分类： entertainment

Barbadian international soca star Hypasounds is experiencing one of the most high-demand Crop Over festival seasons of his entire career, riding a wave of overwhelming fan support for his new releases and selling out nearly every scheduled event before he kicks off the next chapter of his global touring circuit. In an exclusive interview with Barbados TODAY on the sidelines of the popular Tipsy All White Party held at Bridgetown’s National Botanical Gardens, the entertainer opened up about the overwhelmingly positive response he has received from attendees this year, calling the 2024 season a return to the festival’s iconic vibrant roots. “This season has been absolutely incredible,” Hypasounds shared. “Fans are connecting deeply with the new music, and the energy across every event has been unmatched. Every party is packed to capacity, and Crop Over is finally getting back to the beloved, lively form that it’s been known for for decades.” For the 2024 Crop Over festival, Hypasounds dropped four original tracks crafted specifically for the event, with two records standing out as breakout fan favorites. “It’s a dead heat between *Too Like* and *Mirror Mirror Baddest By Far* – female fans in particular can’t get enough of those two,” he explained. With the festival drawing to a close in the coming weeks, Hypasounds has a full lineup of remaining performances on his schedule, including the iconic Soca on the Hill and Bacchanal Time events, plus a supporting slot for fellow Barbadian artist Mikey Mercer’s upcoming headlining concert. He urged fans to continue turning out to support local soca talent throughout the remainder of the season, adding, “Just come out, enjoy the music, support your favorite artists, and of course, come cheer on Soca For Her and Hypasounds.” Though the annual Crop Over celebration put his international touring plans on a temporary hiatus, Hypasounds confirmed that he will resume his global performance schedule immediately after the festival wraps, with confirmed stops already locked in for Toronto, Canada, and St. Kitts. “Touring has been going so well – we just hit pause for this final stretch of Crop Over, and then we’re back on the road right away,” he said. “First up is Toronto, then St. Kitts, and it just keeps going. It’s all about flying the flag for my fans and my beautiful home country, Barbados, everywhere we go.” Before he jumps back into full-time touring, Hypasounds will make a quick stop in Saint Lucia this Tuesday to perform at the highly anticipated Big Bad Soca event, before returning to Barbados to close out his Crop Over commitments. Looking back on the first two legs of his 2024 international tour, the artist highlighted shows across the United States and the Caribbean as standout moments, with packed crowds in New York, Boston, Atlanta, and Grenada standing out as career highlights. “The first two legs of the tour were absolutely amazing,” he said. “We took a short break to be here for Crop Over, but now we’re gearing up to hit the road again, drop more new music, and head down to Trinidad for radio promotion – we never stop working, that’s just how we do it.”

Against the lush backdrop of Barbados’ National Botanical Gardens, the 2024 Tipsy Music Festival’s highly anticipated All White Party edition delivered an unforgettable two-day opening night of non-stop soca and dancehall energy, proving that even a surprise mid-evening shower couldn’t cool the crowd’s relentless enthusiasm.

Thousands of attendees, many decked head-to-toe in white and armed with folding chairs, handheld fans and umbrellas, began streaming into the venue as soon as gates opened. By 6:30 p.m., the gardens were packed with a vibrant mix of first-time festival-goers and decades-long Crop Over season enthusiasts, all settled in for a night of celebration.

The evening kicked off with the Tipsy Next Up segment, hosted by DJ Salt, which shone a spotlight on Barbados’ rising musical talent. Emerging artistes set an electric early tone: Q-so opened with the gritty track *Too Many Problems*, Wisc had the growing crowd singing along word-for-word to *Ring Ring*, Safiyah got the audience moving with *Don’t Talk Secret*, and Rohan Simm closed out the opening segment with a heartfelt performance of *Gratitude*. Addressing the crowd mid-set, Simm shared, “This is my first year performing on this stage. Honest with you, I was nervous,” prompting deafening cheers and waves of encouragement from the supportive audience.

