TRINIDADIAN SOCA STAR MACHEL MONTANO
DROPS NEW VIDEO “FLING IT UP” FT. DAVIDO (WATCH HERE)
AHEAD OF U.S. LEG OF ONE DEGREE HOTTER TOUR
Headlining Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on Aug 24 &
Washington D.C.’s Afro Plus Fest on Aug 31
Download Album Cover (photo by Anil Mathi) HERE
Download “Fling It Up” BTS Photos (credit: Deep Focus) HERE
“Machel Montano is ready to make us dance…” —Rolling Stone
“ ‘King of Soca’ provides irrefutable evidence to support that statement…Montano’s performance is the first to bring soca, the high-energy dance music of the Caribbean, to the Tiny Desk.” – NPR
“soca’s guardian — a cultural architect pushing the genre beyond tropical borders…Montano stands as an antidote and beacon…building cultural altars where the world willingly kneels…treating each stage like sacred ground and every song as spiritual work.” – GRAMMY
World-renowned soca superstar Machel Montano releases the video for “Fling It Up” featuring international Nigerian hitmaker Davido today, ahead of the U.S. leg of his One Degree Hotter Tour.
“Fling It Up” (produced by Tano & Full Blown Entertainment) landed at #48 on Billboard’s U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart earlier this year, and is a stand out single on Machel’s latest album One Degree Hotter. The brand new video, directed and produced by Fresh Juice, captures Machel and Davido during the height of Trinidad Carnival’s festivities this past February. Davido’s infectious energy drives the chorus as he celebrates Carnival: “We living up we life, baby turn up for me, come show your colors for me, and put your hand up for me, we party through the night…” One of the video’s standout moments is a close-up of Machel playing a steel pan, which then zooms out to reveal a striking array of the instrument—the signature sound of soca.
Machel Montano “Fling It Up” ft. Davido
Riding the wave of “Fling It Up,” Machel Montano is turning up the heat on his One Degree Hotter Tour, bringing Carnival energy straight to U.S. stages. Fresh off viral moments in Barbados with Tyla [Watch HERE] and sold-out festival stops in Anguilla, Antigua, and Toronto, Montano brings his One Degree Hotter Tour to Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on August 24, following his historic sold-out 2019 40-year anniversary show at the venue. He’ll be joined by Bunji Garlin, Skillibeng, Moliy, and more for a high-energy night celebrating soca, afrobeats, and dancehall. The tour continues to Afro Plus Fest in Washington, D.C. on August 31 with Asake, Wizkid, Shenseea and Gunna, and wraps at Miami’s One Link Music Festival on October 11.
As Machel Montano tours international stages, the One Degree Hotter album itself stands as a milestone—celebrating his academic achievement (earning a Master’s Degree in Carnival Studies from the University of Trinidad & Tobago) while redefining the global sound of soca. Tracks like “Fling It Up” (ft. Davido) and “Pepper Vine” (with Lady Lava & Drupatee) showcase his vision of infusing soca with vibrant influences from Africa and India, pushing the genre’s boundaries and signaling a bold new chapter in his musical evolution.
Remaining Tour Dates:
Aug 22 – CARIFESTA, Barbados
Aug 24 – PLANET BROOKLYN FEST, Brooklyn, NY
Aug 31 – AFRO PLUS FEST, Washington, D.C.
Oct 11 – ONE LINK MUSIC FESTIVAL, Miami, FL
MACHEL MONTANO
Hailing from Port of Spain in Trinidad & Tobago,Machel Montano has been sharing his music with the world for 43 years. Since a child, Machel has been a leader in the genre, winning countless awards and pushing Soca music onto the international stage with growing velocity. Machel is the winner of 11 Trinidad & Tobago Road Marches, 7 International Soca Monarch titles, and a Soul Train Award for Best International Performance. The New York Times raves, “his place as soca’s most transformative star is undeniable.” The artist has collaborated and shared stages with some of the world’s most renowned music icons like Rihanna, Ariana Grande, Pitbull, Drake, Nicki Minaj, Mighty Sparrow, Calypso Rose, Black Stalin, Mighty Shadow, Shaggy, and many more. He has packed out arenas worldwide, including selling out Madison Square Garden multiple times and performing alongside Major Lazer on Coachella’s main stage.
