Soca Chronicles
Soca Chronicles
Machel Montano at Tiny Desk and Pahjo's Journey
What happens when Soca meets NPR's famous Tiny Desk concert series? We’re celebrating a huge moment for Soca music as the legendary Machel Montano becomes the first Soca artist to perform on this iconic stage. This is a big step for the genre, putting it in front of a global audience—though some critics think Soca should be aiming even higher.
We’ll also dive into the recent drama around Trinidad Killa’s track Eskimo, looking at the fine line between pushing creative boundaries and respecting original work.
Plus, we’re joined by Pahjo, a rising star in Soca who went from working behind the scenes as an event organizer to stepping into the spotlight as an artist. After experiencing deep personal loss, he shifted his approach to music, moving beyond the usual seasonal releases to a more constant flow of creativity.
Welcome to the Soca Chronicles. Soca Chronicles with Sharns and RKO.
:Welcome to the 41st episode of Soca Chronicles, the podcast that brings you everything Soca. I'm RKO and I'm digitally sitting next to the one and only Sharns. Yeow, yeow.
Sharnz:Yeow Race car-yows really race car, yo's really yes, the first yo, yo yo for the year, bro, come on, it's true yeah, you gotta hurry up and get them to be a race car, I guess.
Arkayo:Anyhow, this one. We have some very important business to discuss about a small desk or something. Small desk, we'll get to it. Come on man, it's a pun Jesus. Oh, okay, and we'll have a very interesting interview with Pajo, so I say we get into it.
Sharnz:I think we should.
Arkayo:Soca Chronicles. So I say we get into it. I think we should. And as Sjarns was already laughing at my joke which wasn't really a joke, I guess this month was a legendary month for Sokka.
Sharnz:Yes, please.
Arkayo:Because the big double M joined Tiny Desk for a Tiny Desk concert. Yes, it's amazing news for Sokka Massive Joined Tiny Desk For a Tiny Desk concert.
Sharnz:Yes.
Arkayo:It's amazing news for Soca.
Sharnz:Massive first ever Soca artist to feature On Tiny Desk, which is amazing. I checked out the comments On the YouTube video and there was one that stood out to me. The person had commented I've never heard of this man and I don't know about Soca music, but this is a vibe and I'm gonna check it out. I'm gonna check out more of his music. So it's just like damn that could be one more person to convert to Soca music and eventually try and spread it to the masses, which is what we want to do.
Sharnz:We want more recognition for Soca music, because at the moment, it's like Soca music takes what's the word I'm looking for like it music, because at the moment it's like Soca music takes what's the word I'm looking for, like, in the background, if that makes sense.
Sharnz:So all these other genres kind of take Precedent over Soca, and that's not what we want. So, especially in parties, even when it's a Soca party, it's very rare that it's a complete Soca party. It will always be other genres that get played To try and cater to other people, etc, etc. But that is. It will always be other genres that get played to try and cater to other people, etc, etc. But that is not what we want. So thank you very much machelle montano.
Arkayo:Let's hope that this is onwards and upwards for soca music. 100, 100 and you know, like we always have this discussion, I think I'm in the camp of soca will make it and will be one of the bigger genres in the near future assurance. You're always somebody who is a bit more skeptical, for now at least saying that you know, first see it and believe it. I think this is a win for my camp.
Sharnz:I think it's a win. But I'm just going to quickly say this I've spoken to other people who don't see this as a win for Sokka. They're just saying that it's like, wow, this isn't really a major thing. So basically they're saying that us Soka people are just settling for mediocrity.
Arkayo:What does that mean?
Sharnz:Yeah, so they don't think it's good enough that he's on Tiny desk, like it's not a win for soca, because it's like montano on on day, that's generally it's just just a soca artist in general, because the point that they're trying to make is that we should expect more for soca and we're settling for this. Yeah, yeah, yeah but I don't see it as settling. We're happy with the wins, yeah exactly Take the wins, but it's just like we're accepting scraps is what they're saying yeah, yeah, yeah, we're celebrating scraps for now.
Sharnz:Yeah, that's what I'm saying. We're celebrating small wins, and that's how I see it, but they think that we should expect more for Sokar. We should want more for Sokar, soca. We should want more for Soca, but of course we don't see it that way.
Arkayo:We're we're, you know grateful and and their point is that, yeah, this is a step towards that, I think exactly, but their point is that if we keep seeing Soca as a genre that's in the background.
Sharnz:It's never gonna grow but I don't agree yeah, I don't agree with that at all.
Arkayo:Yeah, things like this If they start Like our song of the month last month, the Greatest Bandover. Yeah, yeah. Jesus on a horse. That song is epic and it's blowing up. Yeah, yeah, and I love it. It's on Instagram. There's a whole drama, by the way, with Trader that Killer.
Sharnz:Oh boy, oh boy, yeah, the way with, uh, trina killer.
Arkayo:Oh boy, oh boy, yeah, I don't think we should go too deep into it, but it has to do with um plagiatizing yeah, yeah so he just hopped on the beat and he had actually not a bad song.
Arkayo:He just hopped on it and people were crying, foul play and murder because obviously he didn't pay the the artist that created the rhythm uh, the artists didn't want to have him on it in the first place. As far as I can understand, he says you know it's good music, so why do we care? You know Soca should be, you know, open to anybody. There's some points, some merit in that as well, but you know, I'm a Switzerland in this case. But people have opinions. If you want to know more about it, a quick search on instagram will give you all the juice you like, I'm sure.
Sharnz:But no, definitely but I'm gonna quickly say my opinion. So I think he was wrong. So the main thing for me is that he asked for permission but didn't get a reply, so he recorded the song anyway. However, he removed the producer's tag from the song and then uploaded it onto streaming platforms and monetized it. That's where he went wrong, because obviously, we know a lot of artists will jump on a beat, but they won't monetize it, so they'll do it like a freestyle and just put it on their social media.
Sharnz:So that's where he went wrong. And then the fact that he, what he did, was wrong, but he's turning around and cussing the producers. That's true. And then that was where he went wrong.
Arkayo:He's fighting, fighting.
