By Laila Langford
When Triple Kay International took the stage in the early hours of night one at the 26th World Creole Music Festival, they didn’t just perform; they reminded Dominica why bouyon still belongs to them.
The veteran bouyon band delivered a set that felt less like a routine festival appearance and more like a statement of survival and pride.
A band built for the early hours
Triple Kay was placed early in the festival’s running order, taking the stage while much of the crowd was still deep in the festival rhythm.
Wayne Benjamin, also known as Benji N2O of Triple Kay International, said the band delivered exactly what it had prepared.
“We delivered what we had to do the way we practised. We delivered all we had to do with a pinch of sugar on there to add a little more sweetness. So the band performed well, definitely,” he said.
One of Triple Kay International’s lead vocalists, Lennan “Ticky” Matthew, said the early timing presented a unique challenge, but also an opportunity.
“Not very often do we get to perform so early at the festival,” he said. “I think that’s our second time; it may be 20-odd years performing in the dark.”
He acknowledged that a 6:00 a.m. set is not the easiest assignment for any band.
“When you come on at that time, you have to bring so much energy to the crowd, and we don’t get much of that energy back,” Mathew said. “The patrons have been there for six, seven hours drinking, partying, and tired.”
Still, he said the band preferred the earlier slot because it allowed them to deliver the full scale of their presentation, including their introduction and stage production.
“In previous years, we had promised earlier times for set-up and presentations, especially our intro, but we had to change it because we came on when the sun was up,” he explained. “We prefer this time.”
While some artistes may not view the World Creole Music Festival stage as a major achievement, Benji said Triple Kay approaches WCMF with the seriousness of a championship performance.
“The advantage is ours when we are home, but we treat the World Creole Music Festival stage as our Soca Monarch competition,” he said. “We have to bring our A-game because the world is watching.”
With artistes and visitors drawn from across the Caribbean and beyond, Triple Kay sees the festival as a global showcase for Dominican creativity.
“We bring in a lot of artistes across the world and across the region, so we want them to see that what we produce here in Dominica is not a fly-by-night band,” Benji said. “We want them to see that we produce something par excellence—top quality. The thought process is always a hard one, but it is always the best.”
Carrying bouyon through the hard years
Behind the high-energy performance lies a story that Triple Kay believes deserves greater recognition: the band’s role in keeping bouyon alive during a period when the genre faced serious challenges.
Mathew recalled that Triple Kay began primarily as a kompa and zouk group before evolving into one of Dominica’s leading bouyon bands.
“Our biggest achievement over the years has not been talked about much in media circles,” he said. “There was a time when Triple Kay was the only live performing bouyon band. Serenade had their problems, WCK had their problems, and all those individual artistes did not come along as yet.”
According to Mathew, Triple Kay “literally carried bouyon” for roughly three and a half to four years. During that period, the band also faced a media ban in Guadeloupe.
“Bouyon could not be played on any radio in Guadeloupe because it was considered violent music,” he said. “We had to go over all those obstacles, all those hurdles.”
Now, with the band marking approximately 28 years together, Mathew said the journey has been justified by the group’s endurance and unity.
“The body is stronger than ever; the members are together,” he said. “I don’t think there is another band that has served so much with so many original members together. And we are carrying bouyon music.”
Triple Kay International was founded in Laudat and has grown into a nine-member brotherhood, with a catalogue spanning more than nine albums and hundreds of songs. The band made its WCMF debut in 2002 and has since performed across Dominica, the region and internationally.
A new album, an old feeling
When asked what was next for the band, Benji revealed that Triple Kay has been working on an album—its first in roughly 16 years.
“We are looking at bringing back some of the older songs to present a nostalgic vibe,” he said. “So you can look out for that.”
For longtime fans, the promise of familiar bouyon anthems alongside new material is likely to stir anticipation. For Triple Kay, it is another way of honouring the sound they helped sustain when the genre needed champions.
