Fay-Ann Lyons
Fay-Ann Lyons-Alvarez (born November 5, 1980) is a Trinidadian soca recording artist and songwriter. She is also known by such titles as the Lyon Empress, Mane the Matriarch and the Silver Surfer, a nickname which she claimed during her performance at the 2008 International Soca Monarch.
Fay Ann Lyons-Alvarez | |
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Bunji Garlin and Fay-Ann Lyons 2014 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Fay-Ann Lyons |
Also known as | Silver Surfer, Lyon Empress, Aza Sefu, Viqueen |
Born | November 5, 1980 |
Origin | Point Fortin, Trinidad and Tobago |
Genres | Soca |
Occupation(s) | Performer, recording artist, singer/songwriter, Chairperson of Caribbean Prestige Foundation |
Instruments | Vocals |
Years active | 2002–present |
Associated acts | Bunji Garlin, Asylum Band (2008–Present), Invazion (up to 2005) |
Website | http://www.asylumfamily.com/ |
Early life and career
Fay-Ann was born in Point Fortin, Trinidad to parents Austin Lyons (sobriquet Superblue/SuperBlue, formerly known as Blueboy) and Lynette Steele[1] (sobriquet Lady Gypsy). Who is also a sister to Winston "Gypsy" Peters hence the gypsy part of her stage name
Fay-Ann Lyons is a three-time Trinidad and Tobago Carnival Road March champion (2003, 2008, 2009) and the 2009 International Soca Monarch and International Groovy Soca Monarch champion. She created history (again) when she won the International Soca Monarch for the first time in 2009, as the first female to win the Power category, and the first individual (male or female) to win the Power, Groovy and People's Choice awards on Fantastic Friday (aka Carnival Friday) during the finals of the competition which is held annually in Trinidad. She also went on to win the Carnival Road March that year, becoming the first soca artist to win that soca 'triplet' of titles. She is the first (and only) woman to accomplish that feat while pregnant. Fay-Ann is the youngest solo artist (male or female), still actively recording, with multiple wins of the Carnival Road March crown. (Machel Montano is the youngest male with multiple wins, now that he has four solo wins and a joint win with Patrice Roberts). Fay-Ann remains the only female artist who has won the Carnival Road March three times, and is the third to attain back-to-back wins in two consecutive years joining fellow Trinidadian Macartha Calypso Rose Lewis who won 2 Road March crowns in 1975 and 1976 and Alison Hinds Of Barbados who won 2 Road March titles in 1996 and 1997. Fay-Ann and husband Bunji Garlin also became parents in 2009 to a daughter, Syri, born on February 28, 2009, just a few weeks after Carnival. Fay-Ann has performed at musical events both locally and abroad. Her on-tour performance events and locations include: Washington DC (2009) & (2017)[2] BET's 106 & Park (2014),[3] Coachella (2015),[4] Glastonbury Festival (2015),[5] London's Coronet (2015),[5] Berlin Carnival-Germany and, BET X Live (2018). She is officially the new record holder for the most up-tempoes ever released by a female Soca musician with 25 up-tempoes surpassing the previous record of 21 up-tempoes set by Alison Hinds of Barbados [6]
Background
Now an official member of the Asylum band (previously known as "Censation"), founded by husband, Ian Alvarez Bunji Garlin. Fay-Ann is a former member of the band Invazion led by Naya George. Fay-Ann became a front-liner for the band Invazion and performed with them at many fete/concert events including the infamous 'Brass Festival' (now defunct) which was an annual event during the pre-Carnival season in Trinidad and Tobago featuring a musical 'battle' between the hottest soca bands.
As songwriter
Fay-Ann writes many of her own songs, having learnt from her father, Superblue, who has won the Carnival Road March title nine times (He is second only to Aldwyn Roberts, sobriquet Lord Kitchener), and is a seven-time winner of the Trinidad Soca Monarch competition, which is the predecessor of the current International Soca Monarch. Fay-Ann's compositions have earned several nominations and wins of Copyright Music Organisation of Trinidad and Tobago (COTT) music awards including Female Songwriter of the Year and she has also received honours (listed in Awards section) from the Soca Awards Organization (SAO) for her music. Fay-Ann was profiled along with other top local and internationally renowned artists Machel Montano, Bunji Garlin and Isaac Blackman in the documentary Soca Power in Trinidad and Tobago,[7] the Trinidad edition of the six part film series titled Musique Creole. The documentary is available on DVD.
