innis_francis@yahoo.com
Terri Lyons could be a contender for the Road March title. Just in time for this month’s Miami Carnival, she has launched Fling Bam Bam, an uptempo track written by Shertz “Problem Child” James.
Lyons has added signature vocals to the song which is on the Boss Level Rhythm with Problem Child, Shal Marshall, and Nailah Blackman. The song was mixed and mastered by Keron “Scratch Master” Hector and produced by “Dj Ky” Walcott.
Noting the challenges calypsonians face to keep the art form alive, Lyons said like many other artistes she feels crippled by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I am going to Miami Carnival next month as a soca artiste. There is nothing there for calypso. It is not like in Trinidad with calypso tents to perform, or Dimanche Gras and stuff, it doesn’t have that out there for us. It is not lucrative.
“They have to have a big show with calypso included in it. They not hiring me for calypso, I would love to go and do both,” she said.
Lyons said when she won the National Calypso Monarch title in 2019 she got many opportunities to perform in London because of her song, Meghan My Dear but they had to be cancelled due to the pandemic.
On her latest offering, she said: “Problem Child contacted me with the song, Fling Bam Bam. He say it is a little loose, so I say send it and I tell him I have a little looseness in me. I went and recorded the song and sent it back to him and it was released.”
Lyons, who has in the past collaborated with Soca Elvis and Kess and will soon release a collaboration with Swappie. It is one of several projects she has in the pipeline.
She admits that she has concerns about the spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19.
“I am not comfortable performing in public spaces but I have to do something,” she said.
“A lot of people don’t realise we do the online concerts out of our pockets and that is for free. There is no revenue for us., there is nothing here for us. I don’t think they respect what we do. Nobody is trying to generate funds for us.
“We are not saying there must be a Carnival next year, we are just asking to respect what we do as a job and not a hobby. We make millions for people and not for ourselves. When things open back, it is us they will be sourcing to fill their events and to join their cast.”
Lyons said her focus now is her son, who she wants to get back to as soon as her visit to Miami is over.
She recently funded a virtual concert to assist fellow artistes with medical expenses.