Photo: Jade Lopez

Port-of-Spain, Trinidad. August 28th, 2017 - Persistence is a hell of a thing. One entertainer’s undying passion and his heritage have fueled what will likely be a long and prosperous career in music. Trinidad and Tobago’s Jade Lopez- the artiste best known for a 2008 single called, “Bum Bum,” is determined to show the world what he’s made of. He’s been residing in the Turks and Caicos with his wife and young son, a move that came quite suddenly after his wife received the perfect job offer. Amid it all however, Lopez’s love for his country and Soca music, has been constant, propelling him to strive for a certain kind of artistic independence that only few have acquired.

Moving from the hub of Caribbean entertainment to an island he’d hardly been acquainted with, Lopez believed he’d be able to foster new relationships with music producers on the island and certainly build his Soca music catalogue. That however, proved a challenge. “I tried to find producers that would be able to give me the sound that I had in my head for the music that I had been writing, but it never worked out. Most of the producers here were not building Soca beats,” he explained. He admitted to spending quite a bit of money only to be dissatisfied by the final product, time and time again. He never gave up on performing though. Lopez kept busy on the local music and nightlife circuit in the Turks and Caicos, performing with a band and delivering cover songs that brought the sound of T&T to the people of that island. “I still wondered whether I was ever going to find the right producer to help me deliver new music,” he admitted. Support came from several people though, among them, DJ C Wyllie who encouraged Lopez to keep pushing. Sometime later, another friend gave him the gift of a keyboard, encouraging him to begin learning the techniques that would lead to his musical independence.



Jade Lopez has since taught himself how to produce his own melodies, matching what he often conjures in his head, to a final production. A new Soca release called, “Permission”- self written and self produced, has inspired a deep rooted desire to share his story of persistence with young, up and coming acts. “The fact that I am a self taught producer- and this is just one of the many songs that I have produced, I want the youths who want to do something positive to know that there’s always a way. No matter if someone tells you that you can’t do it, believe in yourself,” he said.

The new release sits on the Soca Samba riddim and blends many of Lopez’s cultural expressions, among them, his love of drumology – an art he teaches to others. He says he anticipates that music lovers will appreciate this latest release, but admits that there’s much more to come. Now calling himself Starboy Jade Lopez, the determined soca artiste is bent on answering what he says is his true calling. “The fact that I can produce now is going to be a shock to many people, including members of my family back at home, because until now, I’ve never said anything to anyone,” he explained. He’s certainly proud of his accomplishment and believes his struggle and subsequent rise will one day be a great lesson for his young son. “This will be a message for him- a lesson that he must work hard and never give up on his dreams.”