The Soca Scene of Aruba

We sit down with Lyrza to learn how Aruba’s soca scene really works, from band culture and competition rules to the island politics that shape what becomes a carnival anthem. We leave with a clearer view of why “Road March” sparks arguments, how a viral joke song can win big, and what makes Aruba Carnival feel so different on the road.
• Lyrza’s background from church singing to Aruba Carnival performances
• How San Nicolas and Oranjestad influence audiences and band identity
• Why Aruba’s Soca Monarch runs through bands instead of solo artists
• Lirza’s top three Aruba soca picks and what makes each one hit
• What “Road March” means in Aruba versus the wider soca world
• The “Lizards Cacking” controversy, rule changes, and why it still won
• How Aruba parade costumes and pacing compare with other Caribbean carnivals

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Transcript

Welcome And What’s Ahead

SPEAKER_05 0:00

Welcome to the Toka Chronicles. Toka Chronicles with Charns and Arkayo. Welcome to episode 57 of Soka Chronicles, the podcast that brings you everything Soka. I'm Arkayo and I'm digitally sitting next to the one and only Sharns.

SPEAKER_04 0:21

Yaga Yaga Yaga Yo.

SPEAKER_05 0:24

Yo, that was a nice clean simple one. I love it.

SPEAKER_04 0:29

I thought of that one on the spot.

SPEAKER_05 0:31

I I think you always do that, right? So I I wasn't particularly surprised if I should have been.

SPEAKER_04 0:37

Sometimes I pre-plan my Yos. Sometimes I previously.

SPEAKER_05 0:40

Ah, okay, yes. Fair enough. And this on this this time it wasn't a pre-plan. Nice. Okay, well congratulations on that. Um today we are going to have a very interesting discussion about Ahsoka scene. And not just any Ahsoka scene. The Arubin Soka scene.

SPEAKER_03 0:58

Ooh, Aruba.

SPEAKER_05 1:04

Exactly. We are gonna have a not really an interview, it's more of an open chat with a Lirza. And it's quite long. So I think there's one thing that we should mention before diving into it. Which is short.

SPEAKER_04 1:24

Which is Brawlin!

SPEAKER_05 1:28

Brawlin!

SPEAKER_04 1:29

Brawlin! Boxywamp! Anyway, moving on.

Brawlin London Tickets And Hype

SPEAKER_04 1:36

Brawlin! I had uh brawlin last month, but it's already time for the next one. So we are brawling again on the 11th of July in London. Get your tickets, people. The last one was a movie.

SPEAKER_05 1:53

Yep, and we call that as well.

SPEAKER_04 1:55

There we go. And this one is probably gonna sell out. So I suggest you get your tickets from early, you know? And remember the tickets, the early tickets start off cheap, cheerful, you know what I mean? And then they just slowly increase in price as we sell. Grab your tickets early, people. You won't be disappointed.

SPEAKER_05 2:17

No, you won't. And with that out of the way, I think it's time for this uh big interview about Aruba.

Song Of The Month Barbados Pick

SPEAKER_04 2:25

Wait! Okay oh, what about the song of the month, bro?

SPEAKER_05 2:28

Oh well, excuse me, sis, you're right.

SPEAKER_04 2:31

Exactly. And you love music as like your favourite part. So how the hell could you forget about the song of the month?

SPEAKER_05 2:38

And this song of the month is quite big, actually, so I I am a bit ashamed of myself. It's huge.

SPEAKER_04 2:44

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Can I introduce the song of the month?

SPEAKER_05 2:48

Please do. Please do.

SPEAKER_04 2:51

This month's song of the month, we're taking it to Barbados. Last month we were in Grenada. This month we are in Barbados.

SPEAKER_05 2:59

Barbados.

SPEAKER_04 3:01

This song is one of the biggest songs in Barbados right now. And it even mentions RKO's country.

SPEAKER_05 3:11

Exactly, it does. Remember the Netherlands Dibba Dibba Debba Debbie.

SPEAKER_04 3:17

And if you don't already know what the song is from RKO's little rap. The song is Weatherman Freestyle by Jordan English.

SPEAKER_05 3:29

Let's have a listen 100%. Let's go.

SPEAKER_10 3:32

This is the song of the month.

SPEAKER_01 3:58

He said it looking like a flash flat one with these fuck. Alright then, you got it. You got it, you got it. Got it. You got it. Got it. You reverget.

SPEAKER_05 4:21

That was Jordan English Wetterman Freestyle. That was a big tune.

SPEAKER_04 4:26

Big tune.

SPEAKER_05 4:29

Yeah, man. And I yes, thank you for reminding me we need to listen to music every now and then. I'm happy to report. We will be listening to a Ruben music as well. Soon. And with that, I think we should just get into the interview, Shards.

SPEAKER_04 4:41

Yeah, let's go, let's go, let's go!

SPEAKER_05 4:44

Alright, let's go.

Meet Lirza From Aruba

SPEAKER_05 4:48

It has been a while since we had a guest on our podcast, but fear not. Today is a day that you can listen to other voices than just minor shards. We are here today with a personal friend from Aruba, Lirza. Give it up for Lirza. Woophoo!

SPEAKER_04 5:02

Hey!

SPEAKER_06 5:06

Hi everyone. Thank you for having me on the podcast.

