King of Soca Machel Montano says carnival is unity

Broadcast on CBC RAdio Q july 29 2016
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Machel Montano has been called the Michael Jackson of soca. The seasoned entertainer has dominated the genre for decades, bringing Trinidadian culture to new global audiences.

He's sold out shows at Madison Square Garden, performed at The White House, and this weekend he'll be the first soca artist to headline Drake's annual OVO Fest in Toronto.

The show is the latest achievement in a long list that started in 1985 with this song: too young to soca.

Today Montano joins guest host Rachel Giese to discuss the sound of the Caribbean and  the unity of carnival, how he helped keep soca alive, and why he's not afraid to keep mixing musical traditions.

"To protect is to perceive that there's an attack. I believe in either love or fear — and love is complete. Fear is void of love," says Montano. "I think when you know what you are, you wanna share it."