Machel Montano has been doing soca ‘Like Ah Boss’ since age 7. His new documentary proves it
TheGrio...
The “Like Ah Boss: Journey of a Soca King” documentary explores Montano’s 40-year career and the evolution of soca. It’s set to be released on Amazon Prime Video on May 29.
Machel Montano’s native Trinidad and Tobago is widely known as the birthplace of Carnival, and each year the festivities grow bigger and more energetic. One of the most highly anticipated events is “Machel Monday,” the soca star’s annual flagship concert experience, which in 2015 spanned seven days, featured 16 performances and drew more than 25,000 attendees. He also released his biggest single, “Like Ah Boss,” the same year.
The demanding performance schedule pushed Montano to his limits, something he openly acknowledged when reflecting on the experience.
“Exhaustion is a mild way to put it. Let’s call it death, being on death’s door. That’s where I see myself in every show,” Montano told TheGrio.
Montano’s relentless work ethic and influence on soca music are central themes in “Like Ah Boss: Journey of a Soca King,” a documentary streaming on Amazon Video on May 29. The film explores four decades of the artist’s career, which began at age 7, and arrives at a pivotal moment for the genre.
“We’re on the verge of what we think is a breakthrough, like that of reggaeton; Bad Bunny at the Super Bowl, Burna Boy at the O2 Arena. We think soca music is upon that,” Montano said.
Long before Montano was selling out Machel Monday, his entry point into music was pure curiosity, specifically, about the technology behind it. Growing up, his household had a small but diverse record collection: Bob Marley, Lionel Richie, Blondie’s “The Tide Is High” and Frankie Smith’s “Double Dutch Bus.” But while other kids were enjoying the music, Montano was studying it.
“I really wanted to know how they get all these songs onto this black thing that they call a record,” Montano said. “That started me into wanting to be interested in musical instruments.”
That curiosity quickly expanded. His brother was taking music lessons, and his mother enrolled him in vocal training. Soon, he was singing in the choir, and with every opportunity, he said, “Alright.” His mother saw it firsthand.
“We never really had to guide him,” Elizabeth Montano said in the documentary. “We always just had to be there to support him. He always knew what he wanted. He always wanted to do it at a certain level, where he would always compete with himself and wanted to be better than the time before.”
His desire to understand the magic behind the music had already set him on a professional path. “By 9 years old, I was being offered to open for the Mighty Sparrow at Madison Square Garden,” he said. “It became a joy quickly, whether I wanted to or not.”
Montano had already begun his singing career, performing live in calypso tents, which he described as “main arenas for Calypsonians.” He was performing alongside musicians in their 50s and 60s, including calypso legends like Lord Kitchener, Mighty Sparrow and King Wellington.
While he was considered a young sensation, he faced criticism for performing at late-night concerts as a child alongside much older adults. He responded by releasing his single “Too Young to Soca,” which led to a semifinal appearance in an adult competition and sparked further scrutiny over his age.
He ultimately won the competition, beating out more experienced artists. It was the kind of breakthrough that drew comparisons, including one that would follow him for decades.
Montano has been referred to as the “Michael Jackson of the Caribbean” throughout his career. Both artists began singing and performing at a young age, building fan bases in the Caribbean and beyond. What they had in common was an “attraction to greatness” and a commitment to being the best in their craft.
“Michael Jackson’s DNA is in my everything … I had his posters on my wall. I had his music in the house. I had his albums. I love his dancing. I love his technology, his use of theater, and those things stayed with me,” Montano said.
He studied notable figures and looked for ways to apply their influence to his own career, saying, “I love greatness. That led me on a journey to study people like Mandela, Martin Luther King, Marcus Garvey, Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa. These people to me were great; how do you become so great in this world?”
Montano reflected on artists like Jackson and the Osmonds, who started as children and went on to become global icons. In the Caribbean, he was the first child performer to launch a music career and has continued to make his mark in the industry.
“In calypso and soca, there were no kids doing it at that point in time. Machel was doing it as a teen, doing it as a young adult, and now doing it as an uncle,” he said.
But maintaining that level of presence across four decades comes with a price. In 1997, Montano earned his first Road March, with back-to-back power soca sets. He and his crew set out to be the first to accomplish the feat, but it ultimately came with a humbling reality check.
“In the middle of two of them, by the time they were done, I really wanted to throw up on the side of the stage. I had to find ways to pretend to be functioning at 100, but I’m functioning at 25,” Montano explained.
He described music as having “some sort of formula,” explaining, “It’s like a wave, and you have to just ride that wave as a human being. There’s a level of joy. When you’re experiencing joy, time passes faster.”
When asked what he hopes viewers will gain from his new documentary, Montano said he wants fans to see his “transformation” through every stage of his life, both personal and professional.
“I want them to see the connection of dots, the spiritual side, the transformation moments; from music to yoga, from rock star to marriage. Those little things could help them chart their own lives, but with the essence of their being, not mine,” he said.
While the “Like Ah Boss” star has accomplished much in his 40-year career, he credits his faith as his ultimate guide.
“God is the boss. I am an employee. Sometimes you have to understand where you lead and where you follow,” Montano said.