YCG Stars On The Rise: Yung Kymani Ready To Prove That Children Really Can Do It All!
Kymani Hector-Kalloo is a young boy on a mission to conquer every musical goal he has set for himself.
The 10-year-old made his debut with a Hip Hop song, Tribute To Mama, in 2022. He quickly widened his musical scope, penning his first Soca offering in 2023. This song-Soca Paradise– cemented his place among the rising stars to watch in T&T and earned him two titles- TUCO’s Best Party Calypso and Best Songwriter/Composer in the 8-11 category.
Earlier this year, Yung Kymani placed second in the National Junior Soca Monarch Competition with his hit single Just Party. Even though he’s not yet a teenager, Kymani not only sings, but could boast of having writing and producing credits to his name. He’s determined to prove that in this regard, age is nothing but a number and children can in fact do it all.
Your Caribbean Guide posed a few questions to the vivacious youngster, these are his responses.
YCG: Tell us a bit about how your musical pursuits started…
YUNG KYMANI: From the age of two, my parents observed me singing and dancing to songs. My uncle that is an artiste himself is who inspired me to sing. In 2020 on Mother’s Day, my other uncle gave me a microphone and played different beats that I was free styling too, and then this is where my writing and creativity came in. I wrote my first song in 2021, and came out in May 2022 “Tribute to Mama “, but I only officially started my soca and public performing career in January 2023.
YCG: What do you love best about what you do?
YUNG KYMANI: I love performing and making people happy. Being on stage is my happy place!
YCG: What are some of the challenges you’ve encountered in your pursuit of music and how did you overcome it?
YUNG KYMANI: Depending on the beat and genre of music , writing songs can be a little challenging in the beginning.
YCG: So far you’ve already released Soca and Hip Hop music, do you have a favourite genre?
YUNG KYMANI: Yes, my favourite genres are actually Soca & Hip hop
YCG: What’s your favourite song?
YUNG KYMANI: Engine Room by Olatunji
YCG: Who or what inspires you?
YUNG KYMANI: God inspires me. He blessed me with my talent. Second person is Machel Montano.
YCG: What do you love best about your country?
YUNG KYMANI: The food, doubles and pelau… and the music.
YCG: If you could change one thing about the country, what would it be?
YUNG KYMANI: The crime rate. We have to love one another.
YCG: What’s the name of the last book you read, what’s it about?
YUNG KYMANI: The Fantastic Five. It was about five friends being trapped on an island and they had to find clues to get out and were exploring the island.
YCG: When you’re not creating music, what do you do for fun?
YUNG KYMANI: Go out with my family, play sports (golf ,football) and dancing
YCG: Do you or have you ever battled stage fright? How did you overcome it?
YUNG KYMANI: I don’t get stage fright anymore. I picture it as I’m an actor in a movie so I no longer have stage fright.
YCG: What’s the best thing that ever happened to you?
YUNG KYMANI: Performing with Uncle Machel for The Dimanche Gras
YCG: Which household chore do you dislike the most?
YUNG KYMANI: Throwing away garbage ! I HATEEEEEE IT!
YCG: What’s your favourite sport?
YUNG KYMANI: Golf
YCG: What do you want to be when you grow up?
YUNG KYMANI: Besides an artiste, a dancer, writer, actor and a producer