Sharnz:That's crazy, that is a mad thing. But I think he may have all done this. He may have done all of this for publicity. So, he said that he's going to stop doing music, but then he's asking for beats.
Nytro:He's asking for beats Five minutes later yeah like literally.
Sharnz:So guys, make sure you check it out. I think it's on follow soca and it's on some other pages. So check it out. Let us know what you think. Do you think he's in the wrong or do you think he was right to do what he did? Let us know in the comments 100.
Arkayo:Last thing I'll say about it is I do realize it is very difficult to get into the soca scene. There is a so Soca mafia. I have no doubt about it. You know, if you're a popular artist you will get all the high class, high quality beats and whatnot and rhythms. I do realize that At the same time. You said it. Exactly right, Sjarns, it's the monetization part.
Nytro:That is a bit tricky.
Arkayo:Like, if you want to become famous with another person's beat, that's fine, but just amountize it. Just put it on Instagram, YouTube and let it blow up. Next time they will say you know what you did, such a good job, let's get you on the project. You know.
Sharnz:Who knows Exactly?
Arkayo:Well, yeah, man, let us know what you think.
Sharnz:Yes, please.
Arkayo:And then it's time For the song of the month.
Sharnz:Song Of the Month. I think that should be the new one, that should I will use it if you're not careful.
Arkayo:Be careful. Do you want to have the honors?
Sharnz:no, I'll let you do. It all right, I'll take, it because this song.
Arkayo:You know what I'm excited about this season, because there is a ton of good music coming out. It's actually difficult to pick song of the month these days. I love this season and I love it being difficult for me to pick a song of the month, but this month's choice was none other than a big bungee garland with carry it hey, let's have a listen this is the song of the month.
Speaker 7:Yes, I can hear them saying boy, stop living in the past. Where can I find that energy, the raw, raw magic that comes down from the grass roots? Yes, I'm from a place where soca, the resounding power, you could feel any time in the hour, sunshine or summer. You will feel it anyway. You look and it read like a story. Man I come from.
Speaker 7:When grung used to carry it. Where used to carry it? When the grung used to carry it. Where used to carry it? When the grung used to carry it, we used to carry it when I reema had it, maturita had it, santa Rosa had it. Donga Ruka had it In Mofa had it In Sanwa had it so far real had it.
Speaker 7:Look all over Long Tongue seh bose de vibes. When west people leave from link dungeon and beat town to head to the playground and who they link inside Harima and Central Tobago and Southside the traffic turn in some near morning long they buy west morning have cars parking like a ratchet Me drinks bottle long like Rula in a cooler and we chis me dum dum. Now it's two from Carano Yen time. Did the grunge used to carry it? We used to carry it. When the grunge used to carry it, we used to carry it. And the frog do the carry it. We used to carry it. And the cooler do the carry it. We used to carry it when Central had it, correal had it, columbia had it, deep in Penal had it, 500 had it and Enterprise had it.
Arkayo:Yeah, man, personal favorite, you know, when I hear it, it's just the buildup is nice, it's epic, it's epic, big tune, big tune, moving on to and with that, yep.
Sharnz:Sorry, I just really wanted to say that I'm sorry, go on, go on.
Arkayo:No, no, go on, go on.
Sharnz:You have to finish it as well and with that I think we should get into our interview with pa joe yes, big artist, let's gon't been in the game that long, but has released a shit ton of good music.
Arkayo:So let's listen to what inspired him and what he has to say. Let's go. This is Soca Chronicles we are back with another interview, and this time Arut's dive into Kiana. We are here with Pajo Welcome, thank you, with.
Pahjo:Pajo, welcome, thank you. Thank you for having me.
Arkayo:Vibes as usual. Vibes, vibes, always Vibes and vibes, Exactly, it's a new year Same chance.
Sharnz:I like that.
Pahjo:That was my tagline this year. There we go, you and me, just a different angle. Exactly.
Sharnz:Well, welcome Nice to have you.
Pahjo:Finally, exactly Because you've been ducking and diving and dodging me. I've been busy, I've been busy.
Sharnz:Busy, but I've seen you on two different flights in two different years.
Pahjo:That's because you're just following my career and you follow me.
Arkayo:Like a groupie.
Speaker 6:apparently I didn't want to say it, but it groupie apparently wow, let's not do that let's not do that, okay do you prefer super fan, you know super fan.
Sharnz:I don't even like you what listen don't get me started today. Don't get me better. Do you know what? Let me. It's a new year, even though same chance. I need to be nice chance, okay good, let's see that first You're going to cry eh.
Speaker 7:You're going to cry. Eh, I never met the nice chance, but carry on.
Sharnz:That's a lie.
Arkayo:All right, let's start at the start. Pacho, please tell us how you got into the Soca scene, who you are and what your vision is on Soca.
Pahjo:No, what your vision is on on soca, no worries man. So I'm. I'm pajo, as everyone knows me by, but, um, I was on the soca scene from about 2000 and, oh my god, 9, 10 as as an event organizer. So I used to events, I did concerts, but I was never like um one that wanted to be at the front. I was always in the line, you know, at the back in the shadows, doing what I need to do.
Pahjo:I've organized a lot it's over here marshall and stuff like that, and um, I did a string of parties and stuff like that.
Pahjo:So I've always been in the, in the soccer fraternity, uh, for years, until up to 2019. That's when I sort of decided to go full flow into you know, the, the silk career, and that was more in the back of a friend of my past, in a way, who used to encourage me. You know, if you want to do something, you know, and he knew that I always wanted to do music. But you know circumstances and procrastination and stuff like that.
Pahjo:I just yeah, because I never really liked the limelight of stage or anything you know and I got into it, but when he passed away his words sort of resonated and I was like yeah nice, let me, let me give it a go yeah exactly yeah, yeah, took off from there.
Arkayo:I was gonna say you did give it a go because yeah I have been looking at your, your repertoire.
Pahjo:You have a lot of songs from 2019. It's not a very long time I think we've crossed the 30 mark yeah it's um, I'm always, I'm always writing, I'm always working. You know, I'm always trying to be better than I was before. So and I and I don't believe in let the music sit in your laptop, you know. Okay, get it out there man yeah, I hardly agree with that yeah, yeah, that might not get 20 000 views on each song, but you know what someone might appreciate it exactly, yeah exactly.
