Kalpee and fellow Caribbean musicians Rys Thompson and Kwami Morrison lit up the stage at Music Matters Live in Singapore. Island Wave is Kalpee’s label dedicated to highlighting the music of Caribbean artists on a global scale. Through the creation of Caribbean stages at music festivals such as SXSW and Music Matters, funded travel opportunities for Caribbean artists, and awareness campaigns, Kalpee hopes to bring the music of the West Indies to the forefront of the international music scene.
Kalpee’s recent performance at Music Matters in Singapore showcases the joyful, energetic, celebration that always occurs when Island Wave comes through. The recorded set captures Kalpee dancing through the audience, cheering on his electric guitarist Kwami, and offering up inspirational words of wisdom to the crowd in between tracks. Kalpee magnetizes the room with his unreleased, cathartic new single “Breathe” at the center of his set. He engages the audience by taking a deep breath together followed by a mesmerizing guitar solo from Kwami Morrison. Kalpee’s lyrics reflect his deep love for his home in Trinidad and Tobago, and desire to push Caribbean music to the surface to share the magic of the West Indies with the world. Kalpee sings, “Long days we sat by the ocean. Face up, feel the breeze on the coast.” Kalpee’s set at Music Matters in Singapore is a must-watch blissful release of global love and communal joy.
After an incredible reception in Singapore, Island Wave was offered to host the very first Caribbean stage the following year at Music Matters Live 2023. Additionally, Island Wave will return to SXSW in 2023 to host a lineup of more than 30 different Caribbean musicians. Kalpee is delighted to share his passion for music of the West Indies across the globe and uplift other artists who share his love by giving them a stage to stand on.
