BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – IN his formative years, he was touted as a natural performer by many Kittitians and Nevisians and was predicted by a calypso pundit a few years ago that he would achieve greatness and become one of the elite performers from St. Kitts and Nevis.
Bursting onto the scene in the late 1990s as an enthusiastic nine-year-old calypsonian, Orin Roberts, known in the calypso arena as the TakeOver, has since been performing for some 17 years, during which time he has won many titles and has written his name in the annals of St. Kitts and Nevis.
Born to Wilmoth and Eupthemia Roberts, TakeOver currently resides at Mattingly Heights but was raised along with his five siblings in the community of Bird Rock.
In an exclusive interview with SKNVibes, the calypsonian gave a background on his education history.
“Well, I attended the Newtown Primary School now known as the Tucker Clarke Primary. From there I went on the Basseterre High School. We were the first, first formers of the school when it became a full and independent high school. This was also the time when Washington Archibald became an independent high school in 1999. In 2004, after completing CSEC examinations, I pursued tertiary education at the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College. There I spent two years and I received six ‘A’ levels.
“I then spent a year working until I went off to university to pursue my Bachelor’s degree in Accounting in 2007 and I received first class honours. One year later I went on to pursue a Master’s degree in Banking and Finance.”
TakeOver, who is now a Financial Inspector at the Financial Services recapped on how his calypso career stated while still in primary school.
“I started singing calypso in Grade Four. One day, Ms. Jasmine Welsh came into Grade Four; at the time she was teaching at the Newtown Primary School, and she asked if anyone was interested in singing calypso. Just two of us were interested... a guy by the name of Calvin Joseph and me.
“Both of us were interested in it and we got involved with Ms. Welsh and her brother Bernard Welsh. From there the rest is now history. After we received the platform and the basics from them, I branched off with the assistance of my family.”
He also recounted his inaugural appearance on stage which earned his a Second Runner-up position.
“The first time I actually got on stage to sing was in the 1998 Junior Calypso Show, where I sang a song called ‘Peter Pan’ and I placed Second Runner-up.”
Since leaving the junior calypso stage TakeOver has advanced into Soca music as well as Calypso and he has seen immense success.
TakeOver said that he is an avid lover of the Soca genre since he was a boy and that he had capitalised on the opportunity to enter the competition.
He also highlighted some of the artistes whom he admires.
“In the calypso arena there are a lot, too many to mention, but some are the Mighty Sparrow, the Baron, Cro Cro, Singing Sandra, Short Shirt and, on the local scene, Phonsie, Ellie Matt, Contender, Ayatollah, Pungwa, Socrates. Growing up listening to all of these people, I can’t really say that there is just one influence. There are many so songs that I have heard from so many people in the art form.
“If you are talking about Soca, the list goes on. Of course you have the likes of Machel Montano, you have Iwer George, and to a lesser extent Super Blue, Red Plastic Bag and Gabby. It’s a big list...I could only make mention of a few.”
Takeover also highlighted his successes in both the Calypso and Soca art forms which include some history-making accomplishments.
“As a junior, I won the calypso crown four times. I was the second person to win the junior crown three consecutive times; the first person was Clement ‘Monarch’ Ogarro. The feat has since been achieved by the Mighty Junior.
“I think I am the only person however to have four crowns, but I may be mistaken. We had an OECS Junior Calypso Competition and the highest I placed was First Runner-up. I placed Second Runner-up twice.
“At UWI Cave Hill, where I studied, I am actually the two-time UWI Calypso Monarch which I won in 2009 and 2011. I won the local Soca Monarch Competition, the Power Soca in 2011 and 2012 and I won the Groovy in 2012. I am the first to ever do the double by winning both categories and the first to win the Power Soca back to back.”
He spoke about the fear he has while performing on stage and how close he got one time in living that fear.
“They are nerves while you’re on stage. There is also the fear that you are going to forget your words. There was one time I actually got to the point where I almost forgot the words, but due to some measure of luck the words came out at the appropriate time.”
He also highlighted some bad experiences he faced as a performer.
“The fact that people tend to alienate you because you are so young, they figure that they could just discard you because they have years on you and let you come back another time or a few years later when they believe you should be ready, as opposed to judging you on your merit.”
In addition to his ability to perform on stage and compete against the best in the twin-island Federation, Takeover is also a competent musician.
The reigning Soca Monarch disclosed that he is a trombonist with the Grand Masters Band and that he is a competent pianist an organist.
“I am a trombonist with the Grand Masters Band but I am a pianist by training and I also play the organ. In terms of the type of music that we play in the band, I grew up listening to them because my father was an avid fan of Grand Masters. An in terms of playing music in a horn section, I developed that from Grand Masters but my overall training in music [trombone]…I developed that in high school.
Commenting on the role the Grand Masters Band played in his development as an artiste, TakeOver said: “The role Grand Masters had played is simply one of continuity in the art form and assistance in how I go about doing things. What I think it has done for me is to develop my skill in music reading for musical instruments.”
He also declared that he produces his own music and that “I have written some of my scores but I have not written all…I have written most”.
Takeover promises his fans that for Sugar Mas’ 42 he would bring nothing less than what he brought over the past two years.
“The intention is to take it to another level by surpassing where I was last year. I am going to bring the same level of intensity, if not greater. They can expect very good performances from me and the others. And I would hope that my fans will enjoy the level and calibre of music they have come to expect from Takeover.”
He was however reluctant to give any specifics on when he would be releasing his tunes, but disclosed that time is not too far away.
“I will not disclose a date at this point as to when I will release some music, but I will say very, very soon.”
Asked what plans he has in expanding his music to a wider market, TakeOver responded: “While I don’t wish to disclose a lot of my own personal strategies as well as the strategies of my management team, I will say the plan is to get the music outside it’s about trying to get yourself out there.
“In terms of the in-depth strategies to use and the strategies I use, I don’t think I would disclose that at this point, but I would say it is about getting the right contacts. It is also about investing money, a lot even - or some funds that you will never get back in the short and medium term and if it fails in the long term. But it is just a risk you have to take. The truth is that it is a very, very expensive job because to do good quality music and to get it out there in terms of marketing is not cheap.”
This media house invited him to outline some of the local artistes he fears the most to compete against.
“The truth is I fear everybody, of course! You would think that you have the front runners and you have the dark horses, but to say I have fear for one particular individual...I won’t say that.
“I see everybody as competition and I see everybody looking to present their material in the best way possible for the judges. So, I cannot take any competitor lightly. While I say that, I can say there are some front runners in the race; people like Ali Dee, Shakki, Konris, Mr. World and Ras Kelly.”