SPEAKER_05 5:10

You're also so welcome. Absolutely. Today we'll be discussing the Arub and Soka scene. Uh one where myself insurance do not really have a lot of experience, but we're hoping to get some more in the future as well. Lirza, you definitely do have experience in the Arubin Ahsoka scene. You even joined this year's Soka Monarch with the band Avanti. Yeah, I kind of feel like I spoiled a lot about you already, but um, could you go ahead and introduce yourself a bit? Uh who are you and uh how do you experience the Soka scene?

How Aruba Carnival Bands Work

SPEAKER_06 5:39

Okay, so my name is Lirza, I am 32 years old. Um I've been singing since I was small to begin with. I started like basically everyone else at the church.

SPEAKER_02 5:53

Nice. Okay.

SPEAKER_06 5:54

Eventually I continued afterwards with Gaeta. Gaeta is a traditional Christmas genre that we play during Christmas here on Aruba, which is actually influenced by Venezuela. But we do it in our own version, in our own style. And eventually it led to singing in local bands, which would be by bars, parties, lounges. I've done um I've played at the casino, I've performed at restaurants, um, hotel as well, so a little bit of everything. I've competed in the yearly flag day competition as well that we have on the island celebrating March 18th, with which would be Flag Day here in Aruba. And of course, I've done Carnival.

SPEAKER_05 6:45

Yeah. Nice.

SPEAKER_06 6:47

I started, let's see, when I was 20 something. I always dreamed in performing in Carnival, and I got the opportunity. Uh, my first first experience ever would be with Le Groove, to be honest. Okay, but I didn't I didn't do it for long. Le Groove is one of the biggest bands here on the island. Um, it's loved by Saint Nicholas people. That would be Chocolate City. So we can divide Aruba in two parts. Saint Nicholas, which would be Pariba, so Uptown would be a mixture. It's known for mostly black people. So there, based on the history with the refinery, a lot of Jamaicans, St. Lucians, Trinidadi, um, people from all over the upper islands arrived to the island to work. So St. Nicholas is where Sukha started, right? Okay. Thanks to the influence of Trinidad and Jamaica and St. Lucia and all of that. And then we have the other side of the island, which would be more Arubian, the white people. And Le Grove is loved by St. Nicholas. It connects with us, it is our own Saint Nicholas people performing. And I had the experience for just a week. I didn't stay too long, to be honest, because a little a little wild, but everybody knows on this island. The one who used to own Le Grove, he passed away. He's not with us anymore. Okay. He was a very popular person here on the island, not only mus musician-wise, but um also as being a spokesperson, just being that person on Facebook commenting on government or anything that's going on on the island. And he was also known to be a little bit um he likes to flirt with younger girls.

SPEAKER_02 8:45

Okay, everybody don't care about that.

SPEAKER_06 8:48

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I just stayed for a week and he tried flirting with me, it wasn't comfortable, and I jumped out.

SPEAKER_05 8:55

Fair enough. So that's the stuff.

SPEAKER_06 8:57

That is absolutely a little dark, but uh it's um it's not it's something that's not unknown in the island at all.

SPEAKER_05 9:06

Exactly.

SPEAKER_06 9:06

Yeah, but anyway, he cast a win. So right now, the group is called Groove Masters, they changed the name of Groove Masters, and that was my first experience. It was cool, it was nice, but it wasn't long.

SPEAKER_02 9:19

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_06 9:20

And then afterwards, my true experience would be with Steam. Steam was a band made of um old-time musicians that used to perform in past, um, which was a fun experience, but um, we managed to play in the parades, but we only played old stuff, and we had aldies as a crowd, they're wonderful, by the way, the best fans ever. Aldies as fans, they would come up and hype you up very nice, and I got to experience multiple parades with them, and it was a nice experience, even though it was not the typical, oh, the popular music that's going on for the young ones, but at least we were able to cater to a different crowd that they can enjoy carnival itself.

SPEAKER_05 10:08

Nice.

SPEAKER_06 10:09

So, yeah, um, after Steam, I then performed with BMW, which is one of the songs that we will be talking about from that band. BMW used to be, it doesn't exist anymore, unfortunately, but it used to be one of the top bands on the island, and it was very influenced by Bouillon music. The leader of the band is actually from St. Martin, and um all of their old songs, once you go back to listen to them, you would see the influence of Bouillon in it, and it was popular in that time, and the last year that they perform they performed in the parades was the last year I was in it.

SPEAKER_05 10:54

Nice.

SPEAKER_06 10:55

That was super fun. It was different ages in the group, and it felt like you could be yourself. You didn't need to impress anyone. You can people just people hang out, and it was very nice because sometimes you experience bands that they're not very connected to each other. They were nice, so that was nice to experience um carnival with them, and then my third band experience would be with delicious airs, delicious haters to the white crowd, right? The Arubian white crowd. Um, so more Arubian influence in their carnival songs compared to the influence from other upper islands. And um, that was a whole different experience because they actually had the costumes and everything. Because the first two bands, when we come we competed or we went to the parades, we would just wear like a shirt and some pants, you know. And this one we had costumes that we could wear, and um it was a nice experience experiencing the beauty or the pageantry of it.

SPEAKER_05 12:05

Yeah, because there's there's two um two like tours, right? So there's there's the St. Nicolas tour, and then the Orange Sot. Uh um two big parades. Yeah, parade, exactly.