Arkayo:I've never understood, um, like how, why people are so stressed when it comes to releasing music, because music is to be listened to, right, in the end, exactly what does a month or a year mean in the end?
Pahjo:yeah, true, I think the soca fraternity for years used to just release music for seasons. Trinidad is coming up, let's loose, and then you see everyone crowd this time of the year with releases. But we're trying to change the mentality right. Let's just release music throughout the year. So that's what my thinking is.
Sharnz:Yeah, definitely, but that's something that we've discussed quite a few times. I mean in terms of Soka being seasonal and artists waiting until Trinidad Carnival to release. Just release throughout the year. Man.
Pahjo:Yeah, that's what I'm about. If I could release every week, I probably would, because I'm always working, but it becomes expensive Of course you know what.
Arkayo:That's also true, yeah that's also true.
Sharnz:Definitely, music is not cheap. Oh, it's not cheap at all.
Arkayo:It costs creativity, also money.
Pahjo:Sadly, this is it, you know it's a big investment, man, so I had to teach myself to do certain things. You know, of course, all my graphics and stuff like that. I do it myself. Oh nice, yeah, you know. Learn to write better, because paying writers could become very expensive I mean I still work with writers. I do believe in collaborative projects and working with other writers to get their views on things. Just to make the record be as good as it could be but, yeah, are you using?
Arkayo:so I've noticed in your art that you make that there's a little touch of uh ai if I'm not mistaken? Yes, I've jumped like yeah, jumped into ai 100 because it helps you out so much, right, so much.
Pahjo:It just makes things easier exactly and my day job a lot of people don't know. I'm a business development manager for for microsoft co-pilot, so it sounds like you have money.
Arkayo:Sounds like you have money.
Pahjo:I am selling AI, so we need to be embracing AI 100%. Maybe I do, but I'm not sharing with you.
Arkayo:When you learn some manners chance, maybe let's ask Copilot, let's ask Copilot. Are you also using AI or Copilot to brainstorm on your lyrics, for example?
Pahjo:No, I haven't we done it once in like a studio just to see what it would come up with? It's mind-blowing to see what we can do, because I think we put write a song, a Marshall Montano-esque song, oh damn, At this BPM about this topic and we just went gone in like 5 seconds it went but you know it doesn't give the melodies or anything, but we was like this is key 100% and it's not gonna give a full song to you, but it can give you like.
Arkayo:I mean, that's how I use it exactly. I like this idea. Let me take this bit and let me take that bit, and you know I think you have to.
Speaker 6:I mean, that's how I use it Exactly.
Pahjo:You're like oh, I like this idea, Let me take this bit and let me take that bit, and you know that's good. I think you have to. In today's world, you know, A lot of creatives get stuck on the use of it just to basically get you unstuck and kickstart the juices. I hear that. But if you're using word for word what these things do.
Arkayo:You're no longer yeah, exactly, true, true, true, true, true, yep. So very nice, I like the process of being stuck.
Pahjo:Sometimes, you know, get frustrated, I guess the juice is flowing as well.
Arkayo:You need to create juices to be clear.
Sharnz:That's it, yeah no, but that's part of being a writer having the writer's block yeah, yeah, yeah, I feel anyway, yeah, it's horrible when you get to that stage. I'll tell you, sometimes it's it.
Pahjo:It can beat you for days um yeah, and then what is crazy is that it might be an individual instrumental that you that beats you yeah listen to something else and you write on the other thing. So easy, yeah, this instrumental. Couple days later and you go. What was beating me about this? Yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, quickly you know, but um, it's, it's the process.
Arkayo:I enjoyed that creating exactly nice nice yeah, I love it marketing is the hardest.
Pahjo:Give me the creative side oh, you know what?
Arkayo:yes, this is what I'm waiting for. I'm waiting for some sort of shape of AI that's just going to do all the marketing, even for like so Chronicles. Just just give me post, I'll put well, I don't even have to post them, just post them for me and you know, just just put it in a folder and point it at the folder and say yeah, do something, yeah, exactly, yeah, yeah yeah, you might be onto something there yeah, well, probably not the first.
Sharnz:Give it another 10 20 years, actually maybe 50. No less, I give it a year less one or two years. Oh yeah, okay, fair enough, I'm here for it, it's scary when you see what these things could do already 100% 100%, definitely. Definitely Should we get into the music.
Arkayo:This is.
Sharnz:RKO's favorite part, he just loves.
Arkayo:I also enjoy AI talk, to be honest, but yeah.
Sharnz:This is true because you're a nerd New podcast AI Chronicles let's go, that's it.
Arkayo:Sign me up.
Pahjo:Sign me up.
Arkayo:No, no, no. Music, indeed, indeed. So we have a top three again. This was a nice journey for us on our side because we got to go through your entire catalogue of music, which was more than I expected from somebody starting pre just about the before the covid season. Yeah so you know, starting out in the covid season is not easy, I would imagine, imagine, it's not going to music, no, no shows you have no way of testing your music, but you went ahead anyway.
Pahjo:It was tough but I'm so grateful for it because, you know, when I started off I had the ego kicked in after my first song, you know. Oh see, it's good to release the song I'm a great writer.
Pahjo:When I look back at some of the songs that I wanted to release, I'm so glad I never did. They were absolutely rubbish, you know. So, kovid, to meet with um shaker, shaker heard my first release. He said I didn't know you do music and I knew shaker for years. I didn't know shaker produced that's, which is weird, right, yeah you didn't know from each other what you were doing. We were always cool and um, I just knew him as a dj and he used to do so. Frenzy and these events right.
Pahjo:So yeah, yeah, yeah like, if you're serious, we could work. And he sort of took me on this wing and you know he was like your throw, throw away half them things you were writing. It's, it's no good, you know. And um introduced me to the likes of daryl gervais, who was keset. This writer at the time still writes for a lot of these guys, you know. And we, daryl, started to give me some tips and tricks and and how to structure songs, because I knew none of that, about that I didn't even know yeah how to record a song, you know?
