No stranger to Summerstage, Patrice Roberts returned to Rumsey Playfield for the “I Am Woman” concert on Saturday, May 17 – a nonstop 2-hour show featuring major names from across the world of Soca.
Born in Toco, Trinidad, Patrice Roberts has been a staple of the Caribbean music scene for 20+ years. She rose to national attention when her song “The Islands” with her cousin Bunji Garlin was used in a tourism campaign for Trinidad and Tobago. Since then, she’s continued to expand Soca music and headline carnival celebrations across the Caribbean.
On Saturday night, despite the opening band being delayed more than an hour, Patrice Roberts put on a constantly energetic, dance-filled two-hour performance. Shouting out every island in the Caribbean and New York’s hometown fans, the singer did more than just give lip service to the diversity of Soca. Unlike most headliners, Roberts shared her time with artists from around the Caribbean – including Anika Berry, Full Blown, and Trilla-G. Each performer was given their own time on stage without the main attraction, allowing the crowd to celebrate the multifaceted nature of Soca through multiple stars.
Roberts even took 10 minutes to give homage to The City, singing a medley of R&B and rap verses from some of the biggest names in New York music history.
Throughout her set, Patrice Roberts seemed to be having an amazing time, laughing with the crowd and running across the stage. She’s previously said, “I think when I’m performing, I like to feel like I’m home.” Her return concert to New York was no exception to that feeling. Fans across the venue waved hometown flags, danced, and repped wherever they were from.
That feeling continued throughout the night, making the concert about more than just the music. It became a community celebration of the power of the Caribbean and Caribbean descendants.
Like all celebrations, there was a massive amount of dancing, with Roberts bringing dancers in across her set, and showing off for the crowd whenever she could.
[dancer shot around Patrice]
As the night went on the singer brought out even more stops – at one point bringing two pole dancers on stage, and at another asking the audience for any song requests!
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