Increasingly Used – By Kisean Joseph
Increasingly Used Calypso Soca
Artificial intelligence is now widely used in Calypso and Soca production, with the majority of Trinidad’s 2027 Carnival releases expected to feature the technology in some form, AI strategist Timothy Temal said.
Temal, a communications consultant and creative technology trainer based between Trinidad and Tobago, said he produced what he considers the first AI-assisted Soca track in September 2024. He said the reaction at the time was largely negative, with artists and producers expressing concern that the approach would damage the industry.
“When I first did, or what I consider the first Soca front via AI in 2024, September 2024, right, everybody was like, this is crazy. This is, you know, it’s gonna hurt the industry and that kind of stuff,” Temal said.
He said that resistance has since given way to widespread adoption, with artists increasingly turning to AI music generation tools as part of their production process.
“A year later, almost everybody is using AI. Suno as an example. And now, as we approach the 2027 season in Trinidad and Tobago, you know, I would estimate between 60 to 80 percent of all the productions coming will have some form of AI in them,” he said.
Temal said the shift extends beyond individual artists to institutional level, noting that efficiency tools built around AI are also being adopted by organisations within the calypso sector to streamline internal processes.
He said the trend reflects a broader pattern of AI adoption taking hold across the region’s creative industries, extending beyond music into film and other media production.
Temal did not name specific artists or productions that have used AI tools, but maintained that the shift is now widespread enough to be considered standard practice heading into the next Carnival season.
