PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
CALL FOR DEMOS TOWARDS RECORDING OPPORTUNITY FOR A SAINT LUCIAN SINGER
Richès Karayib inaugural Caribbean Voices Challenge
Castries – January 13th, 2023; A call is on to Saint Lucian singers to participate in a Voices Challenge which will give the winner the opportunity to be featured on an album of Caribbean artists to be distributed and promoted throughout Europe later this year. The challenge is open to singers in any genre of music in the 18 to 35 age category.
Voices is an initiative by RICHÈS KARAYIB – a Martinique-based project established to develop a business environment in the cultural sector in the Greater Caribbean. It also seeks to deepen cultural cooperation between the Caribbean and its diaspora while promoting the Caribbean’s richness around Art, Culture and Crafts; thus creating a showcase that responds to the world’s interest in the Caribbean.
Richés Karayib is led by Assis W.I, OMDAC and Sa Kai Malade Karaibes Ltd and jointly funded by the INTERREG-CARAIBES programme, through the European Regional Economic Development Fund. The Saint Lucia partners collaborating with the producers are They Often Cry Outreach TOCO – A Taj Weekes Foundation, Caribbean One TV, Bacchanal International and Alliance Franҫaise.
This first edition of the Voices Challenge encompasses ten Caribbean countries: Martinique, Guadeloupe, Dominica, Saint-Lucia, Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago, Haiti, Jamaica, Anguilla, Saint-Martin.
The Saint Lucia leg of the talent search runs from January 16th to 29th. Singers are invited to submit demos through the website www.richeskarayibe.com. The deadline for submissions is January 22nd. From these submissions, nine finalists will be selected to participate in a live audition on January 29th at the Gros Islet Human Resource Centre from 5 to 9 PM. A southern venue will be announced for auditions in the South-West. The selection and mentorship panel will be led by Taj Weekes – lyricist, singer and multiple recorded artist. The Saint Lucian finalist will participate in a regional song showcase in Martinique in August 2023 and will be featured on the Caribbean music compilation for international distribution and promotion.
In pursuit of its goal is to create cultural and creative sector linkages that facilitate social and economic opportunities for artists and artisans, RICHÈS KARAYIB project will be working steadily to upscale its platform www.richeskarayib.com into a comprehensive portal of accessible content pooled from all our partners media, associations, cultural actors, craftsmen and artists as an accessible resource to the entertainment industry worldwide.
The Saint Lucia component of the RICHÈS KARAYIB Voices search is being done under the banner of the 2023 Nobel Laureate Festival.
-ENDS-
Media Contacts: Barbara Jacobs Small – barbara@rightangleimaging.com; Eustace Vitalis – eustacevitalis@gmail.com
About TOCO Foundation
TOCO is a registered 501(c)(3), U.S. based, not-for profit organization with a mission to raise awareness and address the issues that affect Caribbean youth through advocacy and social support. Our broad focus also includes the environment/ climate change, Sustainable Agriculture, Diabetes and gender.
About Taj Weekes
Taj is an unwavering, energetic humanitarian whose dedication extends beyond his song lyrics into his social activism, an activism that has culminated in his official role with the United Nations as “UNICEF Champion for Children” (2013) and his children’s charity, They Often Cry Outreach (TOCO). Taj Weekes’ humanitarian work has been a staple of his celebrity, using every opportunity to serve and speak on behalf of the children of the Caribbean. He personally travels and distributes donated items to the islands, lectures to high school and college students on topics ranging from volunteerism to acceptance and tolerance, and donates his own money to ensure that TOCO can fulfill its missions. His efforts are at the core of TOCO’s success and in recognition for his work, Weekes was named a Goodwill Ambassador by the International Consortium of Caribbean Professionals in 2007 and by a division of the United Nations. In 2012, he received a humanitarian award from the Saint Lucian government for his work through TOCO and in 2020, he was named a Goodwill and Brand Ambassador for his native Saint Lucia.