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Machel Montano
Machel Montano (Reggae Awards 2007).jpg
Machel Montano performing in 2007
Background information
Birth name Machel Montano
Born (1974-11-24) 24 November 1974 (age 50)
Carenage, Trinidad and Tobago
Origin Siparia, Trinidad and Tobago
Genres Soca
Occupation(s) Singer, songwriter, record producer
Instruments Vocals, guitar, keyboards, percussion
Years active 1982–present
Labels Monk Music
Associated acts Xtatik

Machel Montano (born November 24, 1974) is a famous Trinidadian soca singer and music producer. He is known for his exciting and energetic live shows. Machel is one of the most popular artists in soca music.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Machel Montano was born in Carenage, Trinidad, on November 24, 1974. His family later moved to Siparia. He went to Siparia Boys R.C. school and then Presentation College in San Fernando. There, he sang in the school's choir.

Machel became famous at just nine years old with his song "Too Young To Soca." In 1984, he started a group called Panasonic Express with his older brother and neighbors. This band later became Xtatik in 1989. When he was 11, Machel appeared on the TV show Star Search. In 1987, he won the Caribbean Song Festival in Barbados. He was the first Trinidadian and the youngest person to win this competition.

Machel Montano's Musical Journey

Machel Montano HD on Stage
Machel (center) performing on stage with Zan (left) and Farmer Nappy (right)

Machel Montano's band started as Panasonic Express. Over the years, it changed names to The Xtatik Circus, Xtatik, and The Road Marching Band. Since 2007, they have been known as Machel Montano HD (High Definition). Kernal Roberts, son of the famous calypsonian Lord Kitchener, became the band's drummer and musical director in the early 2000s.

Machel Montano (Barbados 2008 Fete)
Machel Montano performing at a party in Barbados (2008)

Machel also hosted the International Sounds of Soca show on BBC Radio 1Xtra for four years. He has many hit songs, both with and without Xtatik. Some of his popular songs include "Big Truck," which won the Road March title in 1997. Other hits are "Outa Space" (with Beenie Man), "Music Farm," and "It's Carnival" (with Destra Garcia). He also won the Road March title in 2006 with "Band Of The Year" (with Patrice Roberts) and in 2007 with "Jumbie."

His song "Toro Toro" with Shaggy reached No. 19 on the UK Independent Singles chart in 1998. In 2015, "One Wine" with Sean Paul and Major Lazer reached No. 37 on the US Billboard Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales chart. Also, "Mr Fete" and "Soca Kingdom" with Superblue both reached No. 22 on the US Billboard World Digital Song Sales chart.

Machel is very popular in New York City. He has sold out concerts at Madison Square Garden many times. He has won the International Soca Monarch title six times. He is also a ten-time Trinidad and Tobago Road March winner and has won the Calypso Monarch once.

Machel Montano in Movies and Documentaries

Machel Montano made his first movie, Bazodee, in 2016. The movie was filmed entirely in Trinidad and Tobago. In it, he plays a soca singer who falls in love with a businesswoman's daughter.

In 2017, Machel also released a documentary about his life called "Machel Montano: Journey of a Soca King."

Awards and Honors

In November 2014, Machel Montano won a Soul Train Award for Best International Performance. This award was for his song "Ministry of Road (M.O.R.)." This was the second time in a row that a Soca artist won this award, after Bunji Garlin won in 2013.

On November 15, 2018, Machel received an honorary doctorate of arts from the University of Trinidad and Tobago. This is a special degree given to honor his achievements. In September 2022, he was given the Hummingbird Gold Medal. This is a national award from Trinidad and Tobago.

Machel Montano's Personal Life

Machel Montano has a Master's degree in Carnival Studies from the University of Trinidad and Tobago.

On February 14, 2020, Machel married his longtime girlfriend, Renee Butcher. Their wedding ceremony took place at T&T's Red House, which is the nation's parliament building. Machel is a father of three children: Melanie, Nicholas, and Maya Journey.

Discography

Machel Montano and Patrice Roberts on Stage
Patrice Roberts (left) and Machel perform at UWI Splash in Chaguaramas, Trinidad.
Machel Montano HD on Stage 2
Machel and his band perform for a live audience at a party

Solo Albums

  • Too Young to Soca? (1985)
  • Soca Earthquake (1987)
  • Dr. Carnival (1988)
  • Katch Ya! (1989)
  • Breakin Out! (1990)
  • One Step Ahead! (1991)
  • 2000 Young To Soca (2000 Re-Edition)
  • The Xtatik Parade (2004)
  • The Xtatik Experience (2005)
  • B.O.D.Y. - Band Of D Year (2006)
  • The Book of Angels (2007)
  • Flame On, released as Winning Season in the United States (2008)
  • Heavenly Drum (2009)
  • Album 34 (2010)
  • The Return (2011)
  • Double M (2012)
  • Going for Gold (2012) - Machel Montano and Friends
  • Machelements (Volume 1) (2013)
  • Happiest Man Alive (2014)
  • Monk Monté (2015)
  • Monk Evolution (2016)
  • G.O.A.T. (2019)
  • The Wedding Album (2021)

Xtatik Albums

  • X Amount Ah Sweetnesss (1992)
  • Soca Style Hot (1993)
  • By All Means (EP) (1994)
  • Loose Yuh Waist (1995)
  • Men at Work (1996)
  • Heavy Duty (1997)
  • Xtatik Live (1997)
  • Charge (1998)
  • Any Minute Now (1999)
  • Here Comes the Band (2000)
  • Same High (2001)
  • On the Cusp (2002)
  • The Xtatik Circus (2003 – as "Xtatik Band 5.0")

Guest Appearances

  • "Floor On Fire" by Lil' Jon featuring Pitbull and Machel Montano (2009)
  • "Alright" by Pitbull featuring Machel Montano (from the album Planet Pit) (2010)
  • "Can't Let Go" by Boyz II Men featuring Machel Montano (from the album Collide) (2014)
  • "Shake Yuh Bum Bum" by Timaya featuring Machel Montano (2014)
  • "All My Love (Remix)" by Major Lazer featuring Ariana Grande and Machel Montano (2015)
  • "Taxi (Carnival Remix)" by Pitbull, Lil' Jon and Machel Montano (2016)
  • "Carnaval (T&T Remix)" by Claudia Leitte featuring Pitbull and Machel Montano (2018)
  • "Issa Vibe/Pick Your Position" by Motto featuring Skinny Fabulous and Machel Montano (2019)
  • "Young Boy" by Calypso Rose featuring Machel Montano (2019)
  • "Gud Gud" by Hey Choppi featuring Machel Montano (2021)
  • "Soil Song" by Sounds of Isha featuring Machel Montano, Arjuna Harjai, Marge Blackman, and Sandeep Narayan (2022)
  • "Come Awake" by Sounds of Isha featuring Machel Montano and Arjuna Harjai (2022)
  • "Jessica (Island Remix)" by Michaël Brun featuring Charly Black, Machel Montano, and J Perry (2023)

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Machel Montano para niños

  • List of calypsos with sociopolitical influences
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