Best of the Best 2010 Spotlight: Machel Montano

This thirtysomething singer holds it down for Trinidad on this bill, one of the few artists here to represent soca. Still, if anyone has a shot at bringing the Caribbean style over into the mainstream, it's Machel Montano. While he's been recording and releasing albums since his teen years, in...

By Arielle Castillo

May 20, 2010

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This thirtysomething singer holds it down for Trinidad on this bill, one of the few artists here to represent soca. Still, if anyone has a shot at bringing the Caribbean style over into the mainstream, it's Machel Montano. While he's been recording and releasing albums since his teen years, in recent years he's focused on collaborating with artists from other genres to expand soca's reach. His latter-day discs have seen him teaming up with the likes of Collie Buddz, Shaggy, Buju banton, and even Lil Jon and Pitbull. In fact, in his quest for global dominance, Montano recently decamped to Los Angeles. A new full-length, tentatively titled Album 34, is due out this year.

Best of the Best 2010. With Diddy, DJ Khaled, Gucci Mane, Capleton, Barrington Levy, and others. 1 p.m.Sunday, May 30. Bicentennial Park, 1075 Biscayne Blvd., Miami. Tickets currently cost $54 and up; children under 12 are free when accompanied by an adult. 305-438-9488; bestofthebestconcert.com

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