Pahjo:um, yeah, jake and I, we worked and I just became a sponge. I just love information and to learn about these things, because I've got a passion in it and Covid just allowed me to slow down and learn, of course, yep spend time on it.
Arkayo:Yeah, that's true.
Sharnz:That was the upside of the whole situation yeah, we all had a lot of time, a lot of downtime. Too much, too much. Yeah, exactly, my liver was hurting during that period.
Speaker 6:Yeah, we all had a lot of time, a lot of downtime. Too much, too much, yeah, exactly.
Pahjo:My liver was hurting during that period.
Sharnz:Oh yeah, we were just all drinking that fish.
Pahjo:Oh.
Arkayo:God, exactly, but coming back to music, sorry, yes, we did manage to get a top three. Okay. With Shorinx. Do you want to do the thing?
Pahjo:I want to hear this top three. Yeah, so I'll do the top three.
Arkayo:If you want, then I, because I like this song a lot and actually when we were recording this, this song released about 24 hours ago. Yeah, 26 hours ago. Yeah yeah, yeah so. I'm talking about people.
Pahjo:I think I know which one. Yeah, may, june last year, peter Wildfire in the world, who is Marshall's vocal producer. He contacted me and said Pajo, we need to do some work because I've used him before for backing vocals. He does a lot of backing vocals for a lot of the mainstream artists. He said, oh, we got to do some work. I like your writing style, so let me just send you some instrumentals and you know, see what you like, see what you want to write too. I said cool, because at the time I was not getting a lot of music in. Okay, he sent it to me. You know I was going through it and that's. This was the second instrumental by a producer called willow. So when he's telling me about Willow, anguillon based producer did not even have a clue that Willow was based in the UK. I thought, the world.
Pahjo:So he sent me this instrumental and I don't know how I was feeling on the day, but I literally just closed my eyes. I could remember that at the mic. I didn't listen to it until I pressed play. Mic. I didn't listen to it until I pressed play and when I heard it. I went yeah, okay, let's, let's, let's go fully into it and the melody just yeah wrote themselves. This is the whole song.
Pahjo:Just wrote itself and nice you know, because I would do mumbles when I'm at the mic. I'm not, I'm not putting any words down, I'm just mumbling stuff. And then I listened to the mumbles yeah, pick something out.
Speaker 6:So when I went back I was like people jumping up with my people, I said oh my god, I've got it. When I heard that nice the pores raised.
Pahjo:I was like, oh my god, I've got a monster here and I just went into full writing mode and and I wrote that song in about four hours.
Speaker 7:Oh wow.
Pahjo:You heard there. So when I sent it to him, he said whoa. I said, bro, I think this would suit your vocals Because your softer tone at the beginning would work. And literally he was like OK, send me the project. And the next morning I woke up with his vocals on it. And I went, oh my God, when I heard it, I said Jesus, but we put it down, put it down. We didn't even come back to the project until the end of November.
Pahjo:When we came back, we were listening and we said you know it needs some more music to it. Do we think should we go back to Willow? And I said you know what I think Willow might be stuck in terms of he can just hear what he's already done. Yeah. Obviously, I've worked with Shaker. I said, let's get Shaker on this too. So Shaker came in and he started adding more melodies and more chords. Yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, giving advice.
Pahjo:For example, we had like um, a double verse at the beginning, then a pre-chorus before it went into, and shake was like the build is too long, we need to yeah yeah, to cut the front out a little bit more. And, you know, we changed the structure, but the words never change. And yeah, you know, when I heard the, the, the new structure, I was like this works. This is this yeah the energy that we needed, yeah, but the part of people that that sort of took me it was the mix mixing stages.
Pahjo:So yeah I remember being on a call, like a call sort of, but it but it's an application that Shaker could use, that we can hear him mixing live, so I'm silent on this and Wildfire, who works with Marshall and these industry guys, goes into his element of nope change that we want it to sound this way, do that, do that. And we were on this call for three hours and I said not a word. I was literally just like a kid. I've never experienced someone that's. So, yeah, it was frustrating me at one point because after that call I thought, okay, we done. And then the next day was like no, we need to go back on another call again because there's more changes. And I'm going oh my god, it's so good. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah on for about three, four days back to back.
Pahjo:Yeah yeah, and the masters came didn't like some of the, the, the how the master was sounding. More changes had to be made. But I was like let me just take my ego out a little bit, because for me it's just get the song out, because we wanted to release it boxing day. That was the original oh okay, yeah, so for me it was oh my god, we're gonna miss the release day let's get it out.
Pahjo:Boxing day came, nothing happened. It was like, okay, we're gonna aim at the the first of january. Yeah, promo was already starting to go out there and for me it's like when we started to promo stuff I just want it out, because the longer you drag it out, people lose interest. When we got that master back and I listened to it I said fair enough it was worth the wait and.
Pahjo:I was so excited to release this. The feedback's been amazing amazing People. We are hoping that it gets some love in Trinidad throughout this entire year I'll be performing everywhere, you know. I just can't wait to perform it. I can't wait to perform in a live band oh yeah that would be nice. I am so excited about what people could potentially do because it's a. It's a song that unifies people. You know if you look at the lyrics.
Pahjo:We would do anything just to to be without people and jump and have a good time, you know. So, yeah, um, yeah, that that's nice. Definitely, it's catapulted into my top three too, so yeah, it has high energy and it's.
Arkayo:Yeah. I think we should just have a listen to it, because we keep keeping this uh, this group of people that are listeners, just in suspense, you know, let's go for it. Alright, let's have a listen.
Speaker 6:Flowers bloom on the dawn of our new day, feeling renewed as excitement fills the air. Carnival, new day, feeling renewed as excitement fills the air. So I leave in me yard To go in a vat and enjoy me self and drop till I wait In. Diba canal is where I belong. This carnival was made for me. I bus in a gate, I join in a band, I cross in a stage. Me tie in me hand, I climb in the gates. I join in the band, I cross in the stage, make eye in the hand. I climb in the fence to get in the vent. I'm doing everything, I'm doing anything just to Jump on the people, jumping up on the people Like we, the people get on back with the people. Jump on the people, jumping up on the people Like we, the people.
