The Trinidad Guardian's very own Jahmoun Mendoza is a semifinalist in the Groovy Soca Monarch competition. The semifinal round of the competition comes off at the Arima Velodrome on Sunday. Excited and enjoying the ride, the Cocorite native who is by day, a sales co-ordinator in the circulation department at the Trinidad Guardian, says no matter how things turn out, he's happy to have been a part of the journey in 2011. Mendoza first exploded onto the scene as an artiste in August last year. Trying his hand at hip-hop alongside veteran local rap artiste, Tim Starr with a track entitled Turn It Up, Mendoza who is also a radio mic man at Boomchampions 94.1FM, felt the energy of an industry new to him, and immediately took a liking.
From that point, his focus on music heightened and putting pen to paper before Carnival, Jahmoun came up with Flashing Lights. "The song isn't geared at women who have big butts," he said on Thursday. "Any woman can have a digital bumper-we don't discriminate. On the road on Carnival Monday and Tuesday, the digital cameras are out in full force and the ladies pose with their digital bumpers," he clarified.Mendoza recorded the track at Madmen Production studios in San Juan and with writing assistance rendered by HD family member, Zan Fezeck, he delivered a very catchy tune that immediately got the attention of radio men across the country.
This is his very first time in the Soca Monarch race, but Jahmoun remains extremely calm.
"My preparation for Sunday is really simple," he said. "I want to deliver a very good performance personally, so I'm not focusing on too many props...There will be dancers but that's about it." Mendoza said he believed the judges on semifinal night look for clarity and strong stage performance and for that reason, he's focusing on strengthening his presentation on stage. Before Sunday, he will have some practice opportunities, as after recent appearances at Zen and at schools across the country on the bmobile School Tour, Mendoza obtained gigs at the Civilian Conservation Corps Soca Party yesterday, and at an all-inclusive event in Balandra later that night.
He's also been booked for the Licensing fete on tomorrow and he's billed to perform at the big Army fete on February 25. On the industry of which he's suddenly become a part, the radio mic man turned vocalist said: "All this industry needs is unity from all sectors. "What we do here at Carnival time is heard of across the world, but we aren't unified so we're yet to really take a big show like Soca Monarch to a big arena in places like Sweden or London. If we have unity across the board, and stop looking at the industry as a hustle, we could possibly reach there." Flashing Lights was remixed just about two weeks ago and lending her raunchy yet attractive vocals to the song is none other than Jamaica's Macka Diamond. When asked whether Macka would be coming to Trinidad to perform with him, Mendoza said: "Shh, let's just wait and see what happens."