Artistes

Michelle ‘Big Red’ King: beyond the music

Michell Big Red King

At face value Michelle Big Red King is a fairly successful singer by Guyanese standards with a voice of gold and a most commendable live entertainer personality who gets any crowd going. Her more than a decade experience as a lead singer spans several bands including, Petes Caribbean Fusion, EC Connection and the Mischievous Guys and countless singles which have now become a full fledge video compilation launched last July. All told she has about 18 of her own songs recorded while she’s preparing to do some traveling and doing some other recordings.

And while she’s resolved not to compete ever again in some sections of the mash music arena one can be assured that she would be among the line up contesting the national calypso competition come 2011 and possibly a force to be reckoned with in the inaugural Banks Groovy Soca Monarch clash at November month end. But this proud mother of two who has created the ‘Guyanese wine’ that has caused many to be ‘watching me when I wining’ is far more than meets the eyes of the local entertainment lime light. When asked about reentering competitions she said there is no chance that she will ever go back into the Soca Monarch competition.

Her advice to budding artistes is “Be patient work on your self and listen to constructive criticism and don’t get too big fro your own good but above all be confident in you even when people don’t believe in you as an entertainer.”

Since her debut into the soca arena Michelle “Big Red” King has sung songs such as Energizer, Wine It, Bacchanal Fever, and Coming Alive amongst others. She shot to fame in January 2006 with the release of her tantalizing Guyanese Wine which forms part of her album, Red Passion. A household name, Guyanese of all ages get in motion to dip, whip, shake, stick, tic, tack, roll and hold it Guyanese wine style.

A former church girl her musical and vocal versatility makes an almost immediate  onnection with audiences wherever she performs. Unlike many other artistes she writes her own lyrics at times with the help of her sons. Among her exploits is the coveted 2008 Mashramani Road March itle and the most memorable singing of the Spanish flavored ‘On de Road Again’.

Also in November of the same year she won the Accolade: the music Award of Guyana for the best ‘Best Female Groovy Soca Single’.
While she’s dubbed an all time local girl Big Red has also performed in New York, London, Toronto and Trinidad and Barbados.