Speaker 6:I'm doing everything this year, this year. Ask them up in the air, fed to fed to the people. No, no, just take a bet. We here, we here, look we ready again. Trust me, we are the energy for this. I would spend me last dollar to jump in a panel or talking out a word just to go in a jam. All kind of passes tie up on me and this carnival, this carnival, a bus in a gate, a joint in a van, a cross in a stage, me eye, in me hand, a time in a fence to get in a vent. I'm doing everything. I'm doing anything.
Arkayo:Just to jump in the people, jump in up in the people, run with the people, get some bad with the people. That was our number three. People. Now assurance, please have the. What is it Favor? No the.
Sharnz:No, the honor.
Arkayo:The honor. Thank you. Yeah, please have the honor For our number two.
Sharnz:Number two. So at number two we have a song called Gyalfet. So talk to us about that one.
Pahjo:Gyal Fett again was a fun project.
Speaker 4:This was with DJ Destop oh ok, yes, and at the time.
Pahjo:Destop and I were chilling a lot, so I would make him create a lot of music, and he had this song that I wrote to and again it was just put down. We didn't know what we were going to do with it. And then I'm trying to remember exactly when we released it, so this one must have been 2023, around the same time we released this, but prior to that, the song was was done for about five, six months before that okay you know, I think we should open it up to a rhythm project and um, first person on the list was kaylee.
Pahjo:So kaylee wrote hit uh uh, sweet jam. And when we heard the killy song we thought that's the name of the rhythm because, yeah, you know, but umalfed again. I tend to write quite quickly, you know, a couple of hours on that one there. Don't ask me where I get these concepts from. Again, it's from the mumble. When I do the mumbles I just listen to whatever I'm hearing. Yeah.
Arkayo:Yeah. I like the way that I don't hear. I didn't hear that way of like writing before, normally just like writing and then recording.
Speaker 7:But I like this like it's almost ai right like okay what am I hearing?
Arkayo:what am I hearing?
Pahjo:I'm literally locked into the mumbles to see if I hear anything you know yeah yeah, sometimes when I'm working with with other writers, if I say I would hit them up and be like you just send me a melody. I don't want any lyrics, just mumble stuff. Yeah, and they send the mumbles and I listen to the mumbles and be like you don't know what. You just sent me this is crazy, yeah, they'd be like what the melody I said no, can't you hear what you're saying? You?
Sharnz:sound like a madman.
Pahjo:I think these creatives are crazy in general.
Arkayo:You know what Fair point.
Pahjo:But, yeah, gal Fet. I didn't have a lot of confidence in Gal Fet For some reason, I don't know why. It was one of them that I fell in love with. After the release, it was done. It was put down for so long I didn't even think about it. And then we did the release done. It was put down for so long I didn't even think about it. And then, um, we did the release and as the songs you know started to play a little bit more, I was like I'm actually liking the vibe. And then people started hitting me like, yo, this is one of your best songs you've ever done. This is bad. This is different. And I'm like it's a vibe, what you know, it's a vibe. And then we got on uber. I went to uber so cruise that year. And, um, nice, hopefully. The guys were like yo, y'all fed crazy, you need to do a video. And I said, well, I hate, we have any boat that could film.
Arkayo:Ah okay that was actually going to be my next question, because you actually have a couple of like, like video clips around your songs.
Pahjo:Yeah, yeah, I love to do love, to do visuals I I get it with visuals. So as we were there, we were just like, right, we're gonna just film random segments in different parties within um? Uber so cruise. So there was a pool party that we had Alison Hines and a few of them there we were just fooling around. We did it on the boat To one of the Open deck parties Nice, something else we did. I can't remember another scene, but it was just fun, man, we just had. Yeah.
Pahjo:On the boat with Galfet. You know, and you know, I wish, I wish it got a little bit more love, but you know, we just got to keep pushing it and keep hoping that it picks up, and this is why we're here.
Arkayo:That's it.
Sharnz:Exactly, but there's still time because I swear Split in the Middle was released.
Pahjo:Yeah, like two years prior to it yeah a DJ stumbled across it in a bar in St Lucia. I was like what's this song? Never heard it like, yeah, that was released two years ago still plays it, brings it home became the biggest song that year exactly.
Sharnz:So you still got time, man, you still got time exactly but yeah I.
Pahjo:I enjoy that aspect of things, man. Yeah, visual and the creative side, yeah definitely.
Sharnz:Well, I think we should have a listen, let's go, let's go Now.
Speaker 6:This is the baddest fete you've been to. Girl fete Inside this fete, 81 man to 1 man. Yeah, yeah. Now looking for relationships. I having a ball. I jamming on all. If you see my face when I pelt in waste, this must be the sweetest fate. I jamming until I wait, wait, wait. No bumping a spear at all. I'm whining on every gal. Please don't judge the way that I'm getting on this. The baddest threat in the land by far. This must be a gal threat, if nothing, I'm dreaming. Baddest threat in the land by far. This All I get land wine, fine and excellent wine. No letting up, no letting up.
Pahjo:This rhythm, again, you know, big up to Kaylee, big up to Phoenix. Phoenix is another UK-based musician. She released this was her first release on this rhythm Toxic, amazing, amazing track, and I want to take all credit here, here you know, for the three songs, because I wrote all three songs in that project which is mine kids. Felix's you know.
Pahjo:all right, mr Talented you know I take some credit now. Kalee co-wrote Sweet Jam. He came up with the hook because he was just in the studio and he went and I was like where you going? With this, bro. I've never heard this, you know, in a hook before he went. Real sweet with it yeah, yeah jesus that's like all right, let's go. Let's go to writing. And, uh, another amazing, amazing musician and writer, katie. I was happy to be able to create that project and curate that project with those guys nice alright.
Arkayo:I think, it's time to move to our number one number one go on Shreyas oh, I'm allowed to talk, thank you always. Thank you, go on, shreyas. Oh, I'm allowed to talk. Thank you Always, always.
