FIFTEEN years after one of soca music biggest hits “Turn Me On”, multi-platinum, international recording artiste Kevin Lyttle is at it again. This time the song is called “Slow Motion” the hook-laden song has a simple chorus which has people singing “wow wow wow, ayee yeah yeah”.
The evergreen Lyttle who is serious about lyrics, says he keeps it smart and simple. He tends to stay away from going too deep with too much lyrics.
He says music is in his DNA as he comes from a family of singers and dancers but writing and composing were always his favourite.
While “Slow Motion” is soaring up the music charts there has been a little controversy around the song.
Lyttle said he was sent a beat in March 2016 and he composed a melody and wrote lyrics to it.
He went ahead and produced and released the song. While performing the song, the owner of the beat told him Universal Records were interested in the beat and he has to pull the song.
Lyttle said that was impossible as he had already released the song in Japan, Germany, Italy and other places.
Added to which, he had invested heavily to produce it.
The out come is still to be determined.
Born Lescott Kevin Lyttle Coombs in St Vincent, he was a customs officer before he decided to move full-time into music.
He now has his own record label Tarakon Records out of Miami, Florida, where his wife, Dr Jacqueline James-Lyttle is the CEO.
In 2007 Lyttle saw the need to represent himself in terms of putting his music out there and so Tarakon was formed with a tagline “One People, Many Genres Effective Representation” and the label caters for all Caribbean music and is now expanding to include other genres.
Lyttle’s ability to fuse soca with R&B, reggae and dance music is one of the keys to his lasting success, he has performed all over the world including places like India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Sweden, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, England, USA and many more.
He recently finished a 25-concert tour of Australia in December.
Lyttle moved into a different market last year when he recorded “Midnight” with Puerto Rican Reggaeton artiste Nengo Flow and the song reached number one on the Billboard Tropical Chart in October.
Another key to his success is he surrounds himself with people who care about him and not his money.
Looking to the future Lyttle and his wife will launch EME Distribution this year where they hope to make the game of music easier for Caribbean.
He says soca is a billion-dollar industry but the artistes are not making the money, Caribbean music has great potential but too much money is lost in the process. “It is time we come together and help each other, he said.
Lyttle was in Trinidad earlier this month to promote his single “Slow Motion” and linked up with CarylJae (Trini Jacobs) who is signed to Tarakon Records and is in the process of making an album.
Lyttle said he likes the “vibes” in Trinidad. He was seen at the popular “Soka in Moka” all-inclusive in Maraval on January 9 and interacted with several artistes backstage.
In 2003 CarylJae and Lyttle recorded “Sexy Ways” together, she also recorded “Ah Cyah Wait” at Tarakon Studios in Florida recently
GARY CARDINEZ