Soca has been the sound of Trinidad and Tobago for over 40 years. Its rhythmic energy and high-tempo beats capture the spirit of the island perfectly: a country of mixed cultures and carnivals.<br><br>Soca is a reflection of the two largest ethnic groups that make up the island’s population, with Africans and Indians being the equally predominant ethnic groups.<br> <br>It first emerged in the 1970s as a response to fears that traditional Calypso music, an important part of Trinidad and Tobago’s heritage, was fading into the background of Reggae, a more commercial and multinational musical genre. Garfield Blackman, a Trinidadian musician, attempted to reinvent Calypso music, to generate fresh interest in the genre and to preserve African and Indian influences in popular music.<br> <br>Blackman blended sounds from classical Indian instruments, such as the dhaka and chantal, with Calypso beats to create a unique sound that resonated with Trinidad and Tobago’s Indian and African populations.<br><br>As contemporary life in the Caribbean comes increasingly under the influence of other cultures, particularly that of its neighbour, the United States, so does its music. Yet, Soca is a living example of how Caribbean music has responded to these challenges and evolved in ways that succeed in preserving the island’s cultural roots.<br>