SPEAKER_06 12:19

Yeah, so we have different parades. We have children's parades, we had uh we have now fantasy parade, which used to be balloon of dock.

SPEAKER_05 12:28

Ah, okay.

SPEAKER_06 12:29

It should be balloons parades, but they stopped it because you know they want to be green, they don't want to be using balloons anymore, so they call it Fantasy Parade.

SPEAKER_02 12:38

But you have to imagine the balloons.

SPEAKER_06 12:41

Yes, so bands would perform for the carnival parade, uh the children's parades, and then we would have the two big parades, which is the Orangestad, which is downtown, white people area, and then St. Nicholas, which is uptown chocolate area, and we have two big um one is called Parada de Luz. Parada de luz translates to lighting parade. But parada de luz, the papiamento version, happens in San Nicolas and Lighting Parade, the English word version would happen downtown.

SPEAKER_05 13:14

It's really separated.

SPEAKER_06 13:17

It's separated, yeah. And then though they would perform for those two, and of course, the juvenile. Now, Juve is a free event, so those who come and participate, they're doing it on their own free will. They it's not a paid event. So usually the St. Nicholas bands would show up, not the downtown bands. Because Juve is in St. Nicholas and they would do it to please the crowd, and downtown bands would be like, if I don't get paid, I'm not gonna show up. It's okay because we have a blast in St. Nicholas with our own St. Nicholas vibe and everything. So that's a little bit of it, I would say.

SPEAKER_05 13:56

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_06 13:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 13:58

Nice. Thank you for that. Uh immediately an introduction to the uh Ruben Soker scene. Um

Bands Vs Solo Artists And Recording Costs

SPEAKER_05 14:04

what I've noticed as well is you you you talk about bands. So what I've seen and what Charles I think also is used to in Barbados, for example, is there's really a person. So we have Leo Rick, we have you know Stabby, we have uh a one-person band. They make songs, they they are hits, they get to perform on the trucks. Um, but none of that I think is in in Aruba, right? It's really a band. So on the truck you only find bands.

SPEAKER_06 14:29

Yes. That's correct. It's bands that's performing in the competitions. Of course, they will have their own artists inside the band that would be popular.

SPEAKER_02 14:40

Yep.

SPEAKER_06 14:41

So in tsunami, there are a few popular, top popular artists in that group. Every group has their little artist, you would say.

SPEAKER_02 14:49

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_06 14:49

But um, it's not like one artist with one main band, no, it's multiple artists performing in one band. Like tsunami is known to come to the competition with competing with 10 songs or 15 songs. Yes, and from that 15 songs, they would qualify with 10. Oh, for example. So they're the top band right now on the island qualifying almost all of their songs for the last few years. And and are these songs then there's smaller bands?

SPEAKER_05 15:20

Yeah. Sorry? No, go on, sorry, go on.

SPEAKER_06 15:23

Sorry, um, and then there's smaller bands that would perform as well, but they would probably compete with one or two songs. But we know all of these artists based on the band that they're attached to.

SPEAKER_05 15:34

So and are these songs then recorded as well and played, or is it really like also the competition is just all live and they're playing 15 songs after each other?

SPEAKER_06 15:44

Um, well, in the past, um it will you we would know about the song at the competition.

SPEAKER_05 15:52

Right, so live.

SPEAKER_06 15:53

But lately, the the the last two years, they're trying to do a different approach with which is promoting the song already or let it be played maybe like a week before the competition, which is allowed. Yeah, and that gives them a chance to to push their songs even further because people are already listening to it, and some bands do um record the live version or the studio version, which the live version is way better always than the studio version. Um but only those that can afford it. Of course, not every band does that. So some bands just stick to the live recording at the competition.

SPEAKER_05 16:34

It's actually an interesting point you bring because I think a couple of our guests we've we've talked with already mentioned like it's it's quite expensive to be a soccer artist, as in if you don't have a hit every year, then it's expensive to keep recording, having video clips and you know, all that. So it makes sense what you're saying. Um yeah, it's interesting. Also, yeah, because you also want to have your your your fans singing along with the song at best. But that means you have to record, you know, you have to release it beforehand, of course.

SPEAKER_06 17:07

That's correct, but um usually even if you don't record it before it before the event, once you do compete, it will be on the radio the second you're done performing, and they will play that up and eventually it'll stick to people.

SPEAKER_02 17:23

Yep, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_06 17:24

And as I said, only the big bands, like for example, tsunami, would be able to afford like video clip attached to it. No, but um most bands would do just the studio recording, and worst case scenario, they just use the live recording. But lately, all bands would try to still do a studio recording, despite that it can be a little bit more expensive.

SPEAKER_05 17:48

But yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_06 17:49

The point is to put it on the radio.

SPEAKER_05 17:51

Is it still at this day and age, is it still only bands, or it has it been like one soca artist who would break through and try something else?

SPEAKER_06 18:00

No, it's always been bands. Um there isn't any soca. Well, there is um what is his name again? Valentino King.

SPEAKER_04 18:11

Uh-huh. No.

SPEAKER_06 18:12

Oh, you know Valentino King. Okay, we have him on the show as well.

SPEAKER_04 18:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 18:17

Yes, we we performed together in Steam, and I've helped him record a few songs. So Valentino King tries to be very outside of Aruba. He's one of them, but he's not big like he used to be in the past. Here in Aruba, he used to be big because he used to sing in a rap group before. And then he was popular in making children's songs, like silly, like he's very known for the song called a patotayanga, which means the duck is swinging or is dancing. So it would start like a patota yanga, like a kid's song, and then it'll become a soca song. So he was very popular for that.

