This post first appeared on Sokah2Soca, where Caribbean music meets wit, rhythm, and real talk. Island Vybe Radio spins the tunes—we decode the culture.
Winning always feels good, but making sweet music that lasts feels just as satisfying. Today we celebrate Pan and Soca. Pan and Soca music, along with Pan and Calypso music and CalypSoca music, complement each other perfectly. Carnival without steelpan music and especially Panorama music, will never feel like Carnival... it carries the music and spirit of the people of Trinidad and Tobago! We celebrate the song "Pan and Soca" and the rendition done by Phase II Pan Groove for Panorama 2025. Dr. Len Boogsie Sharpe is a genius, and even though they placed fifth, they will always be number one in the hearts of those who love and admire them.
This post deliberately celebrates the song "Pan and Soca," but overall we continually celebrate what is ours: steelpan music and the heartbeat of Carnival today, soca music. The vibe for the Panorama competition is always electric. Panorama 2025 was filled with intrigue, and Phase II Pan Groove delivered a performance that felt less like a competition and more like a cultural coronation. Their steelpan rendition of Olatunji’s “Pan and Soca” wasn’t just music—it was movement, memory, and magic.
Olatunji, a celebrated international artist, is the man who brought Boogsie's arrangement to life with his vocals. Ever the showman and a champion of his stagecraft, he gave us a song with music that celebrates the inseparable bond between two of Trinidad’s greatest musical exports: the steelpan and soca. While Ola delivered on the vocals, it all felt like a complete work of musical art when Phase II took the stage; led by the legendary Len “Boogsie” Sharpe, the song transformed. It became a living, breathing entity—an anthem reimagined in chrome and ping pong sticks. The players brought out the magic envisioned by Boogsie's brilliant musical mind.
The pans sang with clarity, echoing Olatunji’s infectious chorus while layering harmonies that shimmered like sequins in the Savannah sun. In a year where Panorama felt especially charged—with young arrangers pushing boundaries and veteran bands defending legacies—Phase II reminded us why the steelpan remains the soul of Carnival. Their rendition of “Pan and Soca” wasn’t just a tribute to a song. It was a celebration of identity, resilience, and joy.
And as the final note rang out across the Queen’s Park Savannah, one thing was clear: this was more than music. This was Trinidad. This was Carnival. This was glory.
The results for Panorama 2025, if you forgot:
01. Republic Bank Exodus—Too Own Way—Voice—Terrance "BJ" Marcelle—288
02. bp Renegades Steel Orchestra—Bet Meh—Machel Montano—Duvon Stewart—285
03. Heritage Petroleum Skiffle Steel Orchestra—Retro—Voice—André White—283
04. First Citizens Supernovas Steel Orchestra—Cocoa Tea—Kes—Amrit Samaroo—282
05. Phase II Pan Groove—Pan & Soca—Olatunj—Dr. Len Boogsie Sharpe—281
06. Nutrien Silver Stars Steel Orchestra—Too Own Way—Voice—Ojay Richards & Kersh Ramsey—280
06. T&TEC Tropical Angel Harps Steel Orchestra—Cocoa Tea—Kes—Clarence Morris—280
08. Massy Trinidad All Stars Steel Orchestra—Bet Meh—Machel M—Leon "Smooth" Edwards—279
09. RBC Redemption Sound Setters Steel Orchestra—Flag Woman—Kitchener—Micheal Toby—277
09. Shell Invaders Steel Orchestra—Blessing—Arddin Herbert—277
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Production Notes/Music Credits:
Song Title: Pan & Soca
Artist/Performed by: Olatunji
Written by : Jason Shaft Bishop/Lenn Boogsie Sharpe
Musical Arrangement: Lennox Boogsie Sharpe for Phase 2
Produced by : Beaver Henderson
Mixed & Mastered by : Beaver Henderson
Origin: Trinidad, Republic of Trinidad & Tobago
Genre: Soca ?
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Pan and Soca Original music release and Phase II Rendition
