Interview with Candice Sealey rep for Chill’N Carnival LIVE Series
ANN : Can you explain the concept behind Chill’n Carnival LIVE? How did the idea come about? What is the primary vision or goal of the Chill’n Carnival LIVE series?
Candice Sealey: Ever so often we see our artistes on local, regional and international stages but we may not get a chance to really connect with them in person. After all, we are their fans so why not create a hub or that space where our soca superstars can meet and greet with Vincies and foreigners alike during Vincy Mas! That was the idea behind this concept. Further to that, we wanted to create that space for young and upcoming artistes to have their music heard and they can even perform if they wish. It’s a networking opportunity for everyone…. Our 1st Carnival Series was back in 2016 and each year up it 2019, we saw it grow and grow… We took a break due to COVID in 2020 but now in 2024, we’re back with a bang. The Chill’n space has been upgraded and rebranded and the drinks and other menu items compliment the experience that awaits. Let’s not forget Chill’n is also owned by SVG’s own Kevin Lyttle who is no stranger to international music stages. This concept is very dear to his heart.
The concept is quite simple. Each Friday we feature different artistes/producers. Artistes have their own special ‘artiste area’ at Chill’n and they are treated to a preselected menu of eats and drinks; the public has an opportunity to take photos or chat with the artistes, hear their music and maybe even see them perform… The Chill’n Carnival LIVE takes places on Fridays from 5:30pm during happy hours so it’s ambience… great food… drinks and entertainment! This time around the series spread across four Friday from this Friday leading up the Friday of the Carnival weekend.
ANN : What can attendees expect when they attend a Chill’n Carnival LIVE event? Are there any unique elements or features that set Chill’n Carnival LIVE apart from other events?
Candice Sealey: Wow… What can I say? Is Ah vibe… There’s no other way to describe it. Chill… Relax… Vibe… It’s a good after work lime, a great end of week vibe and the perfect place to meet, greet and mingle with friends and artistes!
This Friday is the big relaunch… The ambience has always been a ‘pull’ for patrons and now with the upgrade at the location, we know many people are looking forward to being there this Friday after work.
SVG is full of talent and there are a plethora of songs that are released each year but you may not necessarily hear all or even half of these good songs but at the Carnival series, the DJS will definitely bring the vibe with their selections. This year we have teamed up with BOOM 106.9, ANN & One News SVG so you can expect some of the big BOOM DJS and if you are the diaspora, we have a treat for you online. You can expect giveaways from Guiness Possee among others.
Over the years, The Carnival Series has seen regional acts who were present in SVG, come by to lime and meet fans, we have had the cast performing at major Carnival events make the Carnival Series at Chilln, their hang out spot… so you just never know who will pop up! Some brands have also used the series for brand activations so that public can sample their products at Chill’n during the series.
AAN : How do you choose the themes or activities for each event?
Candice Sealey: It depends … we pay attention to what’s happening on the ground. For example, if there’s a big event coming up, we may liaise with the promoter/event organizer to giveaway tickets or we may have giveaways or tastings from sponsors. Pleasing the patrons through the entertainment and activities are a top priority.
ANN : How do you select the artists and performers for Chill’n Carnival LIVE? Are there opportunities for emerging or local artists to participate in the series?
Candice Sealey: We invite trending artistes- artistes with popular songs, big hits, crowd pleasers – a good mix of new skool and old skool. We keep our ears to the ground, scan social media, hear what’s trending on the radio stations so we know what’s happening. This Friday for example, we have the 2024 South Leeward Carnival Soca monarch and the Barrouallie Soca Monarch, Fry Yiy with his hit song ‘Leave the Liquor’. He also won the FLOW First Run competition at the launch of Vincy Mas. In addition, soca heavy hitter, LPank who took a break a few years ago is back with his hit ‘Fever’ – he has built up a catalogue of hits over the years and the public loves his music. This will be Fry YIY’s first time at the Carnival LIVE series so this Friday is off to great start… Expect a surprise guest also this Friday!
The answer is yes certainly! There are opportunities… Whether you are emerging or a seasoned artist or you are promoter that would love to collaborate with us, you don’t need to wait for us to contact you, you can reach out to our Event Lead, Candice Sealey on FB or on IG @islandspice3d, or you can send a message directly to Chilln @chillnsvg
ANN : Can you share any success stories or positive impacts the series has had on local artists and performers?
Candice Sealey: One of the things we have noticed is that it stimulates the camaraderie amongst the artistes and members of the entertainment industry. Artistes, DJs and promoters alike come every week or every other week. They bring their friends or entourage I should say, and they have a great time! For some patrons, it’s the first time they can meet the artistes up close and personal and for the young upcoming artistes, it gives them an idea of how people really feel about their music. Of course, they get love on the gram and see the ‘likes’, comments and emojis online from fans but to have a fan walk up to you say “Man, dis song gone clear”! That’s something else.
How do you ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all attendees?
Candice Sealey: We spoke a lot about the enjoyment aspect earlier. As it relates to safety.
ANN : What are your short-term and long-term goals for Chill’n Carnival LIVE?
Do you have any plans to expand the series or introduce new elements in the future?
CANDICE Sealey: look forward to seeing the Chilln’ Carnival LIVE series featured on the list of private events and activities for Vincy Mas, so people know this is definitely something they need to check out when they are in SVG. Innovation is key and the only constant is change so we are always fine tuning so we can improve; with that said, keep your eyes glued to @chillinsvg on FB & IG for any updates in the future. However as previously mentioned, look forward to the Courtyard experience this year.
ANN : What challenges have you faced in organizing Chill’n Carnival LIVE, and how have you overcome them
CANDIDCE Sealey : I can’t really say we have had challenges per se…. This time of year, is always a busy one for our entertainers and at times, it may be a bit tough to pin some of them down but that comes with the territory. The series picked up quite a following over the past few years so we recognized the need for more space and also realize that some people may just want to come to enjoy Chill’n happy hours and they may not necessarily want to be involved in the meet and greet or an up close performance viewing so with the addition of the Courtyard, they too can have a wonderful experience at Chill’n at that time.
ANN : Do you have any memorable moments or standout performances from the series that you’d like to share?
Candice Sealey: The vibe and the energy amongst patrons is one for the books. There was one occasion when it seemed that almost every artiste was at the series and the vibe was electric- that evening I would say almost all if not all the artistes performed back-to-back, so it was a LIVE show right in the middle of Kingstown… the location was packed… the posts on social media were continuous…. You just had to be there.
Also memorable was the presence of regional artistes as well as that year when the series was hosted by Vincentian, Multi-Platinum artiste, Kevin Lyttle who is also co-owner of Chill’n. He had the opportunity to not only meet patrons but also have one-on-one conversations with the artistes, which many of them valued. They also had the opportunity to sample Monte Carlo vodka, a brand that Kevin represented at the time.