SPEAKER_02 18:55

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_06 18:56

But people started losing interest in the childlike songs from him. So he still makes music till this day. He is still relevant in the Soca music, but not as before.

SPEAKER_05 19:08

Right, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_06 19:09

Uh, and then there's Freddie. Freddie actually recorded um a song a few years ago. I would have to search up the name. His video did go international, so it was on Vivo, if I'm not mistaken, on YouTube.

SPEAKER_05 19:23

Yes, yes, because I know the song. Yep. It's actually not a bad song, you know.

SPEAKER_02 19:29

Yeah, I didn't know.

SPEAKER_06 19:30

Correct. Um true. I was surprised because I find Aruba most of the time. Um, compared to other islands, um, even our sister island, which would be Curaçao or Bonaire. Bonaire doesn't do carnival like Curaçao and us, but I mean in the music scene, putting Soka on a side, we're still very amateur. Not everyone is on that level of, you know, um making some quality songs. You would hear those typical songs that you know, okay, they recorded it in their neighbor's room with no sound barrier, with all the sound effects they could find online, and then there's bands that do the whole strip. So live music, live trumpets, live performance. So it's it depends honestly on the money.

SPEAKER_05 20:22

Yeah, fair.

SPEAKER_06 20:23

So um, yeah, Freddie B Freddie is the latest one that his video went a little bit international, but that's it, it's only bands usually.

SPEAKER_05 20:32

That's interesting, yeah. And I mean, I I would imagine that that say even in Aruba when Freddie's song would go viral, would he then be allowed to play that by himself with a DJ, you think, or is there like rules around uh Carnival that you need to join with a band?

SPEAKER_06 20:50

Um, there are rules. So if if the band is the one that assists you in making the song, you have to perform it with the band.

SPEAKER_05 20:58

Yeah, yeah, of course.

SPEAKER_06 20:59

Now, if it's a song you just really made it on your own, then of course you can definitely perform it on your own with a DJ. Yeah, and he he does multiple performances with and without a band, depending on what's the song, and if it's something because he does make his own songs as well.

SPEAKER_05 21:16

So I do guess and the one from Walk was not with the band.

SPEAKER_06 21:20

Yeah, no, exactly. That would look like that.

SPEAKER_05 21:21

Yeah, but I I I guess, like coming to think of it, you'd rather have a band behind you than uh a track that has been here before, if you know what I mean. Like a band will always have more.

SPEAKER_06 21:31

Yeah, well, here in Aruba during soccer season, what matters is the band.

SPEAKER_05 21:35

Yeah, exactly. Exactly. So nice, interesting.

Lirza’s Top Three Aruba Soca

SPEAKER_05 21:40

Well, speaking of all that, I think we should go into some music then, if that's okay with Charles as well.

SPEAKER_04 21:45

Yeah, boy.

SPEAKER_05 21:46

And I've been I've been chatting again way too much. So, Charles, do you want to do the top three?

SPEAKER_04 21:52

Uh sure.

SPEAKER_05 21:52

And this time, just just to maybe highlight that we don't have a top three of Lirza songs, but we have a top three of songs at Lairza. Likes. So they're all from Aruba, but they're not made by Lirza, which we normally do with the artists that we uh interview. So just uh a little disclaimer.

SPEAKER_04 22:11

Okay. Alright. Well, let's start at number three.

BMW Do The Wiper And Dance Steps

SPEAKER_04 22:16

So at number three, we have BMW do the wiper. Yes.

SPEAKER_05 22:23

Stucks in my head, like the first time I listen to it, it's just uh yeah. It's it's it's a lot of fun, I guess. But it's also quite an old song, right?

SPEAKER_06 22:31

Yeah. It is an old song. It is an old song that's still relevant till this day. It's the song that gives you a little bit of instructions so you have a few dancing steps to be doing in the parade. So, and that's what the crowd likes here in Urban.

SPEAKER_05 22:49

Right, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Fair enough. And is there anything else special to this song for you? Um You've just done the steps a lot.

SPEAKER_06 23:00

Yeah, the steps is fun. It's a favorite that well, we used to dance when we were younger at school.

SPEAKER_05 23:06

Nice.

SPEAKER_06 23:07

So it still has an impact till this day.

SPEAKER_05 23:10

Yeah, yeah, exactly. Well, I think we should have a listen then, shall we?

SPEAKER_04 23:15

Let's go.

SPEAKER_10 23:22

It's raining.

SPEAKER_05 24:45

That was our number three BMW Do the Wiper. Yeah, it's it's it's really one of the songs that that gets stuck in your head, at least in my case. Love that.

SPEAKER_04 24:54

It's a catchy song.

SPEAKER_05 24:54

It's a catchy song for sure. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Alright, Charles, moving to number two.

Le Groove Sweetie And Juve Routes

SPEAKER_05 24:59

I'm sure you can do this.

SPEAKER_04 25:00

At number two, we have Le Groove, Sweetie.

SPEAKER_05 25:05

Mm-hmm. And Lisa, why did you pick this song?

