LargeUp Premiere: Calypso Rose + Machel Montano Do It Again With “Young Boy”

Words by Tishanna Williams

After 50 sold out shows in Europe this year, the Queen of France and Trinidad’s darling, Calypso Rose is working on her next international album and, of course, she had to have her first release done in time for Trinidad and Tobago Carnival.

This year she reconnects with Machel Montano and the team responsible for the magic that was “Leave Me Alone” to create “Young Boy.” Don’t think for a second this is a repeat of last year. This time, Rose is looking for a young boy and encouraging all her ladies to do the same.

The track begins with indigenous percussive sounds then leads into horns and a ‘vintage Calypso meets French Creole jazz cafe’ vibe before Machel raises the tempo in a way that makes you pick up your step but maintain your sway.

In “Young Boy,” Rose is attempting to convince a lady, Angela, that after dealing with so much stress in her previous marriage that she should get a young man.

You will cry no more / To Spend yuh money / And call yuh honey / Who will wipe yuh eye / And tell yuh doh cry / Who will kiss you in yuh ear / And call you my dear”  Rose croons before Machel jumps in to support with some well known Caribbean facts. Lyrics like “She doh want no man to pop down,” and “The younger the youth/ The stronger the juice” play on Creole phrases loved and easily recognised by islanders all over the world.

The original “Young Boy” is produced by Canadian/Belizean platinum producer Ivan Duran, and will appear on Rose’s upcoming album. With so many incredible hands touching this project, it was only right that it be mixed by the legendary, Grammy Award-winning engineer Dave Pensado, whose credits include Michael Jackson, Elton John, Paula Abdul, Brian McKnight and Christina Aguilera.

Rose has never let age stand in the way of sexual language. We don’t know how she does it, but she is the queen of mixing political commentary with satire. When that happens on a Machel Montano/Kubiyashi production, for Trinidad Carnival 2019, you know you’re going to be dancing til you can’t stop. Did we mention Skinny Fabulous put pen to paper with the MONK on this one too?

“If it ain’t broke don’t fix it,” says Machel. “It’s the natural progression of what is happening. What Calypso Rose is doing is clearing the way for calypso and soca right now.”

If you don’t love this from first listen, we don’t even know what to do with you.