What many see as a weakness, I claim as one of my greatest assets: I love Calypso.
All of it. The classics. The dramatic. The quiet and reflective. The witty. The dubious. The comedic. Even the ones I excitedly lock in Calypso jail. Every single one, yes, every single calypso, is essential to the whole of a season. Together they tell us who we are.

In recent years, the art form has not been as dominant as it once was, no longer the anchor of our Carnival festivities. But despite the ebbs and flows, one truth remains immovable:
Calypso will never die.

What has changed is the economics. Today, calypso is outflanked as an income earner. Most artistes now invest each season sacrificially, knowing there is little to no chance of recouping what they spend. The music is still powerful, but the marketplace is weak.

I firmly contend that we can turn this around.

With intentional decision-making, we can change this trajectory. We must create spaces to play and listen to calypso year-round. We need off-season workshops and performance spaces to strengthen writing, production, and performance. We must find partnerships that give calypsonians more stages and integrate calypso into our expanding creative industries and tourism product.

From my Spectator space, I am offering a small jump-start. I am simply encouraging us to listen more.

So here are my Top 10 Plus 2 from last season, offered to tide us over as we wait for the next. These are not charts. These are the ones with the highest rental value in my mind. Others are there, floating too, but this batch ‘nah leh me go’.

My method was simple and deeply personal. One month after Carnival 2025 ended, I took only my phone and walked the beach. I hummed to myself and wrote down whatever came naturally. No playlists. No prompts. Just what my spirit remembered. The first ten that surfaced, plus two more “cause ah fuh me subben,” were my list.

With help from DJ Adrian, who firmly reminded me that my order could not flow musically, the way I first picked it, I now offer this set, a curated mix, ‘dat mash up me order’, for your enjoyment.

These are my favourites.
I hope they send you searching for yours. I hope you argue with me. I hope you rediscover songs you forgot you loved.

Join me as I revel in our greatest storytelling tradition. Enjoy some sweet Calypso.