Soca artiste ‘Voice’ blazes Carnival in Jamaica with big hits
Ready to give revellers new music and more on Carnival Sunday
Published:Friday | April 5, 2024 | 12:07 AM
Aaron ‘Voice’ St Louis, who hails from the twin isles of Trinidad and Tobago, has amassed millions of fans through his musical messages. In as little as five years, he has become a dominant player in the soca industry, with songs that aim to unite Caribbean people through their euphoric stories.
Voice has racked up more than eight million views on YouTube with 45 thousand subscribers, 120 thousand Spotify monthly listeners and nearly 300,000 followers on social media. In 2022, he sold out The MECCA in Trinidad at ‘Voice in Concert’, setting a new record for aspiring soca artistes who intend on hosting their own branded events.
With many wondering how the stage name ‘Voice’ came about, the artiste said that he got the name from his manager, Lyndon Gomez.
“My real name is Aaron, which comes from the biblical story of Moses and Aaron, where God appoints Aaron to be Moses’ “voice” to inspire the Israelites to follow Moses out of slavery in Egypt. [Moses told the Lord that he had a speech impediment and so Aaron, his brother was asked to speak on his behalf.] It is meant to signify the “Voice” of the people because of my tendency to write and sing very conscious and uplifting songs, providing motivation for my supporters through the lyrics,” he told The Gleaner.
Currently in Jamaica for Carnival, he delivered a short, but energetic performance at the first staging of Xodus Fête Gala, belting out his hit songs Long Live Soca and Year For Love. Describing the experience as “fantastic”, Voice was happy to have shared the stage with some of Jamaica’s top reggae and dancehall acts.
“The highlight of the night for me was sharing the stage with top Jamaican artistes like Shenseea, Ding Dong, Christopher Martin, all of whom I admire. The unity onstage felt absolutely incredible. Music is often used to bring people together, and last night was an incredible display of the bond that music provides,” he said.
With Road March approaching on Sunday, Voice says that revellers can anticipate the same level of high energy and captivating performance he delivered at Xodus Fête Gala, along with exciting new music.
“I don’t want to give away too much, but in terms of road march, the formula doesn’t change. As long as you combine Xodus and Voice, you’re in for a celebration like no other. I’m looking forward to being on the road with my Jamaican family,” he said briefly. Continuing, he added, “Carnival in Jamaica is always a very special place to be. The thing I look forward to the most is the people and how well they receive and love soca music. It is great to see that they enjoy our genre of music, just as much as how Trinidadians enjoy reggae and dancehall. I love being in Jamaica, and not just for Carnival, I love the Jamaican culture, and I can proudly say that Jamaica is my second home.
Aside from soca and carnival, the Penthouse artiste mentioned that his list of Jamaican musical influences is one that’s hard to count. However, if he should highlight just one, it would be the great Bob Marley.
“I’d have to say Bob Marley, not just because of his music, but because of the way he made the world fall in love with reggae and Jamaican culture. I hope one day to do the same for soca music and Trinidad and Tobago.”