Mother of all Carnivals? Maybe next time, says Peter Lewis

It’s being touted as the Mother of All Carnivals, but given the recent spike in COVID-19 cases being recorded in different parts of the world, not everyone is convinced.

One such individual is Peter C Lewis.

Speaking with Loop News backstage at Soka in Moka on New Year’s Day, the popular media personality said while many are excited by the return of Carnival, most are still cautious.

“People are cautiously coming back out. I think that is evident in this party a lot of the adults and people my age have come to the party just to see what it’s like and just to be out again. As much as we’re saying this is going to be the Mother of All Carnivals, I don’t think this is going to be the mother of all carnivals. I think it’s going to be a good carnival, I think it’s going to be a cautious carnival. People are going to come out and be cautious… I think the following Carnival will be the mother of all carnivals, not this one.”

Meanwhile, Akeem “Preedy” Chance is pumped and ready for the 2023 Carnival season.

“It is almost emotional,” he told Loop News.

“I feel like my long-lost brother just showed back up and everything is fixed. Everything now is almost perfect, not 100% but just the fact that we have the opportunity to put it (Carnival) on is amazing. Seeing thousands of people in front singing your Soca is something that I can’t even explain…only now seeing how much we lost and how resilient we are to get back to this stage where it’s like we never left, same energy. I’m just thankful to be here; I am going to enjoy every single performance this carnival, no matter what happens I’m going to laugh, I’m going to joke with my friends, dance and I’m going to shake down every stage and thank God for the opportunity to be doing this.”

Asked to comment on the 2023 staging of his signature event, Chance, Preedy said:

“I feel like this is the homecoming where the young prince becomes a king. I think my time is now and CHANCE 2023 we’re looking to go above and beyond.”

Saint Lucian songbird Teddyson John shares Preedy’s excitement about the return of Carnival.

“A lot of people couldn’t wait to come out and have a good time. We’ve been away for two years and there’s such a mix of emotions but everybody is here to have a good time, let loose and let free for a little bit," he told Loop News.

Teddyson John has been performing with the D All Starz since he started coming to Trinidad and Tobago carnival some six years ago. He said it's been sad and different without Blaxx, who he credits with welcoming him to the band.

“This event (Soka in Moka) is normally one of Blaxx’ favourite events so even performing and seeing the screen with him in the back was a little sad because he’s not here. It’s a privilege for me to be here with the guys that he introduced me to…”

This year, Teddyson John is taking a leap of faith and will be hosting his first Carnival show in Trinidad.

“I’ve been coming to Trinidad for the past five or six years and decided to take a step of faith and have my own show in Trinidad. During the period of COVID when we had the online concert I did something called Caribbean Moscato in St Lucia and I always wanted to bring something like that to  Trinidad so I call it Stripped, which means you take out the noise and you get to the soul of the music.”

Stripped will be hosted at NAPA on February 8. John hopes that over time it’ll become one of Carnival's staple events.