Sharnz:Thank you thank you Right. So at number one Big, big collab, Big tune. I know who you're going with Big, big, big tune. So we have Identity featuring. Problem Child. Like the lyrics, lyrics. I love the lyrics. Like the lyrics really resonate with me, like I also identify.
Nytro:Yeah, yeah so talk to us about that show.
Sharnz:How did this collab come about? It's just yeah, talk to us. I.
Pahjo:I met Problem Child at SoCo Weekend 2022 in Portugal. Okay and no, I'm lying I met him in the UK at one of the Mingle events.
Pahjo:Okay, he introduced me to him and you know he was cool, real keeps to himself, real cool. You know, when I came to his stage he said great performance, keep it up, just keep up the work, keep going right. And that was the conversation we had then. Then I saw him in portugal again. We were the only artist there and I opened for him on the show. So after his performance he said to me you know, again, you're great performers. I think you, you can have my number. You seem cool. I don't give my number, okay. So we started to just keep in touch, but it wasn't. I wouldn't bombard him with stuff or anything of course yeah because you gotta respect people's privacy, exactly.
Pahjo:So, um 2023, 2023, gareth Sinnerin, from what was known as BP Music before BP Soca, changed his rebranded everything to Caricom Music and we had done a song under his label already called Challenge. Right, so he was like yo, I loved how you work on Challenge. I got this new project that I want us to do. So when I listened to it, I said, okay, it's got a vibe. But then Garrett said this might be his last Soka project. At the time he was trying to move into reggaeton.
Pahjo:So I said, well, if we're going to do the last project on the label of Soka. Let's go over to try and get a big name right.
Sharnz:Of course, yeah.
Pahjo:Oh you sure. I said, yeah, he's like he he's gonna leave that up to me. So I reached out the problem, you know, and I said, hey, bro, what's up? You know, um got this project that we would love to work with you on. Um he's like okay, let me hear it. So when he heard it, he's like yeah, it's, it's dope, it's got a vibe. Okay, yeah, let's talk business straight away, because for him he's very let's deal with the business side of things, of course. Yeah. So we jumped in a car and he told us exactly what he expects, what yeah, yeah.
Pahjo:You know the two of them spoke after about about the back end splits and that I was a patient and it was a case we didn't jump back in a call and problem says I'm not gonna let you have an easy ride on this, right. He said write the song and I was like you're one of the best writers in the region.
Arkayo:You telling me to write the pressure oh my gosh.
Speaker 7:So I was like okay, cool no problem, um.
Pahjo:So I was like okay, cool, no problem. Went away, came back to Problem with the first song, first concept, this party is a vibe, Real vibes, real vibes, real, real vibes. He went love it Not good enough. He's like we've heard this already Not good enough, go. Away. Come again.
Pahjo:I was like all right, nobody's talking about, went back with another concept. I can't remember that one. He's like you, you know what these? These are good concepts for people who are just, who don't like to push the envelope. Not good enough go again deflated, deflated. Sat down at home going I'm riley messing this up. Will I even ever find?
Pahjo:yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, that that problem child is. So I'm sat there um a partner sat next to me. She was on the table. I'm sat next to my mom. My mom was over. They're looking at a program about um transgenders on the tv right. I'm on my table. I'm sat next to my mom. My mom was over. They're looking at a program about um transgenders on the tv right. I'm on my phone. I'm not even locked into it and I'm on my phone. My pc is this are in my living room with my mic and that. So I'm sat there like deflated going I'm over, I can't find a concept. And then I heard them talking about yeah, he, she, I identify as this and I went boom, I got it I literally ran to the mic.
Pahjo:Now everyone's looking at me in the house like what's going on? Like you're a madman, yeah I was like, just get to the hook, get to the hook.
Speaker 6:I identify as a fetter.
Pahjo:I identify as a drinker this is my identity this is my identify as a bacchanalist and I was like oh my god, let me just send this little snip to problem and because I'm not gonna write the whole song now and he say yeah, it's not good enough. Not good enough, so I sent it to him and he went. He sent me a voice note. This time I was like I got a voice note from problem this doesn't mean something he went. You find it, bro, you find it.
Pahjo:That is it nice fix it up, but this is how I want you to deliver it. And he started to now coach the writing of his delivery is.
Pahjo:But he's like fix that, um, get a pre-chorus, just leave my spaces, yeah, and send it to me. So I went away and I was like, okay, I need to find a pre-chorus, yeah, what do I? What is this whole trans movement, this identity thing is? What do they like to say? He pronouns? Then I was like pronouns, they like to say he, him, she, her, they, them, yeah, yeah, yeah, okay, I don't care if you are he him, she her, they them Getting bad, we drinking more rum, Head getting bad.
Nytro:I was like it's just right in itself on this stage. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Pahjo:When put it down. You know I made it all about we don't care. It's more inclusion in terms of we don't care. It's more inclusion in terms we don't care.
Arkayo:What you identify as well once we set foot in the party, we are all back analysis, exactly, exactly the second verse.
Pahjo:I'd left for him that whole bit and he came back and he says, okay, I'll do my verse and I'll do eight bars in the second half, but you still need to find another eight bars. I said, okay, I went away. Um, when he sent me his vocals, I went away and wrote the other bit and finished the song off and again, just that process was yeah amazing when I got problems vocals. I the only one up that night and I wanted to just share that excitement.
Pahjo:I was in this house just running around just wilding Because I got my DAW and I heard Problems Vocals. It's like this has actually happened.
Arkayo:Yes, I can completely imagine that feeling. I was looking out in the house going this is actually happening.
Pahjo:Yes, I can completely imagine that feeling in the house going this is going to be mental so I recorded that. Same night I went back and recorded final vocals at home. I was like I'm not even hesitating, uh, recorded it at home and I sent the vocals off to, to, to gareth, and when he heard it he was like Ro.
Pahjo:This is crazy. So we then sent it off to Dada, gareth, dada, lawrence and Kyle from Bad John. They did what they need to do. They got us. The backings Problem again was coaching. He wanted the female backings to sound a certain way and he wanted it, of course. So there was a lot of back and forth. Um, just voice notes with what needed to be done and um, yeah, when we got the master it was like yes, this is let's, let's go. So gareth went into crazy marketing mode for that one yeah, yeah, yeah he put his everything into it and it went crazy.
