Jamaican songbird Tessanne Chin brought the audience to its feet with her soulful rendition of Bob Marley’s One Love at the Queen’s Park Savannah, yesterday.
Her second number was the song of her countryman Shaggy, Never let Me Go, which had patrons rocking in the aisles. Chin returned to the stage and delivered a stirring performance of Always Tomorrow.
Over 4,000 children from various schools came together as the T&T Young Voices Choir, waving flags and rags, and singing along with Chin, the winner of season five of America’s NBC hit show The Voice; Digicel Rising Stars winners Neval Chatelal and Neisha Guy; 3Veni frontline vocalist Nishard M; and international vocal entertainer Randolph Matthews at the T&T Young Voices concert at the Grand Stand, Queen’s Park Savannah.
The audience placement was the reverse of what usually occurred during Carnival, however, with the entertainers and choir performing in the Grand Stand, while the audience sat where Carnival bands cross under the sun.
Chatelal and Nishard M had the patrons and children dancing to Kool & the Gang’s Celebration, followed by the patriotic My Beautiful Country and their signature Lightbulb Dance.
The dancing and singing duo, however, brought the house down with Pharrell’s Happy.
Neisha Guy sang Demi Lovato’s Let It Go and Randolph Matthews delivered a powerful rendition of Labi Siffre’s (Something Inside) So Strong.
The artistes came together to close the show with Nelson’s All Ah We Is One Family.
For the past four months, the children had been hard at work rehearsing their songs under the tutelage of T&T Young Voices principal conductor Lorraine Granderson and it showed in their polished performances which held the rapt attention of their parents and the appreciative audience.
The songs the youngsters sang with gusto were from various genres ranging from You Gotta Be by Des’ree, Lean On Me by Bill Withers and the Lion King Medley. (CKS)