As dusk fell, seasoned local entertainers stepped onto the stage to remind attendees why they remain enduring staples of the annual Crop Over calendar. Veteran performer Hypa Dawg, who is celebrating over 30 years in the Caribbean entertainment industry, received one of the loudest welcomes of the entire night. He turned the entire gardens into a massive collective singalong, leading the crowd through his most iconic hits including *Best Ting* and *All Is Rum*. By his third track, Hypa Dawg was drenched in sweat, feeding off the audience’s unwavering energy as fans joined his call-and-response routines, happily following his lead to “push” and “pull” the performance to even greater heights.

The energy only climbed higher during the all-Bajan Jus Jay and Friends segment, which delivered a string of back-to-back chart-topping hits from some of the island’s most popular current acts. Artistes including Leadpipe and Saddis, Mole De Chief, LaStacia, and Jagwa De Champ performed fan favourites like *Bartender*, *Trouble*, *Pick & Choose*, and *Donut*, drawing thousands of attendees closer to the stage and sparking one of the raucous crowd reactions of the night. “That set was so good,” one patron shared after the set, while another added, still catching their breath after non-stop dancing: “That set was rough. I enjoyed that.”

Veteran performer Edwin Yearwood and his band Krosfyah next took the crowd on a nostalgic journey through the history of soca, delivering a high-octane medley of the genre’s most beloved classic tracks. Yearwood guided the audience through decades of hits including *Party Ah De Year*, *Are You Ready*, *Handle Ya Business*, *On the Road Again*, *In de Middle Ah De Road*, and *All Aboard*, with the entire crowd singing along to every line.

Midway through the night, a brief passing rain shower briefly threatened to put a damper on the festivities. Within seconds, hundreds of colourful umbrellas popped up across the venue, creating a striking visual against the sea of white all attendees had donned for the All White Party theme. Far from driving attendees to cover, the light rain did nothing to slow the celebration: partygoers kept dancing, singing, and embracing the moment, with many refusing to even leave the front of the stage.

As the clock neared 10 p.m., anticipation hit a fever pitch for headliner Jamaican dancehall star Alkaline. His arrival on stage triggered one of the biggest crowd eruptions of the night, with fans screaming and cheering as he launched straight into his hit-packed set.

The celebration was far from over after Alkaline’s performance, however. Trinidadian-based favourite Kes The Band brought the night to a climactic close with a performance brimming with unmatched energy and the iconic sound that has made them one of the most beloved acts across the Caribbean. The band had the entire crowd waving, dancing, and singing along to their biggest hits including *Rum and Coca-Cola*, *Ah Falling Down*, *Mental Day*, and *The Only Place I Go*, wrapping up a night of celebration that will go down as one of the most memorable stops on this year’s Crop Over calendar.

Long before the first musical note reverberated through the sprawling grounds of Barbados’ National Botanical Gardens, crowds of excited attendees were already streaming through the gates for the highly anticipated Tipsy All White World Cup Watch Party, hosted by Tipsy Music Festival. As guests arrived, uniformed security personnel conducted thorough entry checks to ensure a safe, smooth experience for all in attendance, with event photographers capturing the early buzz of the gathering. Attendees, many dressed in crisp white attire as requested by the event theme, gathered around two large outdoor screens, their eyes fixed on the live football match between Spain and Argentina. The crowd roared with every tackle, cheered on every near-goal, and leaned in collectively during tense moments of play, their shared passion for the sport creating an electric sense of community across the gardens. When the final whistle blew, securing a narrow 1-0 victory for Spain, the entire venue erupted in celebration, with cheers and applause rolling across the greenery that served as a scenic backdrop for the event. What had started as a dedicated football viewing experience quickly shifted into a full-scale night of entertainment, blending the thrill of international sports with the signature high-energy ambiance that Tipsy events have grown famous for. Excitement from the match melted seamlessly into pulsating music, and attendees traded their seats on the lawn for open dance space, turning the watch party into the perfect opening act for a night of socializing, dancing, and festive fun under the stars.

Barbados is set to make regional religious and cultural history this weekend, as St Barnabas Church in St Michael debuts the Caribbean’s first ever “Bob Marley Emancipation Mass” — a groundbreaking worship service that weaves the iconic reggae artist’s music into traditional Anglican liturgy to explore Christian themes of justice, unity and liberation.

