8. Nailah Blackman and Kes, “Work Out”

When the granddaughter of the man known as soca’s creator teams up with the man who has for years been putting the groove in soca, the result is bound to be magic. Kes and Nailah Blackman’s “Work Out” had the women switching it up on the dance floor to a song that had a little zouk, a little pop, and a lot of vibes. Not only was it one of the hottest tracks for the 2017 Carnival season, but Nailah’s soca debut sped her into the limelight in Trinidad. She now has a string of hit singles under her belt, including “Badishh,” a collaboration with dancehall artist Shenseea, and “Sokah,” already one of the hottest tracks of the 2018 season, proving that “Work Out” was only the start of big things to come. — Tishanna Williams