Now that Carnival 2017 is all done and dusted, former soca starlet Shanaqua is determined to make a comeback to the stage. For Carnival, Shanaqua, real name Rachael Fortune, waxed topical with a Myron B-produced track titled Ah Owe in which she addressed the struggle Trinbagonians face this time of year in balancing financial obligations with Carnival aspirations. It is a headache all soca fans can identify with more so with the downturn of the local economy.
“It’s an undeniable sound because it is at its very core who we are as a people,” said Shanaqua. “Yes we have been exposed to so many more cultures and remain abreast on the latest trends in music the world over, but when you strip all those influences away we are still who we are, Trinis and Tobagonians, rooted in our rich calypso and soca history,” Shanaqua said of her musical approach.
Having turned 46 on January 17, Shanaqua didn’t sing in a calypso tent this year but has every intention of performing in a calypso tent next year. “After Carnival I intend working on some songs I would like to release by Emancipation,” said Shanaqua. “I have a conscious song I recorded way back in 1997 and plan to remix it. I also have a love song that I composed and shall release that as well. My work doesn’t stop for Carnival and I intend to be working throughout the year.
“It’s all about a re-dedication and commitment towards my singing career. Having taken a long break, and encouraged by experienced artistes like Gypsy, SuperBlue, Denyse Plummer, Brigo and the late Rootsman I have been encouraged to sing again. Machel Montano’s mother, Liz, also gave me a lot of inspiration, as did Kenny Phillips.”
The former Panasonic Express-lead singer, a position she shared alongside soca megastar Machel Montano during the late 80’s, gave soca fans a pleasant surprise when she ended her hiatus with a return of the bouncy live band soca sound for which she is most known.
Ah Owe was written by Peter Harper and Shanaqua, and the track has a throwback feel to an authentic age of soca music before cross genre experimentation. Interestingly many artistes are now reverting to this sound.
Going by Rachael Fortune back in the day, Shanaqua had the hit song Too Early For Your Love with Montano in 1988. The former Auntie Kay winner changed her name to Shanaqua in 1998 when she released the hit pan song Pan For Carnival which was played by 17 steelbands that year. She is a former National Calypso Queen and International Soca Monarch finalist.
Having gone through many years of “personal stress and fight-down from some big artistes,” Shanaqua is determined to make it back into the spotlight.