“Soca makes me smile”: Meet Melly Rose, a Soca artist from Trinidad and Tobago with a huge heart

BY SELINA McCALLUM

Some artists decide not to get too involved in politics, but this artist pushes the narrative for change worldwide by continuously participating in Trinidad and Tobago’s elections.

Melly Rose is a singer who was born in Trinidad and Tobago and left the island when she was fourteen years old to move to the United States where her mom lived.

“I went to high school and college there. I went to Baltimore School for the Arts and then Morgan State University,” said Rose. “After that I decided I wanted to move back home.”

While many creative and talented people outside of America flock to the states in search of opportunities to grow their career, Rose did the opposite.

“I love soca. I love my culture, the food, and the music. I’m a little bit extra in regard to the way I dress, and I love coloured hair. When it came to the pivotal point of what kind of music I wanted to do, what genre, I thought I really want to do soca. I want to go home and do soca,” said the artist.

Rose’s mom questioned her decision, but she told her she did not want to look back at her life and say to herself that she did not do something that she really wanted to do.

“I always say that through the hardest times in my life, music has always been consistent,” said Rose.

The young and talented Trinidadian artist loves to give back and help where she can. In college, she started an organization called Feed One Life at a Time with two of her friends.

“We would go to the homeless shelters and in the city and give out food. I always want to give. I believe that when you’re blessed, it is to bless others,” said Rose. “But it’s only one me and only so much that I have.”

Rose recently launched a drive to collect and give out food, clothes, and toys. She is excited because as her platform grows bigger, she can impact more people.

“Instead of just me, I did it so that the whole of Trinidad could join in. Even if a lot of people give something small, it can still become alot,” said Rose.

As the pandemic was going on around the world, Trinidad and Tobago was going through their elections.

“There was a little bit of racism going on. People were spurring racist slurs and attacking each other on social media. It was really horrible,” said Rose. “I recently posted on my Instagram account saying that the only thing that should be separated by colour is laundry. We shouldn’t be looking at the colour of our skin, we should be looking at how our government is helping the people.”

The population in Trinidad is predominantly black and Indian.

“We need unity. We need to come together. We need to show more love,” said Rose.

Rose’s values and personality is reflected in the music she makes as well.

Her latest single is a women empowering song called “Body Good,” which uplifts women of all races, sizes, and complexions. It is currently available to stream on all platforms.

In the music video for “Body Good” a quick shot of “#BLM” on Rose’s nail appears on the screen at the beginning. Then different black women appear, one is wearing a hat like the one the women in the Black Panther group used to wear, and her fist is in the air.

Rose speaks on why she decides to speak out and stand up for others and herself through her music and creativity.

“It’s not the artist part of me, it’s the human part of me. I am human and I see these wrongdoings. I cannot just sit there and not say anything. If I don’t say anything, I’m as wrong as the people that are doing it,” said Rose.