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Michelle Sylvester a Trinidadian Queen |
 Armed with her trademark sense of humour and her stunning, R&B-flavoured singing style, 27-year-old Michelle Sylvester emerged from Trinidad’s 2004 Carnival with one of the season’s the most talked about songs, simultaneously building a reputation for herself as a charismatic stage performer. Her tongue-in-cheek solo single, “Go Ahead”, was consistently among the most requested songs at parties and on the radio during that year’s festival, and her equally popular duet “Dip Down Low” (featuring notorious “winerboy” and close friend, Terry Seales) produced a fun-filled video that remains one of the most highly rotated clips on Trinidad And Tobago’s music video station, SynergyTV. In 2005, she returned with the anthemic “Sleeping In Your Bed” and cemented her place in Caribbean music history by winning the coveted title of International Soca Queen and becoming the first ever Groovy Soca Monarch. In short, Michelle Sylvester is undoubtedly one of Soca music’s brightest new stars. In addition to being currently in the process of trying to respond to the massive wave of requests for her to perform locally and internationally, Michelle also released new material for 2006, 2007 and 2008, including the hit singles “Carnival Again”(which is also the first single she wrote herself), “Face Me”, “Always On My Mind” (featuring longtime friend and fellow Big Artist Crew member Mista Vybe), “Seduction” (featuring Michelle Xavier and fellow Big Artiste Crew member Terry Seales) and her 2008 smash “That Thing You Do” (on the popular Gyal Touch Riddim). Going almost overnight from unknown band singer to solo star is a blessing Michelle is humbly grateful for, but it was no accident, given that she has been building her career and reputation quietly, for years, behind the scenes. She previously performed as a lead vocalist with several top Soca bands over the years, including Sound Revolution, KV Charles & InSyte, Rukshun, Horyzon (featuring Steve Sealey and Anslem Douglas) and Triple X. Originally, however, she came from a background of R&B singing, emulating Soul starlets like Brandy, Monica and Mary J. Blige. In fact, one of her first major career accomplishments was reaching the Grand Final round of the now-legendary local televised talent show, “Party Time”, which is known to have helped discover many of today’s major Trini Soca artists and performers. Michelle acknowledges that she has been influenced as much by Rhythm And Blues singers as she has by Soca stars like Alison Hinds and Sanelle Dempster, which accounts for her signature Soca-meets-Soul approach to vocals. Make no mistake – this young lady can croon with the best of them. Winning the trophy for “Best Female Vocalist” at the 2005 Soca Awards underlines that point. While most female songbirds lean toward the “diva” side of things, Michelle has chosen a different path for herself. “I’m very down to earth,” she laughs. Indeed part of Michelle’s massive appeal is that she comes across onstage and on her records as the proverbial “girl next door”. She’s is more of an “around the way girl” than a would-be-goddess, both on and off stage, which – judging by the love she constantly receives from fans – is a welcome change from the norm. “I can’t believe it. I didn’t see it coming. It was a surprise to me… shocking!” she says of her whirlwind successes in the last few years. Now that she’s here in the limelight, however, Michelle Sylvester is here to stay. Since her 2004 and 2005 breakout achievements she has been a conistent hit-maker, logging Groovy Soca classics like “Always On My Mind” (featuring Mista Vybe) and her 2008 scorcher “That Thing You Do”. To turn up the heat a little, she recently released a remix of “That Thing You Do” featuring 3Suns frontman Menace and is currently working on a video for the single as well. Look out for more new releases by Soca’s most scintillating songstress coming soon and look forward to seeing her performing in your town as well. Whatever opportunities fate brings to her, Michelle Sylvester will be sure to - as her now-classic song says - “Go Ahead And Do That”.
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