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Machel Montano won both
the Road March and Power
Soca Monarch in 2011
with
Advantage
in Trinidad and Tobago.
His song was played
410 times to clinch
the Road March title.
Born on 24 November
1974, Machel Montano
shot to fame in 1986
when he became the youngest
finalist in the history
of the Calypso Monarch
competition, singing
the aptly titled single
“Too Young to Soca.”
Thus began a phenomenal
career that has spanned
over two decades.
He has recorded songs
with some of the most
esteemed artists in
calypso such as
The Mighty Sparrow,
David Rudder, Calypso
Rose and
Black Stalin.
His collaborations also
include many of the
Caribbean’s most popular
performers and International
acts such as Allison
Hinds, Beenie Man, Drupatee,
Wyclef Jean, Canibus,
Red Rat, Shaggy, Denise
Belfon, KMC, Walker
Hornung, Vybz Cartel,
Buju Banton, Mr. Vegas,
Doug E. Fresh and Mr.
Vegas.
Machel has established
himself as a true ambassador
for Soca and Trinidad
and Tobago's Carnival,
by being the first Soca
artist to perform before
sold-out audiences at
New York’s Madison Square
Garden in 2007 and 2008.
Machel’s style of music
is constantly evolving,
each year bringing new
concepts and fresh performances.
His band has also been
re-invented several
times. From 2007,
the band adopted the
name Machel Montano
HD (High Definition).
The re-branding included
an HD tour bus, the
only one of its kind
in Trinidad and Tobago,
complete with bedroom,
bathroom facilities,
internet access and
an expansive audio/visual
system. Just when fans
thought that he had
reached the pinnacle
of his career, they
were in for a new and
improved Machel - HD
style!!
The visionary entertainer
continued to raise the
bar in 2009. Machel
launched a children’s
book entitled ‘Boy Boy
and the Magic Drum’
which served as a map
to his first ever Carnival
Children’s Show/Musical
which bears the same
name. On the musical
side, Montano released
several new songs including
Raving
and
Mesmerize
along with exciting
collaborations with
Patrice Roberts, Lil
Jon and new member to
the HD Family, Umi Marcano.
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