Carnival may be over, but it ended on a sour note for Barbadian singer Alison Hinds.
The “Queen of Soca” music is awaiting a public explanation from Miami Broward One Carnival organizers about why she was unable to perform Sunday after days of heavy concert promotion.
Hinds was supposed to headline the annual celebration of Caribbean culture at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens. But at 11:20 p.m., a visibly upset Hinds clad in tight black shorts and strapped up black heels took to the stage and stunned thousands of fans with news that she was not being allowed to perform.
Apologizing, she blasted event organizers for “disorganization.” It was supposed to be Hinds’ first appearance at the carnival in two years.
Reached by The Miami Herald as she boarded a flight yesterday, Hinds said she wanted to limit her public comments, for now, to give organizers a few days to explain what happened. Her disappointment and anger, however, were visible in Tweets she sent out to her 14 226 followers.
“Soooo disappointed that I didn’t get 2 perform 4 my ppl in Miami 2nite!!Utter disrespect & total disorganization!!!’’ she Tweeted at 12:30 a.m.
Twenty minutes later, Hinds sent out another Tweet: “I did everything I was asked 2 do. All kinds of promo…radio, tv etc & then ur headliner doesn’t perform?? Shame on the carnival committee!!’’
Then yesterday morning, she asked fans whether they believe the committee “should apologize 4 their behavior?”
Carnival organizers did not respond to The Miami Herald’s request for comment. However, sources told The Herald that the show was stopped after it passed the 11 p.m. ending time and organizers declined to pay venue charges to extend it.
It was the second time in two days that Hinds, who is known for her tunes trumpeting female empowerment, was unable to take to the stage. The evening before, organizers of the International Soca Fest, where she was also to headline, canceled the outdoor show at 11:53 p.m. because of rain and lightning. On Monday afternoon, promoters issued a statement explaining why they had to cancel and promised to honor patrons’ tickets at next year’s show.
“Saturday night was act of God,’’ Hinds told The Herald. “Last night, they had control over it and didn’t deal with it properly.’’
Van Gibbs, Hinds’ manager, said they arrived at the stadium at 9 p.m. and were supposed to perform an hour later as the closing act. At about 9:55 p.m., he told organizers “There’s a problem.”
“They aren’t fit to be running any committee,’’ Gibbs said. “They give soca and the culture a bad name.’’
Equally disappointed was Calypso Rose, a legend in Caribbean music. She, too, was unable to perform, said Pearl Hawkins, her assistant.
“It was gross disrespect,” she said. “They didn’t treat her well at all.” (Miami Herald)
