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Bunji Garlin

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Bunji Garlin
Bunji Garlin and Fay-Ann Lyons 2014
Bunji Garlin and Fay-Ann Lyons 2014
Background information
Birth nameIan Antonio Alvarez
Born (1978-07-14) July 14, 1978 (age 46)
Arima, Trinidad
GenresReggae, soca, dancehall
Occupation(s)Musician, producer, songwriter
InstrumentVocals
Years active1999–present
LabelsVP, RCA
SpouseFay-Ann Lyons-Alvarez

Ian Antonio Alvarez (born July 14, 1978), better known by his stage name Bunji Garlin, is a Trinidadian ragga and soca artist. He is also affectionately known as the Viking of Soca. His spouse is Fay-Ann Lyons.[1]

Early life

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Bunji was born on July 14, 1978, in Arima, Trinidad.[2] He is of Saint Lucian and Venezuelan descent.[3]

Personal life

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He married fellow soca artist Fay-Ann Lyons on December 23, 2006, daughter of successful soca singer Superblue.[4] He is also a second cousin of singer Patrice Roberts, who performs alongside the popular Machel Montano.[5]

Career

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Bunji has won Trinidad's Soca Monarch/International Soca Monarch competition on several occasions: 2002 (tied with Iwer George) with "Down in the Ghetto",[6] 2004 with "Warrior Cry",[7] 2005 with "Blaze the Fire" (both songs were produced by then band member Shawn Noel (Da Ma$tamind)[8] and 2008 with "Fiery".[9] He placed second in the International Soca Monarch 2009 with "Clear de Road", while his pregnant wife Fay-Ann Lyons placed first with "Meet Super Blue".[10] She also won the Groovy Soca Monarch title that same night with "Heavy T Bumpa".

Bunji Garlin's "Brrt" is featured on the Grand Theft Auto IV soundtrack.[11]

In 2013, Garlin won the Soul Train Award for Best International Performance for the song "Differentology", which features Nigel Rojas on guitar.[12] An album of the same name was released by RCA and VP Records in August 2014.[13][14]

In 2017, he released Turn Up, his highest chart placing to date, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart.[15] On September 24, 2017, Garlin was bestowed with a national award of T&T, the silver Hummingbird Medal.[16] A song by Garlin entitled "All or Nothing" also appeared in the pilot of the Netflix TV series Impulse.[17]

Discography

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Albums

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  • The Chronicles (1999)
  • Revelation (2002)
  • Black Spaniard (2003)
  • Graceful Vengeance (2004)
  • Flame Storm (2005)
  • Next Direction (2006)
  • Global (2007)
  • Fiery (2008)
  • "iSpaniard" (2012)
  • The Viking (2013)
  • Differentology (2014), VP/RCA - US Reggae no. 6[18]
  • Turn Up (2017), VP - US Reggae No. 3

Singles

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Collaborations

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  • "Carnival Tabanca" (featuring Tarrus Riley) 2014
  • "Coofy Lie Lie" (featuring Singing Sandra) (2002)
  • "Let's Get It On" and "That Woman" (featuring Walker Hornung) (1999, 2001)
  • "Rags Don't Care" (featuring Chinese Laundry and Shurwayne Winchester) (2003)
  • "Soca Bhangra" (featuring Shami) (2003)
  • "Don't Waste Water" (featuring Shurwayne Winchester) (2005)
  • "The Islands" (featuring Patrice Roberts) (2005)
  • "Lorraine" (featuring Explainer) (2005)
  • "Move with Us" (TSTT jingle also featuring Shurwayne Winchester and Machel Montano) (2006)
  • "Get Up Stand Up" (featuring T.O.K.) (2007)
  • "Hardcore Loving" (featuring Rita Jones) (2007)
  • "Swing It" (featuring Chris Black) (2007)
  • "One Family" (featuring Freddie McGregor) (2007)
  • "Bring It" (featuring Lalchan Babwa (Hunter)) (2008)
  • "Country Rum (featuring Neeshan Prabhoo) (2008)
  • "Bring It Superstar Mix" (Lalchan Babwa (Hunter) featuring Alison Hinds, Andy Singh, Bunji Garlin & Ziggy Rankin) (2008)
  • "That's How We Party" (featuring Busy Signal) (2005)
  • "Big Blood" (featuring 3suns and Sir Skarz) [2011]
  • "Sex, Love and Reggae" (Gyptian featuring Bunji Garlin and Angela Hunt) (2013)
  • "All or Nothing" (Elliphant featuring Diplo and Bunji Garlin)
  • "Jungle Bae" (Jack Ü featuring Bunji Garlin) (2015)
  • "Baddest Things" (Party Favor & Nymz featuring Bunji Garlin) (2015)
  • "Buss Head" (with Machel Montano) (2017)
  • "Ride It" (Sebastian Ingrosso & Salvatore Ganacci featuring Bunji Garlin) (2017)
  • "Famalay" (with Machel Montano and Skinny Fabulous) (2019)
  • "Bomboclat (Light It Up)" (with Dillon Francis, from the EP Magic Is Real) (2019)
  • "Break a Branch" (with Motto) (2020)

References

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  1. ^ Bouknight, Sebastian (September 19, 2017). "Interview: Bunji Garlin and Fay-Ann Lyons on Soca Music Today". Afropop Worldwide. Archived from the original on April 22, 2020. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  2. ^ "Bunji Garlin age, hometown, biography". Last.fm. Retrieved 2019-03-11.
  3. ^ "Bunji Garlin wins Soul Train Award w/ Differentology". Damajority.com. 2013-12-02. Retrieved 2019-03-11.
  4. ^ "Bunji Garlin and Fay-Ann Lyons Wedding :: Trini Jungle Juice". February 18, 2008. Archived from the original on February 18, 2008.
  5. ^ "Bunji family affair at Soca Monarch". The Trinidad Guardian. February 4, 2005. Archived from the original on May 13, 2008.
  6. ^ "Jouvay.com: Interview with Ragga Soca Trinidadian Singer Bunji Garlin". Jouvay.com. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
  7. ^ "carnival2004winners". September 7, 2011. Archived from the original on September 7, 2011.
  8. ^ "Bunji Garlin Wins International Soca Monarch". Trinisoca.com. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
  9. ^ "2008 Int'l Soca Monarch Bunji Garlin!". Bajanfuhlife Blog!. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
  10. ^ "SUPER-FAY - Trinidad Express Newspaper - News". Trinidad Express Newspaper. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
  11. ^ "5 things you didn't know about Bunji Garlin". looptt.com. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
  12. ^ "Bunji Garlin wins Soul Train Award". Trinidad Express Newspaper. Archived from the original on 7 February 2014. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
  13. ^ "Bunji album hits the road", Jamaica Observer, August 18, 2014. Retrieved August 19, 2014
  14. ^ Meschino, Patricia (2014) "RCA Records and VP Records Team for Rising Soca Star Bunji Garlin's Newest Archived 2014-06-04 at the Wayback Machine", billboard.com, June 2, 2014. Retrieved August 19, 2014
  15. ^ "Bunji Garlin turns up heat", Jamaica Observer, September 13, 2017. Retrieved September 15, 2017
  16. ^ "Rose, Saith, Bartholomew & more get National Medals". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. 2017-09-24. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
  17. ^ "Impulse" Pilot, IMDB, 2018-06-06, retrieved 2024-11-12
  18. ^ "Reggae Albums : Aug 30, 2014 - Billboard Chart Archive". Billboard. 30 August 2014. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
  19. ^ "Urban/UAC Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on July 30, 2014.
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