Machel Montano ready for Jamaican ‘Encore’

Carnival in Jamaica has been moving to one rhythm all week, and the King of Soca, Machel Montano, has been right at the centre of it. His presence has stretched across multiple events on the calendar, from the high-energy scenes at I Love Soca to the Heineken-sponsored Sunrise Breakfast Party. At each stop, he moved effortlessly through the circuit, delivering performances that reinforced his command of the stage and his connection with Caribbean audiences. By Saturday night, that momentum was expected to carry into his second appearance at Wi Fete, where his set at the Smirnoff and Johnnie Walker-sponsored event was set to build even further anticipation for what was to come.

Now, all roads lead to the ultimate test of endurance and connection, the road march. Montano is set to take that energy onto the road with Smirnoff GenXS, placing himself at the centre of one of carnival’s most anticipated moments. For those still chasing the ‘encore’, the artiste is also set for one final burst of soca after the road clears, closing out the experience at Yard Mas After Road Jam.

Beyond the stage and the spectacle, Jamaica remains a deeply personal space for the artiste as Montano spent part of his early childhood living in Mona, St Andrew, an experience he says continues to shape how he connects with the island today.

“I have a lot of pictures and albums with different photos, but I personally remember how much I used to love the smell of rain when it used to fall on the street,” he shared. His memories were of the people, places, and feelings that continue to fascinate him, such as playing one of the Three Wise Men in a school dramatisation, waiting for the ice cream truck, visiting Port Royal and the Giddy House, along with faint memories of travelling by train.

As his career began to take shape, those early personal ties evolved into professional ones. Montano credits the late Byron Lee for helping to open the door to Jamaica’s carnival scene, introducing him to audiences that would become an important part of his journey. Montano recalls the excitement of those early performances, particularly the overwhelming response from Jamaican audiences as soca music began gaining traction on the island.

“I remember seeing massive crowds and realising how much people here were connecting with soca,” he said. “It was a different energy, but one that felt familiar at the same time.”

That connection helped shape his understanding of Caribbean music as a shared cultural space, one where soca and dancehall naturally intersect, and eventually, it led him back to the island. Over the years, he has shared the studio and stage with heavyweights like Sean Paul, Beenie Man, and Shaggy, while keeping an eye on new possibilities. Among those is a long-anticipated collaboration with Shenseea, as well as a soca-driven rework of DJ Mac’s WYFL Riddim, both efforts aimed at continuing the conversation between genres.

Montano’s latest studio project, Encore, arrives at a defining moment in his career, following his historic 12th Road March title in Trinidad and Tobago, where he surpassed Lord Kitchener for the most wins in history. The project leans into that momentum, blending high-energy soca with more melodic, groove-driven elements, while reflecting the genre’s continued evolution.

“We wanted to follow that energy,” he explained. “The people wanted more, so we came to give them an encore.”

That same forward momentum is also reflected beyond the stage. His documentary, Like ah Boss: Journey of a Soca King, revisits his career, focusing on the 2015 carnival season, a period widely seen as a defining moment in his trajectory. The film is scheduled for digital release on Amazon Prime Video on May 29, and will premiere in Jamaica on Tuesday, April 14.

As Carnival Sunday unfolds, Montano stands at a familiar intersection of past and present. Rooted in memory, driven by momentum, and still pushing the culture forward, he remains a defining force within the carnival experience.

entertainment@gleanerjm.com