In recent years, the Caribbean music scene has witnessed a dynamic evolution, with a new wave of genres captivating audiences worldwide. At the center of this movement is Bozo aka Bad Sound. This Albany scene leader is changing the sonic landscape with his mind-expanding tunes. Ever since its release, his infectious follow-up “Both Twanche Riddim Refix” has been igniting St Lucian raves. It’s been widely lauded across outlets, including a feature on London’s NTS Radio, an indication of the booming international interest in Caribbean sounds.
Bozo’s unique blend of musical styles features elements of the dennery segment, house music, and samples from Portuguese producer DJ Marfox. This rich tapestry brings to light the different cultural influences that go into making modern Caribbean music so unique and special.
The Dennery segment
A local, more upbeat island variation of bouyon from the St Lucia village of Dennery. Even Bozo himself will tell you that it is heavily influenced by Africa. This link highlights the genre’s cultural roots and its far-reaching cultural importance.
One notable all-star track that’s already catching ears is “Bouwéy,” produced by Guadeloupean musician 1T1. It’s already generated an astounding 12 million views on YouTube, and counting! The song erupts with a fiery zydeco-inspired uptempo groove. It’s a celebration of the lively energy of bouyon, fusing African rhythms, soca, electronic dance music (EDM), Haitian kompa, French music, and calypso. With “Bouwéy,” he’s had astounding success. In doing so, it demonstrates a happy trend where songs can achieve viral success without the need for inflammatory lyrics.
The Angolan dance style of kuduro has a huge hand in shaping bouyon. This connection only deepens the genre’s African roots and its potential for cross-cultural collaboration. Tilly, in truth, is perhaps the most beloved elder of the bouyon scene. She manages rising Dominican star DJ Taffy and has witnessed through these musical genres firsthand how they can change lives.
Sound system favourite “Funny Riddim” was an instrumental piece that has since mesmerized some of the best vocalists and rhyme slingers out there. This reflects the energetic cooperative atmosphere that permeates bouyon music. He thinks that this combination of energy and rhythm is what keeps bouyon alive above all else.
“The nastiness [paired] with the pulsating rhythm, it really and truly brought the music to the world.” – Tilly
The rise of cheap production technology and low-cost digital distribution has played a crucial role in popularizing high-tempo styles like bouyon. Beyond that, social media platforms—especially TikTok—have helped artists introduce themselves to broader audiences almost overnight. This accessibility has allowed various Caribbean sounds to permeate global music scenes, despite the region having only 44 million inhabitants.
Arade Moses, a prominent figure in the bouyon genre, recognizes this trend and its implications for the future of Caribbean music. He explains that bouyon’s energetic, propulsive quality finds a powerful chord with younger audiences.
“It’s so energy-driven, and the way the youth react to it is so different. True bouyon is too melodic to be stopped!” – Arade Moses
Though bouyon is becoming more popularized, artists are still pushing the envelope with innovative themes in their lyrics. Tilly understands the media’s love for controversy and a good story. Most creators search to move away from more niche topics back to more mainstream fare once they have established successful franchises.
“I told the guys making it: ‘Don’t worry, I’ll take the blame for the lyrics.’ We used the nasty business to get the music out in the world. Now we’ve done that, we’re back making real bouyon; love songs, serious songs.” – Tilly
This collaborative spirit that’s part and parcel to bouyon is a part of an exciting, cultural movement happening all throughout Caribbean music. Bouyon has grown beyond its original boundaries but still retains the essence of what bouyon represents. It takes a glaring inspiration from 90s big bands, such as WCK and Triple 0, and breakout stars of the 2010s like Asa Bantan and Arade Moses.
With carnival season just around the corner, Tilly helps audiences to remember the complex and colorful world of this deep music culture. He highlights that to engage in carnival celebrations you have to embrace a particular spirit.
“You have to drink some rum – it’s carnival music, not everyone can handle it. You have to be crazy!” – Tilly