According to the organizers, Kerwin DuBois, Patrice Roberts and Benjai have been contracted to perform at the mega three-night event, which runs from the 25-27 June.
At a simple launch on Thursday, the production manager for the festival, Adrian Lam, revealed eight performers who will take the stage on Thursday, 25th June. In addition to the three, the lineup also includes several soca celebrities, such as the reigning soca monarch out of Antigua, Ricardo Drew, Blacks and Trinidad’s Roy Cape. Haiti’s T-Vice and Tono Rosario of the Dominican Republic bring zouk/kompa and merengue rhythms to the festival line-up.
On the second night of the festival, two popular Jamaican performers have already been locked in to perform, specifically fancied entertainer Christopher Martin and dancehall artiste Bounty Killer.
Martin, who is best known for his lyrics ‘Take My Wings’, was a former Digicel Rising Start Champion in 2005 in his homeland. He is an eye-catcher with the women audience, and is expected to belt out some of his most recent renditions like, ‘I Can See’ and ‘Change Your Life’.
Killer, whose real name is Rodney Basil Price, is known for his outlandish dancehall lyrics which includes ‘Dah Sumn Deh’, ‘Pum Pum’ and ‘Smoke Da Herb’.
On the second night as well, the longstanding British reggae group Aswad will take center stage, the committee disclosed.
The committee member said that the festival has become one of the signature events on the calendar of activities in the Federation and the wider Caribbean.
This assessment he noted comes on the back of a sustained visitor arrival over the last “10 years”, which he also attributed to the coverage provided by media entities and the communication amongst performers.
According to Lam, “Our reputation has now grown tremendously. This is one of the longest running festivals and one of the top five in the region. It is also one of the most affordable in the region”.
This he indicated would bring more persons to St. Kitts and Nevis.
Also engaged in the press conference that was held at the Ministry of Tourism were Minister of Tourism Lindsay Grant, under whose ministry the festival is produced, and Faron Lawrence, chairman of the St. Kitts Music Festival Committee.