It’s been popular in the Caribbean for years, but now a graduate from London Metropolitan University is aiming to bring soca music to an international audience.
Date: 07/02/2012
It’s been popular in the Caribbean for years, but now a graduate from London Metropolitan University is aiming to bring soca music to an international audience.
Jarrod Faria, who studied MA Music Industry Management, now runs his own music label, J-Rod Records, and has quickly made a name for himself in the industry.
Now he plans to turn soca, characterised by fast, heavy beats and strong rhythm sections, into a globally recognised genre.
“Soca music is a fun and exciting sound that the world hasn't experienced yet,” he said. “I plan to change that.”
Born in Trinidad and Tobago, Jarrod has been a fan of soca for as long as he can remember but feels that the genre is not receiving the exposure it deserves.
“If you look on the internet right now, you will see soca listed under world music. That has to change. We need to see soca standing on its own. It needs to be heard around the world - not only in the Caribbean Diasporas - and I aim to achieve this through better marketing and distribution,” he said.
It was this fervour that compelled Jarrod to set up his record label, and in 2010 J-Rod released its first track, ‘The 2nd Chances Riddim.’ Since then, it has gone from strength to strength, driven by a focus on producing high quality Caribbean music and promoting it to new territories across the world.
Passion alone doesn’t always lead to success however, which is why Jarrod came to London Met to develop his knowledge.
“London Met was a great experience for me,” he said. “The classes were small and intimate, the professors were warm and approachable and my classmates were from a diverse background. Meeting people from around the world was a great experience.
“The MA Music Industry Management gave me a better understanding of the music industry in the UK and North America. I have already begun administering licensing agreements for my music and recently signed a digital distribution and publishing deal.
“My experience at London Met has also allowed me to connect with people from around the globe and this has enabled me to promote my music into new territories.”
With Jarrod’s passion, ambition and London Met education, it looks like we’ll all be soca fans soon.