Discography
2020 Tun Up. 2020 Angry No Begging 2019 Marc 2019
Touchdown (with Nailah Blackman) 2019
Feel Good, 2019
Carnival (with Stonebwoy.2019 Touch It 2018
Girls 2017
Hold Something 2017
. More Than Dem 2017. Hands in the Air (HITA), 2016 Block D Roadside (featuring Stonebwoy) 2016 Scene, 2016 Raze 2015 . Keep Some 2015
Break The World 2015 Drift 2015 Catch Me 2014
Gimmie That 2014 Done D Party 2014
F, 2013 De Stage Open, 2013
We Doin This Owah, 2013 Formula 2013
DIMIT, with 5 Miles to Midnight, 2012
Miss Behave, 2012
Denial, 2012
All Over, with 'The Baron[8]' (Timothy Watkins Jr) 2012
Pressure On It, 2011
Consider It Done, 2011
Din Ta Da, with Nigel Salickram 2011
Iron and Steel, 2010
Call Me, with Bunji Garlin, 2010
Judgement Day, with 3Canal and Brother Resistance, 2010
Start Wining, 2010
Ah Something, 2010
True Lies, 2010
Bring It, (with Mr. Vegas), 2010 (ICC World Cup Cricket Theme Song)
Three Colours, (with David Rudder and Bunji Garlin) Trinidad Stories, 2009
Meet SuperBlue, The Best of the Best Soca Hits 2009, 2009
Heavy T Bumper, Best of the Best Soca Grooves 2009, 2009
Wine Faster, (with Beenie Man), 2009
Get On, The Best of the Best Soca Hits 2008, 2008
Road Call, The best of the Best Soca Hits 2008, 2008
Who Standing, 2008
Lyrics King and Lyon Empress, (with Bunji Garlin), 2007
The Game of Love and Unity, (with Rupee and Shaggy), 2007 (World Cup Cricket Theme)
Make Ah Stage, Trini Bashment Compilation 2K7 91.9 FM 2007
John Quickie, Da Mastamind Project 2 2007
Kya Jadu Hai, (with Andy Singh), 2007
Party, (with Miss Alysha), Trini Bashment 2006 Vol. 2, 2006
Somebody, (with Bunji Garlin, Blazer, Maximus Dan) Next Direction, 2006
Happy, (with Bunji Garlin and Ronnie McIntosh) Next Direction, 2006
That is Carnival, The Best of the Best Soca 2006: The Red Hot Compilation, Soca Gold 10th Anniversary, 2006
One Day, Da Ma$tamind Project, 2006
Breakaway, Trini Bashment Soca Compilation & Party Mix, 2005
Send Dem, (with Bunji Garlin) Flamestorm, 2005
Wave to the Sky, 2005
Freedom, 2004
Clear De Road, (with Superblue), 2004
Display, Iwer And Family: Ah Home, 2003
Focus, Iwer And Family: Ah Home, 2003
It's My Turn Now, (aka "My Time Now" with Invazion) Road March and Soca Monarch 2002 CD, 2002
Filmography
As Herself
International Soca & Groovy Soca Monarch '06 (2006)
Soca Power In Trinidad & Tobago [DVD] (2008)
Soca Gold 2008 [CD/DVD] (2008)
Soca Gold 2007 [CD/DVD] (2007)
Nikki on de Promenade
Awards
NEA Afrosoca Artist (2017)[9]
SAO Soca Collaboration of the Year: Call Me (with Bunji Garlin) (2010)[10]
SAO Best Up-tempo Soca – Female: True Lies (2010)[10]
NACC Top 20 Award: Tribute To Super Blue (2009)
SAO Hall Of Fame Award (2009)
SAO Soca Song Writer of the Year: Heavy T, Meet Super Blue, Wine Faster (2009)
SAO Overall Female Soca Artist of the Year (2009)
SAO Female Soca Performer of the Year (2009)
SAO Favorite Groove Soca – Female: Heavy T (2009)
SAO Favorite Up-tempo Soca – Female: Meet Super Blue (2009)
COTT Soca of the Year: Get On (2008)
SAO Female Soca Performer of the Year: Get On (2008)
SAO Overall Female Soca Artist of the Year: Get On (2008)
SAO Favorite Up-tempo Soca – Female: Get On (2008)
SAO Soca Song of the Year: Get On (2008)
COTT New Songwriter of the Year: Display (2004)
COTT Female Songwriter of the Year: Display (2004)
COTT Song of the Year: Display (2004)
- List of abbreviations
NEA: Nigerian Entertainment Award
COTT: Copyright Organisation of Trinidad and Tobago
NACC: National Action Cultural Committee (Trinidad and Tobago)
SAO: Soca Awards Organization www.socaawards.com
Carnival crowns
2003: Carnival Road March
2008: Carnival Road March
2009: Carnival Road March
2009: International Soca Monarch
2009: Groovy Soca Monarch
2009: International Soca Monarch: People's Choice
2010: International Soca Awards: Best Up-Tempo Soca - Female
Personal life
Fay-Ann is married to fellow recording artist and ragga soca lyricist Bunji Garlin.
References
- "Republic of Trinidad and Tobago Registry of Births, Deaths, and Marriages". rgd.legalaffairs.gov.tt.
- "Fay-Ann Lyons brings soca to Washington DC TV show". Caribbean Communications Network. Retrieved February 14, 2020.
- "Bunji Garlin & Fay Ann Lyons Performs Live On BET 106 & Park". Urban Islandz. August 27, 2014. Retrieved February 14, 2020.
- https://newsday.co.tt/2019/01/03/calypso-rose-listed-for-coachella-2019/
- "is under construction". Retrieved February 14, 2020.
- "Bunji, Fay Ann, Shenseea to perform on BET". www.looptt.com. Retrieved February 14, 2020.
- "WELOCOME TO LIMERADIO.CO.UK". www.temporadio.co.uk.
- http://www.guardian.co.tt/carnival/tuesday-january-17-2012/sweet-soca-man-baron-set-vintage-7
- "Fay Ann nominated for Nigerian Entertainment Award". www.looptt.com. Retrieved February 14, 2020.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on March 2, 2012. Retrieved January 21, 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)