Programming
The station airs mostly music videos of local and Caribbean artists and locally based programmes such as De Scene , Synergy TV Soca Star, Synergy Nights LIVE, Roll Call, Dynasty Chutney, Concert Series, I Love My Ride, Pete's Picks, Friday Nights Live, Soca Acts, Synergy Sports, Synergy TV Supermodel, Entertainment News, Karry Yuh Key, Chutney Island, Wrap Up, Synergy Sundays, Synergy Chutney Star and Yuh Done Kno.
Soca music is a genre of music defined by Lord Shorty, its inventor, as the "Soul of Calypso", which has influences of African and East Indian rhythms. It was originally spelt "sokah" by its inventor but through an error in a local newspaper when reporting on the new music it was erroneously spelt "soca"; Lord Shorty confirmed the error but chose to leave it that way to avoid confusion. 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. Soca was initially developed by Lord Shorty in an effort to revive traditional calypso, the popularity of which had been flagging amongst younger generations in Trinidad due to the rise in popularity of reggae from Jamaica and soul and funk from the US. Soca is an offshoot of kaiso/calypso, with influences from East Indian rhythms and hooks.
The music of Trinidad and Tobago is best known for its calypso music, soca music, chutney music, and steelpan. Calypso's internationally noted performances in the 1950s from native artists such as Lord Melody, Lord Kitchener and Mighty Sparrow. The art form was most popularised at that time by Harry Belafonte. Along with folk songs and African- and Indian-based classical forms, cross-cultural interactions have produced other indigenous forms of music including soca, rapso, parang, chutney, and other derivative and fusion styles. There are also local communities which practice and experiment with international classical and pop music, often fusing them with local steelpan instruments.
Chutney music is a fusion genre of Indian folk music, specifically Bhojpuri folk music, with local Caribbean calypso and soca music, and later on Bollywood music. This genre of music that developed in Trinidad and Tobago is popular in Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname, Jamaica, other parts of the Caribbean, Fiji, Mauritius, and South Africa. Chutney music emerged mid-20th century and reached a peak of popularity during the 1980s. Several sub-genres have developed.
The music of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines includes thriving music scenes based on Big Drum, calypso, soca, steelpan and also reggae. String band music, quadrille, bélé music and traditional storytelling are also popular.
The culture of Trinidad and Tobago reflects the influence of South Asian, African, Amerindian, European, Chinese, American, and Arab cultures. The histories of Trinidad and Tobago are different. There are differences in the cultural influences which have shaped each island. Trinidad and Tobago is an English-speaking country with strong links to the United Kingdom.
Edwin Ayoung, better known as Crazy, is a Trinidadian calypsonian. He has been active since the mid-1970s and is one of the most successful artists from Trinidad and Tobago.
Television in Trinidad and Tobago was introduced in 1962 beginning with Trinidad & Tobago Television. TTT was the sole television station for 29 years being operated by the state until the first independently operated television station, the Caribbean Communications Network, CCN TV6 was launched in 1991 breaking the television monopoly market. In 1992, a second independently operated station, AVM Television was launched. The first independently operated cable station, The Trinity Network (TTN) now Trinity TV began operations in 1993 broadcasting on weekends only.
Rikki Jai is an Indo-Trinidadian chutney and chutney-soca musician.
In Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, and Suriname, chutney soca music is a crossover style of music incorporating soca and calypso elements and English, Hindustani, and Hinglish lyrics, chutney music, with Western instruments such as the guitar, piano, drum set, and Indian instruments such as the dholak, harmonium, tabla, and dhantal.
Tempo Networks is a pan-Caribbean television channel broadcasting the music and culture of the Caribbean. Programming includes music videos, news, dramas, and documentaries addressing all aspects of Caribbean life. Musical genres broadcast include Reggae, Soca, Dancehall, Ska, Calypso, Chutney, Chutney Soca, Reggaeton, and Punta rock. Although programming is largely in English, TEMPO seeks to bring together the English, Spanish, French, and Dutch cultures of the Caribbean into one united Caribbean.
Ravi Bissambhar, also known as Ravi B, is a Trinidadian chutney musician.
Heeralal Rampartap is an Indo-Trinidadian entertainer. He has repeatedly produced hits and has won numerous awards both locally and internationally. He is a three-time International Chutney Soca Monarch — in 1997, 2003 and 2005 – and the National Chutney Monarch of 2002 and 2003. He has also taken first place in the Indian Cultural Pageant for three consecutive years and won the first Tuco Chutney Monarch in 2005 followed by two further wins in 2006, 2007 and 2008. He received the National Humming Bird Silver Medal for Culture in Trinidad and Tobago in 2005.
Machel Montano is a Trinidadian soca singer, actor, record producer and songwriter. Known for his high energy, fast-paced, and often unpredictable on-stage performances, he is one of the genre’s most popular artists in the world.
De Scene is a one-hour show which airs on Synergy TV in Trinidad and Tobago, hosted by Keisha Marie Charles. It is a music video countdown show which airs on weekdays at 6pm. Viewers are asked to text the codes of their favourite videos and this influences which videos will appear on the countdown and in what position. The videos that appear on De Scene are usually those of local and regional artists.
Kes is a Caribbean soca group formed in 2005, and known for their unique blend of soulful vocals, calypso inspired melodies, rock riffs and island beats, with hints of reggae. The band hails from the twin island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and consists of founding members, brothers Kees Dieffenthaller, Hans Dieffenthaller (drums), and Jon Dieffenthaller (guitar), along with long-time friend Riad Boochoon. Kes’ style has elevated them to mainstream popularity, allowing Kes to become a household name in their country and throughout the Caribbean circuit. The band constantly captivates and wins over their audiences, with their electric and high-energy performances.
Lisa Wickham is a media producer-director-TV personality in Trinidad and Tobago. She began her television career at the age of six on the weekly Rikki Tikki Children's Show, a live programme on the only national TV station in Trinidad and Tobago at the time, Trinidad and Tobago Television (TTT). Lisa literally grew up on national television, eventually hosting shows such as the daily morning prime-time news and talk show T&T This Morning, the daily mid-morning talk show Community Dateline and the iconic teen talent show Party Time. In 2005, the government of Trinidad and Tobago closed TTT and in 2006 re-opened the station under the name Caribbean New Media Group (CNMG). CNMG was then closed in 2018.
Mark Antonio Jiminez, better known by his stage name Ataklan is a Trinidadian singer-songwriter and performer primarily of the modern rapso tradition. Ataklan has been referred to as "Trinidad's answer to Beck" and a "fiercely independent songwriter and singer and arguably the most original artist to have emerged on the island since David Rudder". Since his emergence in 1993, Ataklan has released tracks including "Flambo", "Naked Walk", "Flood on the Main Road", "Shadow in de Dark", "Soca Girl" and "Caribbean Swagga", among numerous others.
Terry Vivekanand Gajraj is a Guyanese chutney and chutney-soca artist.
Kenwrick Joseph, known professionally as Kenny J, was a Trinidad and Tobago calypsonian and Assistant Superintendent of Police who was best known for his soca parang hits including The Paint Brush.
