soul Train Award". Trinidad Express Newspaper. Archived from the original on 7 February 2014. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
  14. "Bunji album hits the road", Jamaica Observer , August 18, 2014. Retrieved August 19, 2014
  15. Meschino, Patricia (2014) "RCA Records and VP Records Team for Rising Soca Star Bunji Garlin's Newest Archived 2014-06-04 at the Wayback Machine ", billboard.com, June 2, 2014. Retrieved August 19, 2014
  16. "Bunji Garlin turns up heat", Jamaica Observer , September 13, 2017. Retrieved September 15, 2017
  17. "Rose, Saith, Bartholomew & more get National Medals". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. 2017-09-24. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
  18. "Impulse" Pilot, IMDB, 2018-06-06, retrieved 2024-11-12
  19. "Reggae Albums : Aug 30, 2014 - Billboard Chart Archive". Billboard. 30 August 2014. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
  20. "Urban/UAC Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on July 30, 2014.