“If I fail to succeed then success is my failure, I was born a winner,” this is the mantra that has kept this singer/songwriter/producer going over the many years he has been involved in the music industry.
Born in the capital city Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, it seems Kerwin was always destined for success in Calypso and Soca. Kerwin, who started singing in primary school not only took part in the nation’s first Junior Calypso Monarch competition, but also won the title in the second year.
The talented performer rose through the ranks of the calypso world, captured the Young Kings title and even reached the Big Yard for the National Calypso Monarch finals on several occasions.
Hailed as a rising star, he delighted all with his melodious voice and thought-provoking lyrics and was selected to represent Trinidad along with other young Calypsonians for a Calypso Youth Exchange programme hosted by the Association of British Calypsonians in the UK, where he settled for a number of years, eventually capturing the UK Calypso Monarch title.
In recent years, Du Bois has spread his wings and can no longer be considered simply a calypsonian, having branched out into Soca not only as a performer but also as a highly rated producer and songwriter.
His efforts have been acknowledged by some of the other major soca artists who have tapped into the talents of this accomplished hit maker. He has produced tracks for Bunji Garlin’s Black Spaniard album wrote and performed the 2004 hit ‘BubbleNut’ with HD Machel Montano. He has also worked with the dynamic vocal group H2O Phlo on a track entitled “J’ouvert”.
His talents emerged greater through the years as he went on to produce other major hit songs like Machel Montano’s “Scandalous”, which was written by Kernal Roberts. Kerwin performed throughout the Carnival 2k6 period with Xtatik with his major hit song “Madology”, which was a continued re-mix of the already acclaimed hit “Madda dan dat” performed by Machel.
In 2007 he teamed up with one of the most highly rated divas of soca Denise “saucy wow” Belfon, the results the hit song “De rose & de stem,” however one hit wasn’t enough, and the popular “Party Rocker” certainly had the industry buzzing.
In 2008 he captured third place with Shal Marshall in the International Soca Monarch competition with the international hit “Gyal Farm,” which he wrote and produced. Things didn’t end there as “Breathless,” another one of his compositions and productions, also took Roy Cape’s Blaxx to the International Soca Monarch finals.
It was therefore no surprise when he was nominated for eight (8) International Soca Awards and went on to capture two, the Soca Producer of the Year and Best Groove Collaboration. He was also nominated for 3 COTT awards, Groovy Soca of the Year Award – Gyal Farm, Soca of the Year and Song of the Year – Breathless.
In 2009 he created Soca history by composing, producing and bringing together the biggest female Soca artistes as a trio collaboration in the names of Destra Garcia, Allison Hinds and Denise Belfon with a world-renowned smash hit “Obsessive Winers”. Du Bois also worked with Blaxx of the Roy Cape Allstars once again to write and produce the hit track ‘Tusty’.
Kerwin joined forces with Farmer Nappy to bring the immensely popular 2010 Carnival Anthem ‘Pavement’. The duo who were expected to win the International Groovy Soca Monarch pulled off an amazing performance although their video presentation experienced technical difficulties and failed. Kerwin and Farmer placed fourth in the competition. Du Bois also wrote and produced Farmer’s second hit for the 2010 Carnival season ‘I Pay For This’.
2011 proved to be a busy but extremely successful year for Du Bois, writing and producing a list of popular hits for the season. Du Bois teamed up with Kees from Kes the Band to write and produce ‘Wotless’. This anthem is Kees’ biggest hit to date. ‘Wotless’ being the biggest Groovy Soca track for the year won the Groovy Soca Monarch; the song has also propelled Kees’ career to higher levels in the Soca arena. In a collaboration with Kees, Kerwin also wrote and produced ‘Ah Ting’. A song that displays intense vibe blended with angelic melodies not taking away from the vibrant pulse & jam of this piece which also brought the dynamic and talented Kerwin Du Bois to the finals of the International Soca Monarch Competition.
But it did not end there as Du Bois reunited with the King of
Soca, Machel Montano HD himself. Kerwin pulled another hit out of his hat, or as Machel likes to say “in de pocket” to write and produce one of HD’s Road March contenders for the Carnival 2011 season.
The year 2012 has been dubbed by many as the Year of the Bacchanalist… With four major hits, Carnival 2012 was transformed, when the “Runaway Bacchanalist” released: ‘I AM SOCA’ featuring Patrice Roberts, ‘Baddist’ featuring Destra Garcia, ‘Runaway’ featuring Bunji Garlin, ‘Bacchanalist’ and ‘Make Room;’ a power soca.
Du Bois made it all the way to the finals of the International Soca Monarch, placing second in the Groovy Soca Category.
Kerwin Du Bois also went on to win the International Soca Awards in four categories for 2012;
Soca Songwriter of the year; ‘I AMSOCA, ‘Baddist’ and ‘Bacchanalist,’
Groove Soca of the Year ‘Bacchanalist,’
Best Collaboration ‘I AM SOCA’
Soca Song of the Year; ‘Bacchanalist’.
All in all, Kerwin has put in an immense amount of work in his Toronto based studio KNS. Hard work pays off and Du Bois is grateful and humbled by the fact that he is having yet another successful year.
Du Bois is a powerhouse of young talent bringing Soca music to the world, as he plans to develop and further his drive in taking Soca Music to places beyond our imagination.
source: mtv.com
