BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THEY say soca is the lifeblood of the Caribbean, and the opening night of the 2025 St. Kitts Music Festival proved just that, as Trinidad and Tobago’s Kes the Band delivered an exhilarating performance that left fans wanting more of their signature groovy soca.
Touted as one of the most highly anticipated editions of the event, this year’s festival opened with an explosion of energy, rhythm, and vibes. Every performer brought their A-game, leaving some attendees sore from dancing and others completely worn out.
Kes the Band took the stage in the early hours of Friday morning to close out the night, delivering a high-energy performance as part of their 20th anniversary celebration. With a perfect mix of lyrical creativity and crowd engagement—even in light rain showers—the band kept the crowd dancing throughout their set.
From fan favorites like 'Wotless' and 'No Sweetness' to newer hits like 'Cocoa Tea', the audience was in a frenzy. The performance climaxed at 3:00 a.m. with the ever-popular 'Savannah Grass', ending the night on a euphoric high.
The action-packed evening had kicked off at 7:00 p.m. with a performance by the Honey Bee String band. But it was the local acts—Akaii, Rucas, and others—who truly set the tone for what would be an unforgettable night.
Akaii expressed gratitude for the crowd’s support, telling SKNVibes Entertainment: “It is always a pleasure to be on the Music Festival stage.”
Although it was his set, Akaii shared the spotlight, bringing out the high-energy performers, including Rucas, whose pulsating beats electrified the growing crowd.
“I called my brethren them and told them that we are going to be on the music festival stage. We got to work, linked up with the band and then we got to work… We have worked together before, so this was just clicking basically,” he added.
The stage was then passed to Jamaican dancehall star Shenseea, who lived up to her title as the ‘Hit and Run’ queen. Her provocative lyrics and stage antics, including a dance competition that invited women from the crowd to join her, had the venue roaring.
Trinidadian soca powerhouse Patrice Roberts had a deeply personal and emotional set. Belting out hit after hit—including the crowd-favorite 'Mind My Business' —Roberts reflected on her struggles following the 2023 passing of her fiancé, Antiguan soca artistes Ricardo Drue.
"I'll be totally honest, sometimes I'm not okay because grief is a lifetime. So I feel how I want to feel in the moment, but for me I love to perform. So I think even performing on stage is a therapy for me."
Her performance resonated so strongly that she exceeded her allotted time. In a post-performance interview, Roberts spoke of the powerful connection she feels with the St. Kitts crowd.
“I felt so emotional because I just told the last interviewer that for the last two years I was here with my fiancé on stage and it felt so different, so foreign. I have to do so many things all over again and try to figure out my way through life,” she noted.
Roberts continued: “But being able to perform and grace the stage and being called to perform at St. Kitts Music Festival and all the festivals, it feels so amazing. It shows that my music is being reached. People are remembering me and my music and I'm touching the hearts of so many people.”
The festival continues tonight with a lineup dominated by dancehall, featuring performances from several major acts—including the much-anticipated appearance of Vybz Kartel.
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