CULTURE
CP THE DIVA Local Soca Diva, Claudette ‘CP The Diva’ Peters is truly a force to behold! A dominant force in the Antigua and Barbuda music scene and a staple of the Antigua and Barbuda Annual Carnival Celebrations, we at Discover 365 thought it only fitting that we asked her for her insight into the Antigua music scene and get her top tips for anyone attending Carnival! C laudette dipped into her love for music from the tender age of nine. Her outstanding vocal ability and vivacious personality was refined during her tenure with Anglican Youth Choir as she rose swiftly through the ranks to a regular lead. Upon leaving school,
and I was brave enough to approach her and ask her about her career. Miss Alison Hinds has been, and continues to be my go to person, my mentor, my sister in the business, and having her still at my side is such a blessing. Your new single, “It’s Carnival” is a collaboration with Kisha Kay and Nicole David – how did this collaboration come about? Kisha has actually been a fan of mine for quite some years, I have her stored in my phone as “Kisha St Lucia Fan” and she’s still in my phone as that. She had been reaching out through social media even before she was performing internationally and we probably should have done a collaboration sooner, but you know, there’s no better time than the present. She was really pumped up about this track and really wanted me to be a part of it and I thought this was the perfect time to get involved. Which venues and events do you love to perform in, in Antigua & Barbuda? The Antigua Recreation Ground is one of the most historic venues which has held so many events in its grounds it’s really is a cultural mecca in Antigua and Barbuda and performing there is one of the highlights of my season. The Blue Jeans all inclusive pre-carnival fete day is also brilliant, I always love playing that. I would have been one of the first artists to perform there, and I still enjoy performing there today. Are there some particular events you love to get involved in every year? Aunty Claudette Kiddies Fete is the way I make my contribution to my community and culture, to advocate for steel pan and for children who are interested in getting involved with music even if they can’t afford it. We, myself as Aunty Claudette along with the Soca Army, make a significant contribution to that. Soca Army are a team of individuals; brothers, sisters, cousins and friends who have been together for fifteen years, entertaining each other, each and every day with stories and discussions about whats happening in our industry, but then when it comes to our Soca Monarch Production they are absolutely instrumental in its organisation.
CP plunged headlong into her professional singing career on the hotel circuit, serving as lead vocals for the Dread & the Baldhead, High Intensity, Da Bhann, and The TaxiK Band. CP The Diva became a regional name in 2002 with a well-known timeless classic ‘Something’s Got A Hold on Me’ with Da Bhann. By 2005 Claudette Peters was a leading female vocalist in the Soca genre and she solidified this position with the release of ‘All I Know”. She has won many awards over the years as her career has gone from strength to strength. She has 10 Soca Monarch crowns to date, and her passion for the art form is boundless! She immerses herself in her music, and is passionate about inclusivity and inspiring young people to get involved in the many aspects of the music and culture of her glorious country of Antigua and Barbuda. Who are your musical idols and is there someone who has been particularly inspiring along your musical journey? I think it was around 2001 that I realised that I did not have a female Soca role model in Antigua, I wasn’t sure who that would even be. Then I was in the car, on my way to a gig and I was listening to the radio and Miss Alison Hinds was being interviewed. I hadn’t started to be a Soca Diva, yet, I didn’t even know how to entertain the idea of being that. I was listening to her and she was just just doing her thing, explaining who she is and what genres she could handle and they played a clip of her singing “Like A Bridge Over Troubled Water” and I thought wow, I could do that. Before I heard her, the closest to Soca I was performing was “Feeling Hot Hot Hot”, but after hearing her speak I started to research and find any clips I could, we didn’t have cable as we couldn’t afford it, so it was just ABS, so it was hard to find, but she was really a unique artist and I was desperate to know more. As I got more involved with my band, and I started to find my true musical voice, I got the very great privilege of meeting her. We were performing at the same hotel
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