Initial Wave of Artists Announced for the 22nd Annual Event.
Kicking off what is sure to be a star-studded line-up, the St. Kitts Tourism Authority is pleased to announce that Patti LaBelle, Ms. Lauryn Hill and Spice will be performing in the 22nd Annual St. Kitts Music Festival, which will take place June 27 to July 1, 2018.
“I am extremely pleased to have such popular artists join the roster for the 2018 St. Kitts Music Festival,” said Minister of Tourism, International Trade, Industry and Commerce the Hon. Mr. Lindsay F.P. Grant.
“This event has become well-known for featuring top internationally known acts along with local talent and for showcasing broad range of musical styles. It has proven to be a successful formula and one we are therefore continuing to follow.”
American singer, author, actress, and entrepreneur Patti LaBelle began her career in the early 1960s as lead singer and front woman of the group known for the iconic disco song “Lady Marmalade.” LaBelle’s successful solo career started with her critically acclaimed debut album, which included the popular song, “You Are My Friend.” LaBelle became a mainstream solo star in 1984 following the success of the singles, “If Only You Knew,” “New Attitude” and “Stir It Up.”
In a career that has spanned fifty years, LaBelle has sold more than 50 million records worldwide. LaBelle won a 1992 GRAMMY® Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for her 1991 album, Burnin’, followed by a second Grammy win for the live album, Live! One Night Only. She has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Apollo Theater Hall of Fame and the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame. In 2005, the World Music Awards recognized her years in the music business by awarding her the Legend Award. LaBelle was included in Rolling Stone on their list of 100 Greatest Singers. LaBelle is commonly identified as the “Godmother of Soul” noted for her vocal power, range and emotive delivery.
Multi-platinum artist Ms. Lauryn Hill rose to prominence as the lone female member of The Fugees, one of the biggest selling R&B acts around the world. Her solo career soared when The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was released nearly twenty years ago, earning her five GRAMMY® Awards and leaving an indelible mark in music history. For the 1999 Grammy Awards, Ms. Lauryn Hill became the first woman to be nominated in ten categories in a single year. In addition to Miseducation works, the nominations included her Billboard hit rendition of “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” and her writing and producing of “A Rose Is Still a Rose”, which became a late-in-career hit for Aretha Franklin. During the ceremony, Ms. Lauryn Hill broke another record by becoming the first woman to win five times in one night, taking home the awards for Album of the Year, Best R&B Album, Best R&B Song, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, and Best New Artist. Her critically acclaimed solo album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998) remains Ms. Lauryn Hill’s only solo studio album. It included the singles “Doo Wop (That Thing)” (also a number one), “Ex-Factor,” and “Everything Is Everything.” The album debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 and has sold approximately eight million copies.
Spice is a Jamaican dancehall recording artist, singer and songwriter who is the protégé of fellow deejay Baby Cham. She initially gained recognition after releasing her controversial single “Romping Shop” with Vybz Kartel in 2009. In 2009 and again in 2010, Spice received the Excellence in Music and Entertainment (EME) Award for “Female Deejay of the Year.” At the Youth View Awards in Jamaica, she won “Best Female Performer,” “Favourite Local Female Artiste” and “Young, Hot & Hype Female.” She continued to gain recognition after releasing her single “So Mi Like It” in 2014, featured on her debut EP of the same name, which debuted at number 14 on the Billboard Top Reggae Albums chart. In May 2015, she received the award for “Best Female Dancehall Artist” at the 34th Annual International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWMA), which she received again the following year. At the MOBO Awards, Spice was the only female nominated for “Best Reggae Act” and the first female dancehall artist ever nominated in this category. Spice is working on her debut album, currently titled Spice It Up, and has released the first single from the album “Sheet.”
Now entering its 22nd year, the St. Kitts Music Festival attracts both locals and visitors alike. It features a wide range of musical styles on the popular market, including R&B, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Reggae, Soca, Calypso, Gospel and Contemporary music. Past artists have included such prominent acts as John Legend, The Goo Goo Dolls, Lionel Richie, Jason Derulo, Trey Songz, T-Pain, Michael Bolton, R. City, K.C. and the Sunshine Band, Wyclef Jean, Ne-Yo, Air Supply, Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds, Shaggy, Kelly Rowland, Tarrus Riley, Jah Cure, Tessanne Chin, Toni Braxton, Sean Paul, Boyz II Men, King Konris, Stephen Marley, Maxi Priest, Beres Hammond, and Biggie Irie.
For more information about the St. Kitts Music Festival, visit www.stkittsmusicfestival.com.
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For further press information, please contact:
Melissa Hobson/Natalie Garland/James Brooke
T: +44 (0)20 3440 8930
E: [email protected]
About St. Kitts
Intoxicating natural beauty, sunny skies, warm waters, and sandy beaches combine to make St. Kitts one of the most seductive spots in the Caribbean. Located in the northern Leeward Islands, it offers a diverse tourism product developed from the destination’s natural beauty, cultural heritage and rich history. The island’s stunning variety of tourism attractions include hiking through the tropical rainforest, riding the scenic railway that connects the island’s former sugar plantations, visiting the Caribelle Batik factory, and touring Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, which is an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Among the more traditional vacation pastimes available are watersports, golf, shopping, tennis, dining, gaming at St. Kitts’ exclusive casino or simply relaxing on the beach. For more information about St. Kitts, visit www.stkittstourism.kn.