Pahjo:You know the pr. With the interviews and stuff that were happening. I was like this is nuts. That problem child literally came to the uk. Um, I think problem came before the release. He came for, not a carnival yes, yes we were like, okay, we got the opportunity to release this with problem. So we hit up nadia from socaholic um really close friend of mine and she says, yeah, I got links with bbc and these guys. Nothing here, they'll, they'll be, they'll tap in, yeah of course, yeah.
Sharnz:So one time they actually appreciate one time, yeah, exactly just nuts, right.
Pahjo:But um, they were like okay, so we got on the friday, so it was myself, problem farm and happy nyla blackman in the city and we released identity on bbc and um, it never, it never stopped from there, so released the following week um on all platforms and it took off. Um and the visuals happened in miami carnival and that was that was crazy man just finding the time to do it. It was of course yeah this problem was like I'm busy, I'm busy I can't do this.
Pahjo:We literally filmed identity in the hotel, at the back of the hotel where Problem Child was staying. You know, miami is picturesque as it is oh okay. The river at the back there with yachts and boats. Yeah, I saw those, yeah, we were like, okay, cool, we're gonna do this is perfect for it. We did problem. Charles bit right there, we got his shots in and then went away and done some other little b-roll bits by myself and it's been, it's been so so much fun. We actually just dropped the road mix for.
Sharnz:Ida, oh nice, I don't think I have that in my inbox last friday.
Pahjo:That's telling me you're not doing what you're supposed to do. Hold on hold on pay attention, you can't be a super fan. I'm not reaching out to me for these things. Pause, pause, pause, yeah pause.
Sharnz:Okay, it's my turn to speak now, because you're talking nonsense right now.
Pahjo:You, as an artist, yeah, it's your job to make sure it goes out to all the djs but to be honest with you, I've not even blasted it out, so I do take to take the reason there's a reason why I didn't blast it out.
Pahjo:We were advised that because the season was so long in Trinidad, sending road mixes at this stage in January to get drung it out with people's new releases, Email it to DJs more like the beginning of February. So we held off the email blast. We'll send it back out. You know what I might just send it'll. We'll send it back out. You know what I might just send it now and then send it again.
Sharnz:Yeah that makes sense, but apology accepted for you you know, my abilities I accept your apology giving heart sharks, are you okay?
Arkayo:good question crazy dope story.
Sharnz:Yeah, definitely, definitely. But I thought you were gonna record the video at the juve we were.
Pahjo:But yeah, this problem got ill. Uh, yeah, he was not going around water and, to be honest with you, I was not sort of we there, but the craziness of the juve and what it's like. I mean it was like man. How are we even going to hear the music in there to think to it? Of course.
Speaker 7:Yeah, that would make sense.
Pahjo:Then everyone would have just swamped, swamped, problem Child.
Sharnz:Of course, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Pahjo:It would have looked good aesthetically. You know Of course. With the people jumping and that kind of stuff, but we just couldn't make it happen, yeah that makes sense. That's fair enough, that's fair enough. But big up to Ransom Entertainment for filming it, and Ransom is Nkaberi's partner and he, you know he put his all into to film it that's fair enough.
Arkayo:Well, I think we should have a listen the suspense is killing everybody our number one identity featuring Problem Child.
Speaker 7:Problem is a problem. I identify as a fat abection. This is my identity. This is my identity. I identify as a bacchanalist. I don't care if you are he, him, she, her, they them. Get your back. We drinking more from head. Getting back. We are drinkers, we are limos. Fittiness, we identity. I don't care what you feel like. I don't care about your ID. Now, Once you come in effect, we are a Samba Canal.
Arkayo:Ace, I don't care what you drinking, I don't care who you whining on. Once you come in effect, we can trump, we can trump, we can trump. Everybody don't know me like body, body, body, anybody. I come in somebody girl with a alcoholic drink in me hand. Anyway, you see me, you know the vibes right there. I love me some bacchanal and when I open the party, you don't have to ask me. This is my identity. This is my identity. I identify as a drinker. I identify as a fetter. This is my identity. This is my identity. I identify as a bacchanalist. I don't care if you are here, him, she, her. Get them, get them back. We will drink. Get them, get them back. We are drinkers, we are like us, threatening this re-identity. That was our number one identity, featuring Problem Child. We have one question remaining, sjarns, and it's Sjarns' favorite question.
Pahjo:Go for it.
Sharnz:Right. So this question we ask everybody that comes on the podcast. We've had some interesting responses to it and I'm interested to see what your response is gonna be. So if you were stuck in a studio with any soca artists, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
Pahjo:well that, that that's easy for me and as my idol, it would be mr Montano. Okay, 1000%. He's been my childhood like soaker icon since I've been growing up, you know yeah, yeah, yeah big truck is the song I got my first wine to. So oh, wow yeah, michelle easily, but I think for him. Why I choose him to again. He's another perfectionist when it comes to okay it music and his son and he is someone when he gets into it, he teaches also.
Pahjo:Yeah he does not like waste of time, he does not like people who are serious around him and he's all about energy. So I think, once you have him in that space and you're willing to learn and willing to to write and willing to just take in the experience, I think for me, I think I'd grow things and literally just become a different beast of an artist. Yeah, yeah, yeah, with tips and tricks, because you know, I've never had the privilege of being in a studio with him, but just from the feedback from some people, they're like it's an experience that you need to be. You know, sometimes what was what someone explained when he's performing? You know, sometimes he does these little songs or he might say certain things and you go, how is macho so tight with how he transitions? A lot of the things he's saying on stage are in the songs, but just very low within the song okay he knows where certain cue points are, because he's purposely put them, engineered them exactly.
Pahjo:Oh, yeah and and a lot of people don't think like that, you know yeah, yeah, yeah for me it would just be at first, just just like, just, even if it's just a fly on the wall, just yeah, listen sponge would want to see how he works.
Sharnz:I know he's not easy to work with, you know yeah, yeah, yeah but um, yeah, 100 mash as though okay nice we've definitely heard that one A good few times, but you know, for obvious reasons he is the GOAT Of Sofa.
