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Erphaan Alves
Alves in 2017
Background information
Also known as	EA
Born	(1991-11-23) 23 November 1991 (age 33)
Origin	Chaguanas, Trinidad and Tobago; University of the West Indies, St Augustine
Genres	soca
Occupation(s)	Musician, songwriter
Instrument(s)	Vocals, piano
Years active	2012–present

Erphaan Alves (born 23 November 1991) is a Trinidadian soca recording artist and songwriter. He initially gained full recognition in the soca world 2012 when he qualified as a finalist in both Groovy and International Power Soca Monarch Finals with the songs "In your Eyes" and "Terrible". His transition to soca megastar proved complete when he cued the HD band into his 2018 monster hit ‘Overdue’.

Erphaan was awarded Best New Male Soca Artist in the International Soca Awards 2012 and he was also an MTV IGGY Artiste of The Week that year. Erphaan acts as a songwriter alongside his soca career, writing songs such as "Precision Wine" sung by Kes the band, and "Make You Rock", "Take You Home" and "Doh Friad" sung by Machel Montano.

Early life and career

Erphaan Alves was born on 23 November 1991, in Chaguanas, Trinidad and Tobago, where he grew up with his parents and brother. He attended Rosary Boy's RC Primary School in Port of Spain, then went on to St. George's College, Barataria where he participated in several competitions, and was the lead male vocalist of the school's parang group. He later moved on to complete a Bachelor of Arts in Musical Arts from the University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus in 2013. Erphaan began singing at the age of nine and gained recognition when he entered Rosary Boys RC School Calypso Competition Calypso World in 2001 and won with his upbeat rendition, "Carnival Time". He moved on to make his name in both the Junior Calypso and Junior Soca Monarch Competitions, winning consecutively in the latter, in 2008 and 2009 with his own compositions titled "Soca Moving" and "Musical Journey".

Soca originated in Trinidad and Tobago and was created by Trinidadian Garfield Blackman, who felt calypso was fading away. Soca derived from calypso fused with Indian music. Soca has grown into a massive industry taking over the Carnival Scene and Carnival Road March Arena. Soca artist records, releases and perform continuously during carnival season to ensure a chance of winning Carnival Road March song and the Soca Monach. Erphaan managed to consistently make waves being a finalist in the International Soca Monarch 2014 and 2015. His song, "On D Spot" was once featured on an MTV Real World Episode in 2012. The musician offered his hit single 'Overdue' and an energetic collaboration with the soca queen Destra Garcia called 'Waistline Pelting' to 2018 carnival.

Community engagement

Erphaan's success can be owned by the strong support system he had from family, friends, and St George's College, the secondary school he attended. In an effort to give back to his secondary school community, he created Alves' St George College music fund through which he donates musical equipment. This music fund falls under the umbrella 'tEAm' a larger organization formed by Alves and friends to do more in his community. "Together Each Achieves More, it is actually an acronym, me showing that I care about them just as much as they cared about me at the start of my career. I have a platform now to shed light on everybody and in turn as we grow together they shed light on me," Alves explains tEAm.

Erphaan is very active on social media with Twitter, Facebook and Instagram profiles. He believes that social media opens up avenue for artists and its important for him as an artist to take the time out to understand the marketing strategies behind social media.

#noSeasons

The #noSeasons project was founded by Erphaan in 2016. It is geared towards promoting, inspiring and encouraging more soca release in Trinidad and Tobago after carnival. The objective, according to EA, is remove the ‘Soca is carnival music’ stigma, while fostering a new culture where, soca thrive all year round.

Since 2016 EA has been releasing new music as a part of the #noSeason project. In 2016 he released "Never Find", “Believe”, and “Island Crashers Medley”. In 2017 he released “Morning Come”, “Grip Me”, and “Knock knee” ft Salty. 2018 he released “No Habla”. In May 2019 at the Vas Lounge, Woodbrook, Trinidad, EA premiered the music video for his latest single under the #noSeasons project, ‘Lock On’. "Rather than playing the same soca tunes year round, we should see new soca singles dropping every month, that is why I chose the theme of 'No Seasons' to describe the event. No other genre has any season, and neither should soca music." EA addressed fans and supporters at the premiere.

Background

Musical style

Erphaan reflects a diverse musical style, bringing a fresh pop-type sound to soca. He is known to incorporate clever story-lines and memorable moments into his music.

