The year 2023 has started off with a bang for Vincentian Soca icon, Gamal ‘Skinny Fabulous’ Doyle.
His album B.A.D (Beyond a Doubt) has reached number one on the Reggae charts worldwide, a number one song and to compliment his recent success in Trinidad and Tobago, he has been included among the top five ‘Essential Soca” artistes in an article featured on www.grammy.com.
The article was published on February 22, days after the conclusion of 2023 Trinidad and Tobago’s Carnival celebrations where Doyle was featured this year.
For some time, his collaboration with Nailah Blackman ‘Come Home’ was leading and was billed to cop this year’s Road March.
In the end, Bunji Garlin’s ‘Hard Fete’ was ahead, but nevertheless, Doyle has had an impact on TnT’s Carnival in 2023.
As was stated in the article, Doyle has written/co written several hits for other Soca artistes across the region including veteran Soca artiste, Machel Montano.
According to the article, Doyle is featured among the likes Montano himself, Patrice Roberts, Aaron ‘Voice’ St Louis and Kees Dieffenthaller (Kes and the Band) all Trinidadians.
Doyle is the sole non-Trinidadian national to be featured, which speaks volumes considering some of the big names from across the region.
All this to add to his six Soca Monarch titles here and his Road March success in the Twin Island Republic in Carnival 2019 and 2023.
And when one may think that he just might have accomplished all there is for an entertainer, he says that he is only just getting started.
“The plan is to get more number ones and make more waves for myself and 784,” Doyle told ANN.
“I have a lot more to accomplish though out my career,” he continued.
“I’m never really satisfied. I always want more – it’s the secret formula.”
Since 2008, he has been in demand throughout the region, the US and in parts of Europe.
He told ANN that he has been pushing outside the normal markets with some of the highest streaming numbers coming from European and Asian markets.
After all, he is featured among four Trinidadian Soca artistes which says a lot for him and for Vincy music.
“Being recognized amongst other top Soca artistes as a Vincentian reaffirms to me that hard work always pays off – not always the amount you want, but it pays off in ways that make it worth it,” Doyle said.
“Vincy music has always been an influential part of the Soca landscape; we are a little dot with a huge impact.”
But it is not by accident that he has become one of the more sought after Soca entertainers of the modern era.
“I put in a consistent level of work that lands me always in the conversation of top songs and contributions,” he told ANN.