Caribbean Export OUTLOOK 2016 - 2017

OUR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

This is a competitive world. You will eventually reach a level where the ‘know-how’ may not be enough.

reached a point where she recognized she just couldn’t take the band where it needed to go, and the search for the right person to take over began in earnest. “I was able to take him to the Diaspora, but when it came to moving forward, I couldn’t take it further,” she admits. Luckily, noted photographer and producer Che Kothari, who also manages new age reggae icon Protoje, came into their lives and agreed to take over as Machel’s manager. “Machel’s sense of branding is built on maintaining relevance and right now we are in the digital age. Everything is about technology. Che is much more knowledgeable in this area.” Not only isMachel moving into the technological era in a big way with a revamped website, live streams, digital media and a recently launched app, but Elizabeth is also ensuring the legacy and history of the journey remains and the Machel Montano Museum was this year added to the franchise. “I have everything from since we started. Nobody taught me to do that. We researched from early and learnt that cataloguing was important,” she says. So what has Elizabeth learnt from her years as both a mother and integral part of arguably the most successful human branding initiative in the Caribbean? “I learnt firsthand what is necessary to build a successful child. Support and parenting play a huge part in a child’s success. Machel always had a massive support system and was able to build up the core values needed for success. I look back now and see the effects of good parenting.”

With the eyes of the world tuning into Caribbean music, due to the two consecutive Best International Performance titles copped by soca artistes at the BET Soul TrainMusic Awards, various government and private Caribbean bodies are also beginning to look inward at the marketability of the art form. Elizabeth however stresses that artistes need to ensure they are equipped with the necessary skills and business acumen to stand above the rest, as she has ensured her son does. “It has to start with the artiste. You have to prepare a product worthy of notice. On this end, people are very wary about financial backing but you too have to invest in yourself. We started 33 years ago and it has always been important to us to do this. Managers and management teams need to be in place. So many artistes do not have something as simple as a bio. Also, proper skills are also necessary, not only on how tomanage the business but how tomanage your sound. Machel studied Engineering and Production inOhio and we surround ourselves with trained persons. Trinidadians are good with hands-on learning but we need certification. This is a competitive world. Youwill eventually reach a level where the ‘know-how’ may not be enough.” Already, initiatives such as the music arm of the State-owned Trinidad and Tobago Creative Industries Company Limited (CreativeTT’), MusicTT, have created workshops on song writing, music production, IP valuation, etc. and the prototype has been conceptualized, tested and determined by the work of the Montanos. “There are a lot of people interested in Machel right now and looking to see who else is coming. Soca is happy, celebratorymusic and people need that positive vibe around the globe. The world is ripe for our music and now our artistes and industries have to prepare,” Elizabeth says.

Tishanna Williams is a Lecturer at the University of the West Indies and Journalist with Guardian Media Ltd (TT) and LargeUp (NY/JA) whose work was recently nominated for the CTO Caribbean Media Award (NY).

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