By: Michael Mondezie
Photos: JERMAINE CRUICKSHANK
Fans of Sizzla Kalonji will have a chance to see the Jamaican reggae icon in action after all.
Following the fiasco of the One Caribbean Music Festival—where the “Holding Firm” singer withdrew from the concert due to promoter’s failure to meet financial obligations—Sizzla will now perform at a surprise One Love concert, tonight (Saturday) at Sound Forge, Mucurapo.
Fellow headliners, Jamaican dancehall star Vybz Kartel (Adidja Palmer) and Ghanaian-American singer MOLIY (Molly Ama Montgomery) also pulled out of the original event.
On Wednesday, Sizzla posted a video calling soca star Bunji Garlin (Ian Alvarez) for help secure a venue. Bunji, in turn, called his wife and fellow soca star Fay Ann Lyons-Alvarez, who reached out Sound Forge to make it happen.
Speaking with the Express on Thursday afternoon, Sizzla said the hastily arranged show is his way of giving back to the people of T&T.
“Because I’m an artiste for the people and I think I’m the favourite for the people and Trinidad is very beautiful and I love these people very much,” Sizzla explained. “They’ve been supporting me and I need to reciprocate the love.”
Ital doubles & coconut water
Sizzla declined to speak on his withdrawal from OCMF, citing potential legal proceedings.
Instead of flying home to Jamaica, however, the St. Mary-born singer chose to stay on, immersing himself in the local energies of the island.
Fans began sharing sightings of the reggae star across the capital—sipping coconut water at the Queen’s Park Savannah, devouring Sauce doubles on Ariapita Avenue and even flexing his falsetto vocals on a karaoke machine in a West Mall music store.
“The savannah is very refreshing and therapeutic. It’s just a place to go and chill. You can’t be in Trinidad and you’re not in the savannah,” Sizzla smiled. “And then again, you can’t be in Trinidad and you’re not having a jelly. You know what I mean? That’s just good to wash your heart, stay clean. And I’m a vegetarian so when I heard about the doubles, I just got to go and get a few and it’s really nice, very savoury”
The cultural connection between T&T and Jamaica is long-standing, particularly in music—and for Sizzla its deeply personal.
“The spirit of the people, the core values, their morals, their strength, you know, their resilience, their energy,” he said. “Just look in the eyes of the people and get the love and the vibration welcoming you to this country. I’m telling you, it’s just like in Jamaica.”
“The Trinidadians are very supportive of their artists, just like the Jamaicans or any other Caribbean island. And I do think we should really honour such grace from the people.”
A voice for the people
With more than 46 solo albums, countless mixtapes, and a career that spans everything from roots reggae to dancehall and soul, Sizzla remains one of the most prolific and respected voices in conscious reggae. But despite his expansive catalogue, his process for selecting his set lists is surprisingly democratic.
“I would be in the streets and persons would have known that I’m here to do the show and they would be like pelting out, this is my favourite song. I want to hear this,” he said. “So, I chose from them. And then if I’m on the radio station, I’ll ask the disc jockey, what’s the most popular songs being played for Sizzla? Or I would just check my brethren in the country.”
Beyond crowd input, the mood of the show guides the final choices: “The whole nature of the show that I’m supposed to be furnishing with my talent helps me in choosing songs.”
Music with mission
From his early days with Caveman Hi-Fi and Exterminator Productions to global hits like “Black Woman and Child” and “Praise Ye Jah”, Sizzla has never treated reggae as simply entertainment. For him, it is spiritual, educational, and rooted in service.
“You should be always be on your best behavior, be yourself, be the better version of yourself. Always be that source of inspiration to uplift people, not just yourself, not your family, but others around you,” he said. “My message, first of all, is love. When you love something, you don’t destroy it. So spread the love.”
Still, love without action is not enough. Sizzla urged fans to equip themselves with knowledge and treat their talents as tools for empowerment.
“We should encourage each other to be educated about everything and on every level. And you should just always be monetizing your talent, monetizing your hobbies, he added. “Things you like doing from a youth, you should just monetize it. Now in this cybernetic age, now that we have the internet and the social media at our fingertips.”