SPEAKER_06 25:09

Sweetie is the perfect Juv song here on the island. Um a few years old, still relevant till this day. It specifies locations in St. Nicholas. Like, for example, one boy used to be a supermarket. It's not named that anymore, but um, that would be usually the route for Juvis. So you would hear when we return one boy with my last sweetie. And everybody, that's the part that it gets hot.

SPEAKER_05 25:36

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_06 25:39

That's the song people love.

SPEAKER_05 25:40

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I love that. Yeah, there's a lot of uh uh experience in that song.

SPEAKER_06 25:46

Yeah. Definitely.

SPEAKER_05 25:49

Nice, nice, nice, nice. Um, let's have a listen to our number two, Le Groove with Sweetie.

SPEAKER_04 25:56

Let's go.

SPEAKER_09 25:58

Wicked and white.

SPEAKER_05 26:57

That was our number two, leaving us with one more song to listen to, um, the number one of uh of Lirza, which is also the most recent song, if I did my research

Tsunami In It And Going Global

SPEAKER_05 27:08

right. And it's yeah, it's it's it's different from the other two, uh, just by yeah, instruments alone, I would say. It's tsunami with init. Um can you tell a little bit more about this song, uh Lirza?

SPEAKER_06 27:24

So Tsunami Init is being performed by um so BMW's leader, or the one that owned the band, which is the one born in St. Martin, is his name is Daddy Bass. Daddy Bass, okay.

SPEAKER_05 27:41

That's a good name.

SPEAKER_06 27:41

And then his son picked up Soka and he's bass junior, and I think he has a very unique Soka voice, not only for Aruba, but I think he could go international. Um what I like about this song is it's exploring the type of Soka songs that happens on the other islands. It's not a song from instruction, which I'm going to go in that topic in a few. Why I keep saying instructions. Um and I think it has a lot of potential. It was a big deal on the road. It did not come up as the winning song. Those who appreciate Soka from around the world consider it a winning song. Those who are who loves the Aruba Soka concept, which we call Road March, which I'm gonna get into, not a fan of the song because it doesn't give any instructions. But I think it's uh a top song of um quality, the voice, the performance, and the kind of vibe it creates. That's a great song, it's my favorite.

SPEAKER_05 28:50

Yeah, that makes sense. I I do feel like it's it's more of a song that I can get used to as a non-Aruban Soka listener. 100%. Well, before we get into the road march as well, because I I do believe that we've discussed this a bit more in the past, and uh this is a very interesting topic. Let's have a quick listen to tsunami within it. That was our number one tsunami with in it, and I I do have to agree this is uh a song much more close to to what I've heard over the over my experience anyway. But uh you were mentioning road

Road March Meaning And Big Debate

SPEAKER_05 30:07

march. Is is that a difference between Soka Monarch? Or how how does it work?

SPEAKER_06 30:11

Okay, so yes, so in the past our competition used to be called Calypso and Road March. Competition or contest. Okay. Um now the word what do you guys define the word road march? What do you what do you think it is, or what is the meaning according to you?

SPEAKER_05 30:29

It's it sounds like uh a more up-base, you know, power soca type of thing. That's my first initial thought.

SPEAKER_06 30:40

Okay, and what do you think?

SPEAKER_04 30:44

For the most part, the Road March would be more of a power song, but at the end of the day, there are songs that aren't power that have won Road March. It's just a song that people really love and they can get behind. A lot of the time, well, it could be a song that they can relate to or whatever, whether that be a power song, a groovy song, whatever. That's my take on it.

SPEAKER_06 31:07

Okay, perfect. Now, here the Road March, um, the way in the past, a lot of our Soka songs carried dance moves or instructions. So, for example, duty wiper or jump with your towel or kick or go left, go right, up and down, and that's what we've been used to. So we've known that Road March in our little genre or our version of it, that would be Road March. But for us, Road March would mean, um, by Google definition, it means the musical composition played most frequently at official judging points.

SPEAKER_05 31:47

Right.

SPEAKER_06 31:47

Now, Road March technically would be the most popular high-energy music that is voted as the top song on the road. But we ended up making it somehow linked to a genre, but Roadmarch is not technically not a genre. And then eventually they changed the competition to Kaiso and Soka Monarch.

SPEAKER_05 32:11

Okay.

SPEAKER_06 32:12

This is when they started um trying out to make our sound, our songs sound t compare um similar to those in Trinidad or in St. Lucia. So it would not be a song specifically with instructions, but it would be a groovy song telling a story, or a groovy song, whi whichever story, but it's not technically like go up and down left or right. Um, once they started with that, it got a lot of criticism on the island because they would say, Hey, this is not our music, you guys want to imitate the other islands. While those that truly came up with that kind of music, which would be those from the islands, would say, But this is technically what soca is. It's not what you guys are performing. It's what it is. It's fine. So um they started, um, it was last year, or was it two? No, it was two years ago, or is it three? They started with a concept like power soca and groovy soca, which went horrible. People did not like it. Oh no. At the end, the judges did not know how to define what's a groovy soaker or a power soca. You would hear, like, oh, a power soca one in the groovy category, and you'd be like, huh, but that's not groovy, or vice versa. And the crowd criticized that a lot because they wanted the the Rubian version of things back. So they stopped the the whole category thing and continued by the name um guysoka monarch, but they tried to reintroduce again all of these um instruction songs, but not that much. They the musicians are trying to sound more international, more fitting to the other artists out there um in the other islands. But um, yes, it's a big topic every year here on the island, and eventually they said, Oh, we should make it a genre, make it an official genre, and the rest of the crowd would be like no, Roadmarch doesn't mean that, and it becomes a whole thing every year.

