Stars Aligning for St. Kitts Music

The Stars Aligning for 19^th edition of Kitts Music Festival

By William Doyle-Marshall
International bestselling musical artist Jason Derulo best known for his hits Want to Want Me, released earlier this year, will be among performers at the 19th Annual St. Kitts Music Festival, which takes place from June 25 through June 27.
  Miami born Derulo is a popular singer, songwriter and dancer who has sold over 45 million records worldwide. Since launching his career as a solo artist in 2009, he has ascended from writing songs for Lil Wayne, Pitbull, Diddy, Sean Kingston and others to having ten career-defining platinum singles and a radio audience of over 17 billion. Talk Dirty, his 2014 album spawned five platinum singles, propelling him into an elite cadre of artists to achieve five platinum hits from just one album. He is a five-time winner of the BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) Pop Awards, including "Songwriter of the Year" in 2011, and winner of three Teen Choice Awards complementing his nominations for an array of international awards.
  Minister of Tourism Lindsay F.P. Grant, considers  Derulo a very exciting artist to watch on stage. He is confident his performance at the Saint Kitts Music Festival will enhance the diversity and variety of talent that the St. Kitts Music Festival has become renowned for in the Caribbean.

Another award-winning R&B artist and Hollywood film actor featured in the festival cast is Trey Songz who joins Bounty Killer, Christopher Martin, Aswad, Roy Cape, T-Vice, Tono Rosario, Ricardo Drue, Kerwin DuBois, Patrice Roberts, Blaxx and Benjai, during the exciting cultural event. In announcing Songz’s appearance at the festival Minister  Grant, who noted that he was thrilled to welcome the performer to St. Kitts for the first time. "Trey Songz is a renowned R&B artist, with international appeal.  Having him perform at the St. Kitts Music Festival will certainly reinforce the event's reputation as a dynamic Caribbean music festival with exhilarating performances and an experience like no other," the minister added. Trey Songz is best known for his hits Bottoms Up featuring Nicki Minaj, Say Aah featuring Fabolous, I Need a Girl, Gotta Go, I Invented Sex featuring Drake, Girl Tonite, Can't Help but Wait, Gotta Make It and Heart Attack. His seventh studio album, Slow Motion, debuted earlier this year.

• Ciara 

    Quite excited about the 2015 edition of the Festival, which has become one of the most anticipated events in the Caribbean’s calendar of events, Minister Grant, said it has grown over the years into a unique event that showcases international music stars alongside rising local and Caribbean acts.”
   Promotion of the Festival started in the country’s various markets to encourage visitors to follow their hearts to St. Kitts, to enjoy one of the most diversified musical weekends in the Caribbean, the minister insisted.
   Ciara a global superstar whose infectious tunes have resulted in multi-platinum albums, smash singles and a truckload of awards, according to her bio is also down on the list of performers. Her dazzling dance moves have mesmerized audiences worldwide. Her striking good looks have led to modeling opportunities and her magnetic screen presence has jumpstarted a promising acting career. But with Basic Instinct, her fourth album, Ciara wanted to push things further than she ever has before. “With this album I wanted to take it back to the basics and bring back the bass,” says Ciara. “At the same time, I’m still showing my growth and trusting my first instinct, my basic instinct on everything – my music choices and creative choices.”
   Ciara’s instincts ring true time and time again throughout the dynamic collection, which features her as an assertive, visionary woman whose life experiences have taught her to trust herself and her decision-making process. The up-tempo “Girls Get Your Money,” for instance, stands as the next girls’ anthem, as CiCi salutes women who go hard for their success, something she continues doing. She then shifts gears on the sultry yet charming “You Can Get It,” where the chanteuse takes a phrase typically associated with men and makes it her own.
   Now in its 19th year, the St. Kitts Music Festival attracts both locals and visitors alike. It features a wide range of musical styles on the popular market, including R&B, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Reggae, Soca, Calypso, Gospel and Contemporary music. Past artists have included such prominent acts as John Legend, Lionel Richie, T-Pain, Michael Bolton, K.C. and the Sunshine Band, UB40's Ali Campbell, Wyclef Jean, Ne-Yo, Air Supply, Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds, Shaggy, Kelly Rowland, Tessanne Chin, Toni Braxton, Beenie Man, The Commodores, Dionne Warwick, Billy Ocean, Sean Paul, Boyz II Men, King Konris, Stephen Marley, Regina Belle, Maxi Priest, Beres Hammond, Roberta Flack, Biggie Irie, Bunny Wailer and Lord Nelson.
   In the meantime, Minister of Tourism Lindsay  Grant, said, "Caribbean Week in New York was quite a success “for us, as we kept the spotlight on St. Kitts as a destination on the rise both in the Caribbean region and in the world. Throughout the meetings and events of the week, we continued to reinforce St. Kitts' position as a leader and influencer in the tourism industry."
 After an exciting Caribbean Week start to in the Big Apple where the island hosted an elite consumer media dinner at the Park Hyatt and conducted meetings with top editors, St. Kitts only continued to gain momentum as the week progressed, maintaining high visibility at key functions throughout the remainder of the week. With that the stage is set for this month’s music festival as a very powerful cast of performers will take center stage for fans travelling from far and near to get a true taste of real island hospitality.