Vincentian Shernelle Williams aka Skarpyon has been singing most of his life and has carved his own path in the industry as a ragga soca artiste.

Capturing his first Ragga Soca King title in 2004, Skarpyon tasted his first but certainly not his last taste winning.

In 2005 with Lookin Fine he was nominated for ‘Best new male artist’ and ‘Best collaboration’ in the International Soca Awards.

Later that year Skarpyon and long time friend Jamesy P composed Leave Me Alone which became a major hit throughout the Caribbean, and captured the 2006 Vincy Road March.

He also entered the Soca Monarch competition for the first time with Carnival Song and walked away with the second prize, while Turn The Lights Down Low, was awarded Best Ragga Soca in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

In 2007 Skarpyon released his third album The Element of Soca, which combined his hits over the years.

Known as the Crossover King, Skarpyon is on a mission to lead Soca and Ragga Soca its rightful place in the history of world music.

On Sunday 15 June, Skarpyon will defend his Ragga Soca King title during the annual Vincy Mas celebrations.

SN: How would you describe yourself?

SK: I am a strong minded individual who doesn’t back down from a fight, not a physical one. I am very spiritual I think that what makes me so grounded, in a nut shell I’m real simple person

SN: What is your favourite dish?

SK: My favorite dish has got to be soup with goat, blue dasheen, eddoes, dasheen leaves and vegetables

SN: When not working, what do you do for relaxation?

SK: Usually I’ll take a walk while listening some Dennis Brown in the cool evening breeze.

SN: What is your worst nightmare?

SK: My worst nightmare would be if I was told that I cannot sing anymore

SN: What is the most embarrassing experience that you have ever had?

SK: It was my first performance at the junior calypso competition. I was half way through the song when I went off key. There was this guy in the crowd who was signalling me to go off the stage I wanted to run off but I finish the song off key. LOL!

SN: If you leave the country you are currently living in, where would you go to live and why?

SK: St Thomas, I would live there because that’s where my heart is.

SN: How do you see the Soca industry in the year 2010?

SK: I can see more artiste breaking through the international arena but as for the industry on whole still fighting to at par whit the already established genre

SN: How important is technology for you as an artist? What do you use to communicate with your fans?

SK: Technology is incredibly important to me as artiste in this modern time because I can work here at home…. do my vocals and send them to china to put on a riddim, without having to pay to go there and get it done. With technology I can talk to my friends and fans on MSN and Myspace.

SN: How long have you been singing?

SK: I was always singing as far as I can remember but started singing publicly at the tender age of eight. This year 2008 would be 18 years since I have been singing.

SN: What/Who are your musical influences?

SK: My biggest influence would be my teacher Mr Maloney who forced me to sing for the school’s calypso competition. Mr Joffre Venner, leader of the national youth band, made me realize my potential as an upcoming artiste.

SN: What do you think you bring to the industry?

SK: I bring upliftment, creativity and class to this industry

SN: What would you like your musical legacy to be?

SK: The artiste who has fused different genres with soca music so that it can have an international audience on the world stage paring with the established genres.

SN: How does singing/performing in front of a crowd feel?

SK: It’s the most exciting feeling I have ever encounter it always give me chills, to me its life changing

SN: How do you choose the songs you sing?

SK: Well to be honest I don’t choose the songs, the songs choose me.

SN: Out of all the tracks you have ever recorded, what would you say is your favourite?

SK: It would be the song I wrote in my final year in school it’s called Ole Time Ting. I performed it at the Caricom Heads of Government in 1998 and in 2005 it was sung by The Gomea Methodist School choir and placed second in the St Vincent music festival

SN: How do you approach composing a song and where do the ideas come from?

SK: There are different ways I write e.g. if I was given a riddim track to write on I would listen to that tack until the right songs come. It may take days or jus a few minutes. If a melody comes to me and it’s a good one I would record the melody in gibberish form and later think about what words I’m going to use for that melody.

SN: Do you think music has the power to influence everyday life and events? S: Undeniably!

SN: There has been an increase in soca videos over the last 5 years. Do you feel that it is imperative for an artiste to have a video?

SK: Yes it is essential now because of the advancement in technology and media devices it is equally important now to both the song and the visual

SN: Can you describe the process of turning your songs into a video? Do you have a lot of input?

SK: Vision! What is said in the song is the first step then I’m going to choose the characters to play the roles in the scenes then start thinking about a suitable location or locations where shoot would be taken place.