Lizard Cacking Drama And The Win

SPEAKER_06 34:20

Oh boy, and for example, this year, um Mr. Lord Lally, which is a gentleman that apparently has been competing for decades and never once got to win with a song. Oh god, which is a very typical cheesy instructions talking about either an animal, because we have a lot of animal songs. We have a donkey song, we have the duck song, we have a horse song. This year we had a horse song called Tip um performed by Tiptoe, which was a hit.

SPEAKER_02 34:56

Oh my god.

SPEAKER_06 34:57

We had Lord Lally with lizards cacking.

SPEAKER_02 35:01

Yep.

SPEAKER_06 35:02

So the the whole drama of that song was he came up and performed it. And it was so funny and so amateur, and people were like, Oh my god, did he just come up up there and perform like the lizard cacking? So annoying. And everybody was like, Oh my god, what is going on? And he qualified.

SPEAKER_02 35:26

Yep.

SPEAKER_06 35:27

Wow. So when he qualified, musicians got mad because they were like, people work so hard day and night till midnight or even later to create something of quality. And here comes this man singing about his annoyance of lizards.

SPEAKER_05 35:45

Yep, yep, yep, yep, yep, yep.

SPEAKER_06 35:49

The rest of the lyrics would be exactly and they were pissed about it. So musicians were pissed about it, but the crowd loved it.

SPEAKER_05 36:00

That's a struggle.

SPEAKER_06 36:02

So he no, sorry, he did not qualify yet. He actually did um fell out of the qualification. Once he fell out, Aruba lost it. They were like, no, that's unfair, you shouldn't allow. They made a whole poll.

SPEAKER_02 36:16

Oh my god.

SPEAKER_06 36:17

Decided to change the rules and do an exception to qualify one more person to go to the finals, and they made a voting on the official news page on Facebook. And he got the most votes.

SPEAKER_05 36:31

Oh my god.

SPEAKER_06 36:32

So he qualified for finals.

SPEAKER_05 36:34

And he won.

SPEAKER_06 36:35

And there was uh we hate him and we love him. And then Jaeon, I don't know if you guys know Jaeon. Jayon is actually the only top artist on the island. He writes, an actual known for performing different types of music. He decided to help him and recompose his song to sound a little bit better so he can compete in finals. And he won. He actually won the crown. Damn. He won the crown, he won the hearts of the public.

SPEAKER_02 37:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 37:05

Um, he got a lot of gifts from different companies, and um, it became a hit to the point. It was so cheesy, it became a hit. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It started um in Curacao, you would see in Trinidad people playing it in their own version. There was a Bailabel version of it. There was a million versions coming out of it, and um, people were saying, like, come on, he was performing his whole life, he finally got a big break. Let him celebrate it. And I agree with that part. I agree, like, you know, it's his time. If something happens, it happens for you in that moment. Yeah, but as a musician, you would be like, damn, that's the song. But that's that's I had to succeed with and it didn't qualify.

SPEAKER_05 37:50

That's always gonna be the struggle, right? Especially when you're like, um, well, I guess that's also having to do with then the amount of effort you have to put in with a band as well. Um, if something viral comes out of the blue, yeah, it might be shit, but if the people like it, what can you do? I guess that's kind of what I'm hearing.

SPEAKER_06 38:10

Let me give you an example. Do you um you know this? Donga.

SPEAKER_05 38:14

Uh-huh. One of my favorite artists.

SPEAKER_06 38:17

Yes. Donga is a rapper that we're rapping the wildest shit. Just the dumbest and the wildest shit. He makes it rhyme, he makes it cool, and he's one of the top artists in the three islands. People pay to see him. He's very humble, by the way. Cool guy. Yeah, yeah. I need to say, I've I've experienced him at um there was a Bailabal party. So they had a Curaçao band performing, and he was performing. And he was the only one that during the break he came out from backstage. He came out by the crowd, and he took pictures, and he said hi. Oh nice, and he's the only artist that did that. So that was pretty cool. So um, yeah, here you can sing something silly, and if it sticks, it sticks, it can piss you off. But that happened, that happened with him, and great for him, great for him, but it did create a chaos on in the music scene. And um, he actually won the Road March. So uh the song that performed the most in all of the parades, he won.

SPEAKER_05 39:19

That's insane.

SPEAKER_06 39:20

So that's a little bit of the story.

SPEAKER_05 39:23

Yeah, so it wouldn't that then lead also to like next year's edition having more and more of this type of song, if you know what I mean? Like if this is being, let's say, rewarded, why wouldn't you try to get more of the silly songs in there?

SPEAKER_06 39:36

I am predicting that next year they will be coming back with these um a Rubian Soka version of songs that they will know the crowd will like.

SPEAKER_05 39:48

Exactly.

SPEAKER_06 39:49

So I'm expecting that, but at the same time, I am expecting those who still want to do the more international approach of the song.

SPEAKER_05 39:58

So yeah, no, and I I do think there was a big group of people that listened to the song like me. When I when I saw that, oh, they they they crowned a winner, let me listen to the song. I was like, wait, what? Is this the best that a rubber can produce?

