By Michael Mondezie
‘Ah say de soca is meh therapy. It take away all of my anxiety.’ Those lyrics from Patrice Robert’s 2024 Carnival hit, ‘Anxiety’, took on a whole new meaning during a surprise appearance at Soka in Moka, The Evolution, on Monday night, at the St Andrew’s Golf Club.
An emotional Roberts, in her first public outing since the sudden death of her fiancé, Antiguan soca star Ricardo Drue, opened up on losing her ‘partner and father of my daughter’.
Drue, 38, was pronounced dead at the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre in St John’s, Antigua, around midday on December 12 after being found unresponsive in his room hours earlier. The ‘Vagabond’ singer’s funeral is set for January 9 at the Holy Family Cathedral, St John’s, Antigua.
‘God have a way of turning around (ish) and making it into your favour. You guys don’t know me, but you know me. I’m a person, whatever I want to do in this lifetime, I go hard for it, I go hard, and once something is not for you, God does take it away totally. Sometimes, we question things in life, we question the hurt, but God know best. I believe God has come to grace us,’ Roberts said, bringing the entire venue to a hush.
The Toco-born star shared she has ‘suffered in silence’, adding that she was ‘not gonna stay silent for anyone during her appearance with the A Team Band, of which Drue was a front-line singer.
‘Yuh see my heart, it sincere, and you guys see right through me. I love you guys. I thank you guys for supporting me because Jah know I was suffering in silence, suffering! No more, I’m not gonna stay silent for nobody,’ Roberts said.
Cueing the band into the song’s chorus, she turned to the crowd, singing: ‘We all need love. Jump up and show me love.’
The response was overwhelming.
An eventful night
Earlier, news of the passing of former prime minister Basdeo Panday shook the entire venue, with several performers acknowledging his immense contributions to Trinidad and Tobago. Panday, 90, passed away surrounded by his family on Monday. On December 14, he had travelled to the United States to investigate medical concerns about his health.
Raymond Ramnarine was the first to send condolences to the Panday family during his opening performance with family band Dil-E-Nadan. The entire crowd lifted their arms in salute of the late former parliamentarian.
‘I’ve always seen him as one of the most respected parliamentarians and one of the best prime ministers our county has ever had, but more importantly, he was such a cool man, so much fun, so down to earth. It will hurt the nation, but we have to pray for his family,’ Ramnarine told the Express backstage.
Moments later, Roberts’ appearance backstage created an equally large stir as the singer had not been seen in public for nearly three weeks. The Express was told that Roberts rehearsed with the A Team twice last week, but was unsure about being emotionally ready to go on stage at the popular Carnival opener on New Year’s Day.
Roberts recounted the emotion of the night in an Instagram post yesterday. Under a photo of her and Drue, she wrote: ‘Hey Babe, last night was so difficult, but I pushed through for you, for our little girl. I felt your presence on stage with me and that gave me courage. You’d always remind me I’m a big girl now right? Lol. So I’ll keep performing and finding joy and solace on stage. We miss you so much, but I find comfort in knowing that God knows best and I will one day see u again. Love you always and forever.
Watch “Anxiety” Music video HERE
