Nessa Preppy’s sophomore album to rep for her hometown
Michael Mondezie
CALL HER Little Miss Arima, but don’t forget to capitalise the M in Miss.
Nessa Preppy’s (Vanessa John) second soca album is all about bringing respect back to her hometown and once again putting Arima on the global musical map.
A full half-century after calypso icon Lord Kitchener’s unique melodies brought the sleepy Eastern town to the mouths and pens of international media and decades after soca star Bunji Garlin (Ian Alvarez) blazed a fiery path, Nessa has returned to shine the soca spotlight towards the land of the rising sun. ‘Arima is home. It’s where my family lives. It’s very special to me and I’m proud to represent for my town,’ Nessa told the Kitcharee during a recent WhatsApp exchange.
Born in Germany to a German father and Trinidadian mother Nessa returned to T& T at age five and settled with family on Calvary Hill in Arima.
She attended primary and secondary school in the eastern borough and successfully launched a soca career while still living there.
‘The support I get from family and friends in Arima is amazing. It is my base, so of course I have to represent for my community and where I am from. I went to school in Arima and lived there for many years. So, when I say I’m Little Miss Arima, I’m being true to who I am,’ she continued.
Set for release later this year Little Miss Arima will be a cross-genre expansion to Nessa’s reputed dancehall/soca sound as she taps into pop and hip-hop musical elements. It follows up the international success of her 2021 debut The Art of the Flex which featured the hit singles: ‘Issa Snack’, ‘Tingo’ and ‘Splash’ which featured hitmaker Patrice Roberts.
The lead single for the new album is the soon to be released ‘Nasty Flow’, a collaboration with DJ cum music producer Private Ryan (Ryan Alexander).
‘For the past two years I’ve been holding back a lot of music and I’m excited because I’m finally getting ready to share it with the world. I’ve worked with a number of producers including Private Ryan, London Future and the New York-based Abe Got Dat Fuego. I’m excited about the release. We haven’t set a date just yet (for release), but it will be out for sure later this year,’ Nessa said.
A BRAND NEW LOOK
Over the past three years Nessa’s look has evolved just as dramatically as her sound. She traded her long dreadlocks for pink tresses. And got a few new arm and leg tattoos. These days her hair is jet black. Nessa insists all the changes are just expressions of her true self. ‘I would say my sense of style comes from just being myself. I like change, being edgy, staying different,’ she said playfully.
Like all creatives Nessa found herself grounded at home during the long 18 months of pandemic restrictions in T& T. Music and other artistic expressions helped her keep her sanity, she revealed.
‘I actually used creativity to stay in the right frame of mind. I recorded a lot of new music and finally got some things off my bucket list. I even did some paintings and been at the gym a lot lately,’ she revealed.
Able to travel again, Nessa says she has found a new level of joy in reconnecting with her fanbase at live in-person events.
‘Now that things are relaxed again, I can finally connect with my people in all parts of the world. It’s been a minute and I missed that connection,’ she said.
As for the rest of 2022, she says she had adopted a one-track mind focused solely on personal growth and more musical success.
‘My aim is to always remain progressive in life. Tomorrow must be a step closer to my dreams.”
