IslandMix - Soca, Reggae, Zouk and Caribbean Entertainment

I know what I want
By Laura Dowrich-Phillips, Guardian 0131.05

For the four years Fay-Ann Lyons has been on the soca scene her name has
always been twinned with someone or some entity. When she went solo earlier
this year, the 20-something-year-old hoped to drop the labels and establish
herself as Fay-Ann, soca artist. Alas, the word was already out that she
and reigning Soca Monarch champion Bunji Garlin were an item. Today, one is
hard pressed to see anything about Lyons without Garlin’s name being
mentioned.

“I was getting tired of the labels, Fay-Ann Lyons, Superblue daughter,
Fay-Ann Lyons from Invazion, Fay-Ann Lyons from Point.

Now I am Bunji’s girlfriend, I can’t get away from it,” she said in a
recent telephone interview. Not that she’d want to get away from that label.

Quizzed about the relationship, Lyons sounded like a woman very much in
love and has no problem with the relationship being in the public domain.

“I have nothing to hide. If you are sure about yourself and you are sure
this is what you doing, then it shouldn’t matter what everybody else
think,” she stated.

Actually, she believes that it is easier for Garlin and herself with the
relationship out in the open.

“If we were hiding, there’d be more rumours, more speculation. Being out in
the open take away all the negative talk,’ she said, although she opined
that both of them being entertainers put them at a disadvantage.

“He travels a lot, I travel a lot. When everybody celebrating Valentines
and birthdays, I not sure I have that privilege. It’s difficult. It’s also
fun, if we in another country, we get to spend some time together, we have
vacation for free,” she laughed.

Lyons said she and Garlin have known each other for a while and saw each
other on tours.

“I always find he was cute. After a while he called me and we started
having phone conversations, went to shows. I realise he real cool, he say
‘she real cool

boy’ and then we cool,” she said laughing.

Although they’ve only been together “a good few months,” Lyons said she is
in for the long haul. “I don’t do anything short-term,” she said.

Though her time on the soca scene has been anything but quiet (Lyons copped
the Road March title in 2003), Lyons seems to be more aggressive this
season. Some have credited the change to her association with to her very
outspoken boyfriend.

“Partly, he is responsible for a certain part of my growth. He is a very
strong individual and has influence of strength on somebody, but at the end
of the day you are in charge of a certain percentage of your life, God is
really in charge of everything but you are responsible too. Basically I
said Fay-Ann I am going to stand up and do this,” she said in agreement
with the perception that she has changed.

“I’ve grown into myself a little bit, I am more confident in terms of I
know what I want, what it is I want done and now I have to go get it
myself. I have to be more forceful in terms of my execution.”

Lyons said she has no regrets about her decision to leave Invazion, the
band she sang with ever since she decided to become a soca artist.

Since going solo, she has been playing at four to five events a day, more
events than when she was with the band.

“It’s more hectic, you’re able to do more shows per day whereas with the
band to organise the whole crew from one show to the next is difficult.”

Lyons said based on the bold move she made to go solo, she sees her career
gradually moving in the direction she wants it to, which is to become a
respected singer and songwriter.

Lyons is very touchy on the subject of female artistes being recognised for
more than their looks. Too often, she said, people overlook the interior
and focus on the exterior.

“Women actually have a brain. I write my own songs. It’s nice to be
recognised not for your looks, but your talent. I just want to be
recognised as a person who owns some intellect,” said Lyons who copped the
Female Songwriter of the Year, New Songwriter of the Year and Song of the
Year at the Copyright Organisation of T&T 6th songwriters/producers’ awards
function last year.

“I find people always saying you look good but hardly ever you find someone
saying ‘you write that song, it take a lil brain congrats’.”

Fay-Ann on:

Maintaining her physique

“I just turned vegetarian but before I was eating meat and KFC like crazy.
I probably have a high metabolism and I like real rough sports. I have been
trying to go to the gym for the longest while but I guess being a tomboy
works.”

2005 releases

This year I have five releases: Breakaway, Wave, Yuh Ent See Nothing Yet,
Send Dem—a collaboration with Bunji Garlin and Most Wanted. With Most
Wanted I wanted to experiment and see what I could do. I write all
different types of music like gospel and such, just so I don’t get
stereotyped for writing one type of music.”

Seeking international success

“I not on that, if it come it come. If you go looking for something too
hard, you will never find it. What you doing all the time is the key to
unlocking the gate.

On Whether the industry is all she expected it to be: “Not really, all
expectations were not filled, some things you expected but is not exactly
how you thought they would be. There are artistes you grow up admiring and
when you come in the business you find people are not as genuine as they
look.”

You always seem to know where to fine good information :p

I am an INFORMATION seeker.

So I am simply sharing some of what I think is interesting. :)

Anyhow, thanks

Thanks VINCY P.You are a good man.

nice.

nice article. big up to faye ann! blessings to her in career and relationship :)

Claps too Faye Ann and Bunji.
Good couple

very nice article

She say she doing 5 shows aday and I cant see one they not advertising she atall. But I will she her And WAVE to the sky
Alot of people dont remember she doeswrite all she own songs from what I know only focus was writing by someones else
The change of style thing When I see it I will respond I just hope its not no Reggae vibes
I thought Vincy power was a woman. I guess i was wrong. THanks for the peice

Fay Ann best of luck dahlin.....take a jump take a jump....wave to de sky!

I saw some things in de article i ain't like but i feel what she ah say

big up fay anne...do ur thing girlie!!!

__________________
"TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED
TOO ANNOINTED TO BE DISAPPOINTED"

Fayann keep doing your thing no matter what u do people gone always talk. the best thing to do is please yourself trust me it is much easier.

An u surely got a cute ass man..

Thanks for the info.
She sounds very sure of herself and very happy.
Good for her!!!!!