Joseph Figueroa, known in the music world as Pronto, is ardently advocating for Soca music to be officially categorized on global music distribution platforms. In a recent Instagram post, Figueroa expressed his belief that such recognition is crucial for elevating Trinidadian music on the world stage.
Figueroa highlights the challenges faced by Soca musicians due to the lack of an official genre classification. He points out that this omission restricts visibility and potential earnings, discussing how Trinidadian artists, such as Marsha Montana and Punchy Garland, could benefit from a proper category designation. According to Figueroa, having Soca recognized as an official genre would help overcome the current limitations faced by artists when uploading their music on platforms like DistroKid, Symphonic, and TuneCore.
The musician stresses that while Soca is often grouped under the broad category of ‘world music,’ it deserves the same acknowledgment and treatment as more established genres like Reggae and Dancehall. Figueroa’s call to action seeks to ensure that Soca artists receive the recognition and opportunities they deserve in the competitive landscape of global music.