SPEAKER_06 40:14

Yep, um, that's the thing, that's what people talked about. Like, whoa, people are gonna hear this and be like, is this the best that we can produce? But honestly, he was a crowd favorite, so there was no other way to run away from that.

SPEAKER_05 40:29

Well, I do think we should uh we should have a listen to this song just because people might not know what we're talking about.

SPEAKER_02 40:35

Yes.

SPEAKER_05 40:36

Is that okay? We uh We gotta listen to it. Exactly. Just just you know, maybe I just only put in the the chorus or something, but uh let's have a listen to the Lizard cucking from Liza. You can help me with the name again.

SPEAKER_06 40:49

Lord Lali, lizards cucking.

SPEAKER_05 40:51

Thank you. Let's have a listen.

SPEAKER_07 40:57

The knife falling, and it is a tucking, the knife falling, and it is a tucking. I don't like them, they're so annoying, they give me problems. When they chuck it, they cuck it on my own life, they'll cut it, they suck, kick, let me fucking, they'll cut it, and they cut it, cut it, cut it, all that on everything.

SPEAKER_05 41:38

Alright, that was just to give you an idea about what we're talking about. Um the lizard cacking.

Parades Costumes And Aruba’s Vibe

SPEAKER_05 41:44

Um one last topic I think we which will be worth discussing is the difference between the parade itself and what other islands do as well. So we mentioned it briefly, Lisa, but especially in the the uptown part, what does what's most important in the parade?

SPEAKER_06 42:02

Well, um so parades here, the costumes, we try to recreate the concept of Brazil's carnival. So once you see our costumes, and of course we don't have those giant floats compared to them, but we do have little floats, you know. And um when it comes to the costumes, it's a recreation or a copy, in a way, from the Brazilian look in carnival. Our music is, of course, island influence. Um we're not as crazy as the other islands when it comes to the dancing So it's a little bit more poised.

SPEAKER_05 42:45

Yeah, I've actually well experience is not the right word, but so uh I'm living currently in a half a Ruben house. Uh so there's a live stream of the carnival, of course, and it was on at the time, and I looked at it, and it definitely did not represent anything I've been to, in a sense that it was beautiful, honestly. Like the people were dressed up so beautifully with the costumes they had, and it was immaculate if that's the word I can use. Like, you know, the everything was everything was right, everything was like nothing was broken, nothing fell off, it was just beautiful. But everybody was like well behaved, you know, small steps, everybody spaced out, you know, just you know, chipping down the road by themselves, I guess. And I was like, wait, when are they gonna dance? When are when are they gonna you know drink and have fun? Well, have fun is maybe the wrong word, because I I'm assuming they're having fun.

SPEAKER_06 43:37

Oh no, drinking is definitely in. Aruba is known for drinking for everything divorces, weddings, we just built a house, it's Wednesday. Uh you know, we always drink for anything and everything, so trust me, the drinking is there, but the dancing is not as crazy as you would see on the other islands.

SPEAKER_02 43:56

Right, right.

SPEAKER_06 43:57

Now, I'm not criticizing that the island version is. Super fun, no lie. But yeah, so when it comes to the daytime big parades, it's gonna look beautiful, it's gonna look luxurious. And then we have lighting parade, which is downtown. Lighting parade would be the same luxury but with lights. And then um parada de luz used to be the same thing, but the last few years it became like a facle. So facle would be the first, first parade to open the carnival season, which happens in the beginning of January. And that usually would be you would get a t-shirt from the band and you would get some decoration. If it's for example, I don't know, Vegas, you would get like a hat or a glow stick, something like that. And um, the last few years, Parada de Luz and St. Nicholas became that. So we do um it becomes a big um topic also because they say Carnival is from St. Nicholas, yet we get the shorter end of the stick, so we don't get the beauty, we don't get the same attention as they focus on the downtown parades. So um, but it's luxurious, as you as you said. The only one that would be a little bit nasty here and there would be the juvenile, of course. So the juven, uh, we try it's we don't use oil, no, we do use the powder and we do use the water, and it's of course the concept is pajama, but you would see people in costumes and lingerie, in uh pajamas, in pampers, because that was big sometimes. You would see grown men in baby pampers.

SPEAKER_02 45:37

Oh my god. Interesting.

SPEAKER_06 45:40

What the hell is that was big at some point? Um, and then you would see the weirdest things to be honest, dressed up, but hey, it's a lot of fun, no judging, no anything, and um but it's still more well behaved compared to the other islands.

SPEAKER_05 46:01

Fair enough, fair enough. But yeah, I really saw a difference, but that's uh I I really think Sharon's we should experience it once just to see how the difference are, and especially going to the Juve, of course.

SPEAKER_06 46:11

You guys have definitely experienced Juve. It's it's not the same as the other islands, but it's still a lot of fun. It's not because I've seen um Bonaire and Curacelle try to recreate something like that, and it was extremely boring.

SPEAKER_02 46:26

So no things, yeah.

SPEAKER_06 46:30

Uh we uh our carnival is very focused uh um to compare to comparison as the islands, but curious their carnival is focused on their culture, yeah, very beautiful and traditional. So and it's very different, but you guys should definitely one thing I would say definitely experience Juve here on the island.

SPEAKER_05 46:52

Yeah, let's put it on the listurance.

SPEAKER_06 46:54

Okay, for favor, put it on the list, be honest, make it happen, exactly.

