Calypso Monarch Machel Montano was presented with the Entertainer’s Key to the City of New York during a ceremony at Roy Wilkins Park in Queens, where he headlined a concert on Sunday.
The honour was bestowed by Mayor of New York Eric Adams, in conjunction with the Rise Up NYC Concert Series and The Apollo Theater. It was one highlights of a series of high-profile performances in London and New York City by the soca superstar, who begins his four-day residency at the famed Apollo Theater in Harlem on Friday.
It will be Montano’s first performance at The Apollo, the largest performing arts institution committed to Black culture and creativity. He previously performed to sold-out crowds at New York’s Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, as well as the UBS Arena in Long Island and the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Earlier this month, Montano gave sold-out performances at Barbados’ Crop Over celebrations, then went on to the UK, where, for the first time in eight years, he performed, backed by his full live band and dancers, at Tipsy Dreamland during Notting Hill Carnival celebrations inside the legendary OVO Arena Wembley.
The all-soca arena show also featured soca superstars Bunji Garlin, Alison Hinds, Skinny Fabulous, Fay-Ann Lyons and Mical Teja.