“Day 1, Thursday, April 16, 2020: Arrive in the reggae capital of the world. The vibe is intoxicating … However, you won’t hear any reggae on this trip … It’s a soca takeover! So it is going to be pure carnival vibes on the beautiful island of Jamaica. After you check in, relax and get ready because tonight we are going to party!!!! Get ready for the time of your life!” That is the welcome from carnivalhunters.com to all socaphiles originally scheduled to enjoy carnival in Jamaica this weekend. However, the scenario for revellers this weekend will be somewhat different. Owing to the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) globally, it will instead be a case of inside, rather than a jungle of parties culminating with J’Ouvert and the energetic, kaleidoscopic, road march on Sunday.
Carnival in Jamaica’s Road Parade featuring Bacchanal Jamaica, Xaymaca International, and Xodus Carnival has been rescheduled for Sunday, October 25, while downtown Kingston and Ocho Rios Carnival Road Parades will be staged on National Heroes Day, Monday, October 19.
5 Questions With … caught up with entertainment industry stalwart, the savvy chief executive officer of Xaymaca International, Andrew Bellamy, who shared with us how he has been managing during lockdown and his super-exciting plans to ‘wuk up’ this Sunday, with a one-of-a-kind Indoor Carnival Road Experience for all revellers.
1. How have you been coping?
I have taken this downtime to ponder on the many areas of my life, refocus on what’s super important, recalibrate some goals, handle some business that wasn’t given the necessary attention, and simply rest.
2. What is your view of online parties?
The concept of online parties is ingenious and a necessary tool for us all to cope with the restrictions of COVID-19. Now more than ever, an outlet is needed to relieve stress through music, express creativity, and even stumble upon a potential revenue earner for many. I see online parties will be a part of our social network going forward.
3. So how will you be wukkin’ up this weekend inside?
At first, it was going to be a chill vibe; however, the Xaymaca directorship has decided that we would be doing a disservice to our brand and to our masqueraders and the wider carnival industry if we didn’t do something unique, one-of-a-kind and super cool. As such, Xaymaca will be hosting an Indoor Carnival Road Experience through a partnership with The Indoor Project & Sleek Jamaica. Xaymaca will be providing a full day of entertainment from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. with some of Jamaica’s best DJs, alongside representing DJs from Trinidad, New York, The Bahamas, and a few others. Within this eight-hour period, we guarantee high-energy, crazy madness and total shelling!
So yup, I’m anxious to turn up this Sunday with my fellow Xaymacans.
4. Share with us your top-five soca wind up and down tracks.
Turn Up
– Stage gone Bad by Kes & Iwer Goerge
– Conch Shell by Machel, Skinny & Iwer George
– We Outside by Viking Ding Dong
– Up & Up by Skinny Fabulous
– Bottle over Head by Wetty Beatz
Chill Vibe
– I Love You by Machel Montano
– Feel the Love by Freetown
– Carry On by Patrice
– Waste man by Sekon Sta
– Toat no feelings by Motto & Nessa Preppy
5. How has your spirituality helped you through this time?
My greatest comfort and assurance is that God is in complete control of everything that’s taking place within our lives, whether personally or nationally. And as such, I have been able to embrace this adjustment to life through prayer and reflection while setting my mental and spiritual tone for a new norm that will emerge when we defeat COVID-19.