Soca and calypso are two of the most iconic and entrenched music genres in Trinidad. For the past 40 years these cultural gems have been popularised around the globe by the soca artist such as the prolific Machel Jesus Montano.
To learn about the incredible four-decade journey of this celebrated icon, fans need only turn to his biography, authored by none other than his mother. King of Soca was written by Elizabeth ‘Lady’ Montano, who has been present at all the major stages of her son’s career. The biography was officially released on 26 July, 2022 and details the ups and downs of Machel’s career as well as his creative evolution, collaborations, and innovations. It also delves deep into the personal life of the soca king which understandably became hectic from the age of seven when he began his musical journey.
Lady Montano’s efforts were recently recognised at the 14th Annual International Book Awards, where King of Soca bagged a prestigious award in the Best Interior Design Category. The announcement was made by the American Book Fest in June 2023, in Los Angeles. The biography was also listed as a finalist in four other categories, including ‘Best Cover Design: Nonfiction’, ‘Biography: General’, ‘Nonfiction: Cross-Genre’, and ‘Performing Arts: Film, Theatre, Dance and Music’.
King of Soca had previously received the Addy Award for the Best of Print and Overall Best in Show. It also won the Gold ADDY for Book Design and Silver for Publication Cover Design.