SPEAKER_05 47:01

But I think it is time to uh go for our last questions to you, and then uh slowly phase out because uh it is uh you know we've been talking for some time, so people ask me the rest from uh from Soka Chronicles in a sense. Um, most important question is uh the most favorite question from Sharnes that she would love to ask

Stuck In A Studio With Farmer Nappy

SPEAKER_05 47:22

you.

SPEAKER_04 47:22

Sharnes favorite question. We ask this question to every guest that we have on the show. So, if you could be stuck in a studio with any so artist, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

SPEAKER_06 47:42

Whoa, okay. I would say Farmer Nappy.

SPEAKER_04 47:49

Oh okay, we've never had that one before.

SPEAKER_05 47:52

No, interesting.

SPEAKER_06 47:54

I think he's a very chill dude. I love the kind of music he makes. Um, it's very relatable, and um I s I think if I choose another Soka artist, they will be all diva about it. Like, I'm like, oh no, I'm stuck in a studio, and you know. But he looks like he will be like, we should make music until we get out.

SPEAKER_05 48:14

Yeah, love that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It makes sense.

SPEAKER_06 48:18

Yeah, I I don't know. I I think he's really cool. I love his music, he's very chill, his music is very relatable. If the woman is kicking him out with his bag on the street, I think he can handle being stuck in a studio. Facts.

SPEAKER_05 48:32

Yeah, yeah, I hear it.

SPEAKER_04 48:34

I definitely hear it.

SPEAKER_05 48:36

That's not a bad answer, you know?

SPEAKER_04 48:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 48:39

And he he he has the live experience in Soka as well. He's been around for eight years, same time as Marshall, I think, right?

SPEAKER_04 48:46

For eons.

SPEAKER_05 48:47

Yes.

SPEAKER_06 48:48

I would you would think Michelle would be the first option, but he was he's gonna be a diva about it, so I don't think we would hang out really cool in that studio.

SPEAKER_04 48:58

You'd be surprised. I don't know. I feel like as Mashelle's got older, I feel like he's not he's uh maybe mellowed out a bit. I don't know, I've never met him before.

SPEAKER_06 49:09

Maybe he's actually he's actually performing. He's performing for the first time in Aruba for flip-flop event. Nice! And I actually want to go see him, he's awesome. Um, so hopefully I get to go see him. Nice, good luck.

SPEAKER_05 49:28

Very nice.

SPEAKER_06 49:28

Thank you.

SPEAKER_05 49:30

Cool, that is a nice close-out uh statement to be honest. Vashia Montana's gonna play in Aruba. Um I wanna thank you a lot for your time, Liza. Thank you so much for coming on the podcast.

SPEAKER_06 49:40

Yep, thank you for having me. Thank you for having me. It was fun. You're welcome.

SPEAKER_05 49:43

I've learned so much from the Aruban Soka scene, and I'm I'm much more informed now, and I I do like to learn about you know the other than the the major Soka Islands that that we all know because we listen to their music every single day. So this is this is good to also um you know get some information on.

SPEAKER_06 50:02

Yes, and definitely make sure you guys come here one day and actually experience it. Yep, yes, for sure.

SPEAKER_05 50:08

Absolutely. Liza, thank you very much. We are gonna go back to the digital studio with uh just me and Sharon.

SPEAKER_06 50:16

Uh have a very good remainder of your day, and uh thank you so much and have a beautiful day, guys. It was fun talking to you guys. Thank you very much. Thank you.

SPEAKER_05 50:25

Alright. Bye bye.

Final Thoughts And Brawlin Reminder

SPEAKER_05 50:27

Today it is Toka Soka Chronicles. Back in the online studio. Yeah, I've learned a lot today, Sharens. I have learned a lot.

SPEAKER_04 50:37

Definitely. I really didn't know that Soker Monarch they only perform in bands.

SPEAKER_05 50:43

Yeah, yeah. But it's the whole thing. Like, I I remember when I was like, like I said in an interview as well, but watching the parade is so different than what I've seen in Barbados or Grenada so far. So it's it is a different as it should, right? It's a different culture, different uh approach to carnival. Um and uh yeah, it's it's high on the list of experiencing it myself as well at some point.

SPEAKER_04 51:05

For sure, for sure.

SPEAKER_05 51:07

Yeah well, but I think we've been talking more than enough.

SPEAKER_04 51:10

I think so. But before we leave, RKO, let me just remind the people them about brawlin. Brawlin. July the 11th people. You can get your tickets from www.tridentldn.com. So that's T-R-I-E-E-N-T-L-DN.com. Grab your tickets, tell a friend to tell a friend. We are outside brawlin.

SPEAKER_05 51:35

I love it. People be sure to get your tickets. Uh thank you for listening. We appreciate you. Um we do need to listen to our dear friend Super Nitro.

SPEAKER_00 51:44

Make sure you check out Silicon Chronicles, tag a friend, tell a friend, share the podcast, let people know that this exists because that'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 plentiful, 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.

SPEAKER_05 52:01

And with that, have a very good remainder of the month. We'll see you in June. And stay safe.

SPEAKER_04 52:10

Take care of yourselves, people, be safe. And I will be back, and RKO will be back, so we will be back in June. Bye-bye!

SPEAKER_12 52:22

Bye-bye. You've been listening to the Stooka Chronicles Chronicles.