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One day after the FADER magazine debuted the new video for Fay-Ann Lyons’ 2015 soca hit, ‘Raze’, the masses in Trinidad and Tobago are dogging the concept, calling it a misrepresentation of the song’s words. Undoubtedly attempting to deliver to mass audiences, a video that would stray from the usual ‘carnivalesque’ theme of bikini clad revellers parading through the streets of Port-of-Spain, Lyons-Alvarez took a less travelled route but failed in the eyes of her countrymen.

The response to the video on social media websites today is quite reminiscent of the response that came when Fay-Ann’s husband, Bunji Garlin released the video for the now world-recognised hit single, ‘Differentology’. Garlin’s theme of mud covered humans rising from the earth received some pretty harsh reviews from Caribbean soca music lovers who seemed to want to see more of what their carnival festival is known to deliver.

While comments have leaned more toward the negative, with many giving the new vid the thumbs down, there are others who commend the move to go against the grain. One fan remarked, “Good!, we selling music and NOTHING else! Proud of this sister!”, while another on Facebook said, “Is time we make videos for the world…congrats…”

On the feedback currently making waves in Trinidad and Tobago wherever else, via social media, Lyons sent a message to  ETCETERABUZZ.COM, saying, “The song did what it did for carnival and that was that. The purpose of breaking into international areas is to be able to do international things. For too long people have been saying the artistes are too seasonal and they don’t know why they don’t try to broaden their scopes. My intent was to show the song as being able to fit in carnival and at the same time have an international feel (hence the mountains 4 hours outside NYC was chosen with snow), so that someone listening for the first time wouldn’t just write off the song as another carnival song with the all too familiar costumes and wine and jam in the club. Our focus is global and our mission is to continue getting the attention of the people we have been getting it from, who can help place our artistes on platforms that are different from what we have been accustomed to. Trinidad knows my representation is home, my love is home my family is home…but my mission is international. If we expect all artistes to do the same type of videos then I am sorry but I will always disappoint,” Lyons ended.

The Vi-queen as she’s been referred to is currently in the United Kingdom preparing for Friday’s Glastonbury Festival – a major stage where the duo will undoubtedly showcase the wicked potential that Soca music has for the world to experience. Public Relations manager for Lyons and Bunji, Crystal Holder told us ‘Raze’ has been doing very well in places as far as India.