Discography

Music videos

Singles

Filmography

References

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2. "Welcome to the Home of Carnival: Trinidad Express – Machel's search for new soca royalty". carnival.trinidadexpress.com. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
3. "No letting up for Erphaan Alves". The Trinidad Guardian Newspaper. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
4. "Erphaan Alves – Trinidad and Tobago Newsday Archives". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday Archives. 1 February 2014. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
5. "The.Baje.eMCee". Retrieved 25 July 2018.
6. Buzz. "Erphaan Alves – ID 46". buzz.tt. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
7. ^ "New soca sensation Erphaan Alves blazing his own trail". The Trinidad Guardian Newspaper. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
8. Kitt, Jessica (20 June 2013). "A History of Soca Music in the Caribbean | Caribbean Luxury News". Luxury Caribbean News. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
9. "Calypso". nalis.gov.tt. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
10. "Soca: The Music Of Trinidad's Carnival". NPR. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
11. "Erphaan Alves – Soca Lyrics". socalyrics.net. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
12. "Alves teams up with Road Trip TT". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. 11 January 2018. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
13. ^ omgtvtt (23 March 2017), OMG 251 Erphaan Alves Video Interview, retrieved 11 December 2018
14. "Erphaan Alves grateful for success and his 'tEAm'". looptt.com. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
15. OJO TTRN -Trinidad & Tobago Radio Network Limited (16 November 2017), Erphaan Uses Social Media To Promote His Music, Drops "Overdue" & "Waistline Peltin", retrieved 11 December 2018
16. "Erphaan Alves pushing hard, support or not". Fire Online Radio. 31 May 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
17. OJO TTRN -Trinidad & Tobago Radio Network Limited (7 April 2016), Erphaan Alves - Never Find #noSeasons Project [Official Music Video], retrieved 16 June 2019
18. ^ JulianspromosTV | 2019 Music (2 June 2016), Erphaan Alves - Believe (Oh Yea) "2016 Release" (Trinidad & Tobago Official Olympic Campaign), retrieved 25 February 2019{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
19. ^ JulianspromosTV | 2019 Music (15 May 2016), Island Crashers Medley Feat. Erphaan Alves, Preedy & Sekon Sta (Official Music Video) "2016", retrieved 25 February 2019{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
20. ^ JulianspromosTV | 2019 Music (4 August 2016), Erphaan Alves - Morning Come (Official Music Video) "2017 Release" [HD], retrieved 25 February 2019{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
21. JulianspromosTV | 2019 Music (12 June 2017), Erphaan Alves - Grip Me (Tan Lines Riddim) "2017 Release" (Trinidad), retrieved 16 June 2019{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
22. KING PIN (23 June 2017), Erphaan & Salty "Knock Knee Butterfly & SALTY "KNOCK KNEE Butterfly", retrieved 16 June 2019
23. ^ No Habla by Erphaan Alves, retrieved 26 February 2019
24. JulianspromosTV | 2019 Music (21 May 2019), Erphaan Alves - Lock On (Official Music Video) "2019 Soca" [HD], retrieved 16 June 2019{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
25. "Erphaan Alves 'locks on' to soca year round". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. 23 May 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
26. "Watch: My Release – Erphaan taps into Spanish market with blazing love". looptt.com. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
27. JulianspromosTV | 2019 Music (14 October 2018), Erphaan Alves - Blaze In Love (Official Dance Video) "2019 Soca" [HD], retrieved 22 February 2019{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
28. JulianspromosTV | 2019 Music (27 January 2019), Erphaan Alves, Nailah Blackman, Sekon Sta - Brave (Official Music Video) "2019 Soca" [HD], retrieved 22 February 2019{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
29. JulianspromosTV | 2019 Music (19 December 2018), Erphaan Alves - Compromise (Official Music Video) "2019 Soca" [HD], retrieved 22 February 2019{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
30. JulianspromosTV | 2019 Music (12 September 2017), Erphaan Alves - Overdue (Official Music Video) "2018 Soca" [HD], retrieved 22 February 2019{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
31. JulianspromosTV | 2019 Music (5 November 2017), Erphaan Alves x Destra Garcia - Waistline Peltin (Official Promo Video) "2018 Soca" [HD], retrieved 22 February 2019{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
32. JulianspromosTV | 2019 Music (29 December 2016), Erphaan Alves - Do It For Them "2017 Soca" (Trinidad), retrieved 25 February 2019{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
33. JulianspromosTV | 2019 Music (3 November 2014), Erphaan Alves - Tanty (Official Promo Video) "2015 Trinidad Soca", retrieved 25 February 2019{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
34. JulianspromosTV | 2019 Music (2 December 2014), Erphaan Alves - Highest Feeling (Official Music Video) "2015 Trinidad Soca" [HD], retrieved 25 February 2019{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
35. JulianspromosTV | 2019 Music (30 January 2012), Erphaan Alves - In Your Eyes (Official Music Video) "2012 Soca" [HD], retrieved 25 February 2019{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
36. Overdue by Erphaan Alves, retrieved 26 February 2019
37. Intentions (Wine & Touch) by Various Artists, retrieved 26 February 2019
38. Blaze in Love by Erphaan Alves, retrieved 26 February 2019
39. Brave by Erphaan Alves, Nailah Blackman & Sekon Sta, retrieved 26 February 2019
40. Compromise by Erphaan Alves, retrieved 26 February 2019
41. Waistline Peltin by Erphaan Alves & Destra Garcia, retrieved 26 February 2019
42. Come From? (Trinidad and Tobago Carnival Soca 2015) by Various Artists, retrieved 26 February 2019
43. ^ In Your Eyes by Various Artists, retrieved 26 February 2019
44. On d Spot by Various Artists, retrieved 26 February 2019
45. ^ Erphaan Alves: Lock On, retrieved 16 June 2019
46. "Erphaan Alves". IMDb. Retrieved 16 June 2019.

• Soca musicians
• 21st-century Trinidad and Tobago male singers
• 21st-century Trinidad and Tobago singers
• 1991 births
• Living people