A new musical foundation could be on the way for Antigua and Barbuda.
The foundation will be the brainchild of 10-time Soca Monarch champion, Claudette ‘CP’ Peters and will focus on assisting musically-inclined persons, more so from low economic backgrounds, in stepping into and having a successful career within the music industry.
During a recent interview on Observer AM, Peters shared that she is presently in talks to get the foundation up and running.
“Now, the finances that I had gotten from the Soca Monarch winnings, what I am going to do — because I am in talk with Dr Medica as to how to get the paper works done — it is going to be an organisation where our talented people will be able to get the help that they need.
“With the industry, it’s all finances, it doesn’t matter what it is and I might be wrong but this is how I feel — a lot of the talented people always come from the ‘ghetto’, people who have nothing … I just need to make sure I tie up the legalities,” Peters explained.
Peters has been making music for over 20 years, and has not only won the hearts of locals, but managed to establish a vibrant international fan base.
And while each year, many look forward to seeing the Soca Diva give it her all at Carnival City in the Soca Monarch competition, the mother of two mentioned she will be taking a backstage approach while mentoring up and coming female artistes.
“I am going to spend my time right now mentoring. I find that we don’t have enough female presence in the industry and when I say industry, I mean industry as opposed to just soca alone. I have been saying that for a few years.
“The reason why I entered last year is because I wanted finances to do something, at the time I didn’t know what. I realised after that what I could do was assist in culture and mentoring. We are doing something within the ministry but I felt like it wasn’t enough. Too many young people are approaching me for help, for interviews for the music CXCs and want to get the ropes that I had gotten. I’m like ‘okay, this is a bit too much, I think I want to be doing something like this’. I can’t do it competing with them. I can help by stepping back and I think I have fulfilled my time,” Peters said.
Peters made her return to the competition last year after not competing in 2019. She walked away with the Groovy Soca Monarch crown.