Pahjo:And there is a Pacho Masha project underway, but it's not in the capacity Of me being an artist, it's more of a production side Of things. So that is gonna happen, not too sure when. Um, I've recently started writing for him too, so, um, a lot has been happening that is dope the um background. So there's a 2025 is going to be exciting.
Arkayo:Let's just it's going to be a good year. Let's just speak with. Just let him know that he's very welcome on this podcast, Just so you know. Literally.
Pahjo:Hard man to get on to oh 100%. I'll pass that sentiment, but look out for another release this week.
:Another one. Another release this week, this one. Another release this week, this one's called Greedy for Fed.
Speaker 7:I'll just give you a quick backstory with this.
Pahjo:This is another amazing project. Give you a backstory Last Wednesday, wildfire hits me at about five in the afternoon going here, we got this project. We wrote a song for you See, if you like it, heard it went don't like the song, hate the song. Love the instrumental. Like well, write something for yourself. And he left it at that, right. So I'm thinking I got time, I got days to do this About nine ten o'clock the night. He hits me going are you done yet?
Pahjo:we need. We need the song to send for mixing tonight. I said sorry, I said tonight. I said I've not started. He went yeah, bro, we need it tonight. I said you know what? I bet I finished the entire song, backing vocals, final vocals, everything in like two and a half hours, sent it to him. He bent, he bent, what? No way you're done. Yeah, there you go.
Pahjo:So again, start with the mumbles and really yeah the mom must talk to you so I'm gonna send you guys an exclusive of greedy for fat and you guys love it to be played on the show yeah, well, by the time it's airing.
Arkayo:Yeah, it will already be out, but we will include it.
Speaker 6:We will come le we come le we Come le we go. Oh Come le we go. Oh Come le we go, oh, oh, oh. I really need new friends. Yes, I need new friends. Oh gosh, I need new friends, new friends. You could find me in a party. Oh, I greedy for facts. I greedy for facts. You could find me in a party. Oh, I greedy for facts, I greedy for facts. I can't stay at home. It's like something always calling me on the road, right back on the road, go get me.
Arkayo:The way them girls be pelting waste, the way the rum and liquor taste, make the soaker. Pump me up. Pump me up with it With the music. It just makes me want to go do things. I swear I need to get new friends, cause when I call in the phone they're up top in the hall. But you could find me in a party. Oh, I greedy for facts. I greedy for facts. You could find me in a party. Oh, I greedy for facts. All right, so that leaves us with some very important information. How do people find you?
Pahjo:Man, I'm on Instagram Facebook Instagram Pajo Music Official. P-a-h-j-o Music Official Facebook just Pajo Music Official. P-a-h-j-o Music Official Facebook just Pajo Music. Tiktok's Pajo Music. Hardly use TikTok Instagram's, where you'll find me for absolutely everything. You can DM me, I'll respond. I love to just stay close with people that support me.
Sharnz:Of course definitely.
Pahjo:Follow me there and then everywhere else is pajo spotify apple music youtube just youtube yeah and um.
Arkayo:It's there all right, well, you'll find the link in the description, as always, um, your instagram it is, and from there you can probably find everything else. Yep, um, all right, well, it leaves me to thank you very much for your time.
Pahjo:I've really enjoyed this it's been a pleasure 100. Thank you, thank you, thank you. The pleasure is mine, this is.
Speaker 4:This was fun, this was yeah, it always is fun. Do you know why it's fun?
Sharnz:because, I'm here rko is the research guy and the guy that does all the talking. I'm the one that comes with the banter and the foolishness. That's me.
Speaker 6:And ad libs.
Speaker 7:That's me.
Sharnz:That's my job.
Pahjo:It's been fun, guys. Thank you very much.
Sharnz:Thank you so much, but we'll catch up soon, definitely. This is Soca Chronicles.
Arkayo:Back In the online studio. Loved the interview With Pajo. Yeah, man. Really liked the guy. The vibe was good. You know this man knows Stuff about music. I love his mumbling Way of getting into the groove and coming up with music. I love that.
Sharnz:Definitely I'm gonna try that, cause I wanna start Writing songs. I'm going to try that because I want to start writing songs.
Arkayo:I'm going to be like you mean you're going to try mumbling songs and see if I can hear some words let me know how it comes out. Maybe start with yo yo yo or something, I don't know behave behave. I'll try well. I think there's one more thing to mention from your side, just one more thing, right, guys, exciting news.
Sharnz:So I have started an events brand called trident events. On instagram it's trident london. So t-r-i-d-e-n-t-l-d-n, I am gonna start doing beijing events in london. Okay, the first event is going to be in april, but I haven't finalized everything. So once I finalize everything, keep your eye out on my instagram and on the trident london page and get your tickets. Once they drop, it's going to be epic. It's going to be a lot of beijing music not 100 beijing music, but it's going to be a lot of beijing music. So stay tuned guys love that.
Arkayo:I am in for it. I'm gonna look if I can fly over. That sounds litty itty, bitty litty commission yeah, boy do you have a tiny desk on the stage as well?
Sharnz:yeah, 100% awesome, maybe macho montano will pass by as well anyway, it's gonna be macho chance anyway, that was enough for today all right, all right, all right, fair enough, that's before we go have one last listen to our good friend super nitro make sure you check out soca chronicles.
Nytro:Tag a friend, tell a friend, share the podcast. Let people know that this exists because it's good for the culture, it's good for the vibe, it's good for the energy, it's educational, it's fun, it's funny, it's bantiful and it's good for you to just know a little bit about the people that's making your music and the people that you're involved with listening to and with that it is time to say goodbye.
Sharnz:Thank you so much, guys listening. Make sure you tune in next month for our next episode, where we'll have another exciting interview.
Arkayo:Exactly 2025 is a big year for Socap, big year for us. So you know, stay tuned.
Sharnz:Yeah, boy, look after yourselves, Take care of each other. Bye-bye, bye, after yourselves, take care of each other, bye-bye.
Arkayo:Bye-bye, take care. You've been listening to the Soka Chronicles.