Framing the unprecedented event through a deliberate theological framework, church leaders argue that Marley’s decades-spanning discography carries a profound, enduring message that aligns closely with core Christian scripture. The service is scheduled to kick off at 5 p.m. on Sunday, and is held in partnership with the Barbadian government as a key part of national Emancipation season observances, marking July 26 as a Day of National Significance.

The unique liturgy used for the mass was originally debuted at St James’ Cathedral in Toronto, and penned by Reverend Canon Dr Steven Fields — a Barbadian priest currently serving in Canada, who is returning to his home country to deliver the sermon at this inaugural gathering. At a recent press conference held at the Chapel Gap church, rector Reverend Canon Dr Monrelle Williams stressed that the event is first and foremost an act of formal Christian worship, not a public concert, and is designed to encourage faithful communities to engage with secular art through a new, spiritual lens.

“This service is built around the idea that there is a theology to be found in the body of work of the late Bob Marley,” Williams explained. “There is a message that is there that is both timeless and quite relevant because Bob Marley’s music echoed the cries of the oppressed. It is a call to unity, and it speaks to a hope for liberation.”

Williams added that Marley’s songwriting offers a critical framework that pushes Christian communities to confront the lived realities of marginalized people across the globe. The iconic lyrics, he noted, challenge believers to reimagine God not as a distant, uninvolved observer of human suffering, but as an active, revolutionary force in the ongoing fight for earthly justice. By rejecting what Marley called the oppressive “Babylon system”, worshippers are called to live out a bold, inclusive, and transformative love that reflects Christian values.

Integrating Marley’s work into traditional Anglican worship has required adjusting the structure of a standard Sunday service. Where conventional masses rely on traditional hymns to mark key segments of worship, this event will replace seven hymn slots with some of Marley’s most spiritually charged tracks, which will accompany moments ranging from the opening processional to the collection of offerings and Holy Communion. The setlist includes some of Marley’s most beloved global hits: Could You Be Loved, War, Three Little Birds, and One Love.

A live band assembled by veteran musician Roger Gittens will lead the musical performance, backed by a lead vocalist, the St Barnabas Church choir, and parish organist Christopher Gibbs. Theological themes will also be brought to life through liturgical dance, with performers moving to Marley’s rhythms from the opening call of worship.

Addressing ongoing questions and potential criticism surrounding the fusion of Rastafarian cultural associations with mainstream Anglican doctrine, Williams offered clarity on Marley’s personal spiritual journey in the final years of his life. “When Bob Marley died, Bob Marley died as a Christian. He was baptised into the Eastern Orthodox Church, so he’s Christian just like we as Anglicans are Christian,” he said. “So the Rastafarians identify themselves with his music, but his music does not belong to them. It belongs to all of us.”

Church warden Stanley Alleyne echoed this inclusive perspective, pointing to the universal Christian values embedded in Marley’s most famous anthem. “Speaking of love, we’re talking about unconditional love, and that’s what human beings are supposed to represent as far as I’m concerned,” Alleyne said. “So that song, Bob Marley’s song One Love, is for me his signature song.”

The full Diocese of Barbados has formally endorsed the unconventional service. Williams confirmed that he consulted the island’s Anglican bishop, the top liturgical authority for the denomination in Barbados, to gain approval. “I shared the service with him, sought his permission to do it, and he was very receptive to the idea,” the rector said, noting that the bishop expressed significant excitement for the initiative despite being off-island for the weekend.

Church warden Junior Jordan emphasized that Sunday’s mass carries unprecedented regional cultural and religious significance. “It’s actually going to be history in the making, because it’s a first for the Caribbean, it’s a first for Barbados, and certainly it’s a first for St Barnabas Church. We are making full preparations for the large crowd that we expect to appear,” Jordan said.

To accommodate the expected influx of worshippers and attendees, the church has erected an outdoor overflow tent to supplement indoor seating, and has finalized a parking agreement with the nearby Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre to add extra spaces for congregation members.

Church leaders say they hope the mass will serve as a model for re-examining contemporary Caribbean culture through a spiritual lens, ultimately inspiring meaningful positive social change across the region. “What we are trying to do is to say, here is a body of music by an icon of music in the Caribbean that has within it some really positive lyrics,” Williams said. “Here is an opportunity to see Bob Marley’s music and to hear Bob Marley’s music in a Christian context, bringing a positive message to people.”