Teddyson John | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Also known as | Teddy TJ |
Born | Castries, Saint Lucia [1] |
Genres | Gospel, Jazz, R&B, Soca |
Occupations |
|
Instruments | Keyboard, Percussion |
Teddyson John, M.B.E, [2] better known as Teddy or TJ, is a Saint Lucian brand ambassador, [3] singer and songwriter. He is also a keyboardist and percussionist. [4] John was Saint Lucia's first artist to win and be nominated for an International Reggae and World Music Award. [5] [6]
John was born in a Christian family where his mom and dad were not musically inclined but some of his brothers were. However, John started singing and performing in church which would manifest in his days at the Sir Ira Simmons Secondary School. His first recording before he entered the Soca industry in 2007 was a gospel song entitled "Sweeter". [7] [8]
Before John rose to fame he served in the hospitality industry. John worked at St Lucia Sandals Resort as an Entertainment Manager. [9]
In 2017 John became 1 of 12 Saint Lucians to be a part of Her Majesty's Birthday Honours. John received the honour of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire M.B.E .
- United Kingdom - Most Excellent Order of the British Empire – M.B.E, of the British Empire (2017) [2] [10]
Award | Year | Receipent | Category | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
International Soca Awards | 2019 | "Vent" | Groovy Soca of the Year – Male | Won | [11] |
Nigeria Entertainment Awards | 2017 | Himself | Best Afro Soca Artist | Nominated | [12] [13] |
International World and Reggae Music Awards | 2016 | "Allez" | Best Soca /Calypso Artist | Won | [5] [12] |
Title | Year |
---|---|
Lavi Dous | 2022 |
Gyal Go | |
Howdy | |
Project 22 | |
Happy Life (feat. Full Brown) | |
Together |
All tracks are written by Teddyson John.
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Land of Wine" | 4:10 |
2. | "Wine Up On Me" | 3:34 |
3. | "Out and Bad" | 3:40 |
4. | "Take Over" | 3:49 |
5. | "Sweet Soca Music" | 3:55 |
6. | "Oh Gyal" | 3:40 |
7. | "Spread Love" | 3:24 |
Total length: | 26:12 |
Saint Lucia is an island country of the West Indies in the eastern Caribbean. The island was previously called Iouanalao and later Hewanorra, names given by the native Arawaks and Caribs (respectively), two Amerindian peoples. Part of the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique. It covers a land area of 617 km2 with an estimated population of over 180,000 people as of 2022. The nation's capital and largest city is Castries.
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 spelled "sokah" by its inventor but through an error in a local newspaper when reporting on the new music it was erroneously spelled "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 United States. Soca is an offshoot of Calypso/Kaiso, with influences from East Indian rhythms and hooks.
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established on 4 June 1917 by King George V and comprises five classes across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two of which make the recipient either a knight if male or dame if female. There is also the related British Empire Medal, whose recipients are affiliated with, but not members of, the order.
The music of Saint Lucia is home to many vibrant oral and folk traditions and is based on elements derived from the music of Africa, especially rhythmically, and Western Europe, dances like the quadrille, polka and waltz. The banjo and cuatro are iconic Lucian folk instruments, especially a four-stringed banjo called the bwa poye. Celebratory songs called jwé show lyricism, and rhythmic complexity. The most important of the Afro-Lucian Creole folk dances is the kwadril. Music is an integral part of Lucian folk holidays and celebrations, as well as the good-natured rivalry between the La Rose and La Marguerite societies. There is little Western classical music on Saint Lucia, and the country's popular music industry is only nascent. There are few recording opportunities, though live music and radio remain a vital part of Lucian culture. Popular music from abroad, especially Trinidadian styles like calypso and soca, is widespread.
The Culture of Saint Lucia blends the influences of African, French, and English heritage. The official language of the island is English but Kreole, a form of French patois, remains an influential secondary language. The people are predominantly Catholic but the religious climate is tolerant.
Nicole David is a soca music artist from Saint Lucia. She is referred to as "St. Lucia's Queen of Soca" and was a member of the soca band DN5. She is now the lead vocalist of the band Spectacle.
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