Music School Based Assessment

Name: Joy-Ann Nuptial

Candidate Number: 1400120850
School: Choiseul Secondary School
 Introduction

Elijah Arthur Allain is an incredibly skillful and gifted singer/songwriter from a small
island in the Caribbean.He was born on April 4, 1991 to parents Glen and Sabina Allain
of Soufriere, St. Lucia. Over the years Arthur has become one of the most distinguished
and mainstream Soca Artists, making history by becoming a five time undefeated
Groovy Soca Monarch. Arthur is also the lead singer for the band EvaLucian as well as a
producer, CEO and owner of Major Records;not to mention he was also a school
teacher.

He continued to develop his craft over the years and in September of 2013, Arthur
alongside two of his former students at Soufriere Comprehensive Secondary School
(Yannick Plante and Gus d`Auvergne) founded the now popular EvaLucian band. The
band has served as acts on major shows such as St. Lucia Jazz & Arts festival, many
national Carnival events and concerts, and hosted their first inaugural concert EDF
“EvaLucian Da Family” in July 2016, and sequel “Noir” in 2019. Arthur has performed
in many islands across the Caribbean including Martinique, Trinidad and Tobago, and
Barbados and has toured Canada, the United Kingdom and the US including states such
as Miami, Texas, New York and Connecticut, performing alongside the best Soca artistes
in the business. He was also a featured artist at the 2017 and 2018 edition of the Uber
Soca Cruise. Arthur Allain has served as an opening act for international artists such as
The O`Jays, Wyclef Jean, R. Kelly, Maxi Priest, Machel Montano, Kassav and R. Kelly.
Arthur achieved his first major musical accolade in 2013, when he stunned all in
attendance with a memorable performance of his hit song “Jumping Alone” which
obtained him the 2nd place prize in the Groovy Monarch competition, after only his
second attempt at the title. St. Lucia Carnival 2014, saw Arthur`s career reach its
pinnacle, when he was able to capture the coveted title of Groovy Monarch 2014 with his
self produced and co-written track “Numb”. Arthur repeated the feat of capturing the
Groovy Monarch title again in 2015 with the song “Who I am #WestIndian”, a song
paying homage to all Caribbean people. In 2016, Arthur created history by becoming the
first artist to win the coveted title for a third consecutive time, with the song “Dat Beat''.
Furthermore, in 2017 Arthur cemented his legacy, winning the title for a fourth time
with his self-written track “Over n Over”. Historically, Arthur repeated the feat one more
time in 2018 with the song “Mama” (an ode to his own mother and deceased
grandmother who helped raise him) and has since taken a hiatus from the competition.
Arthur has since released two albums “The Other Side” and “EvaLucianary '' featuring
songs produced by producers out of the Caribbean and Africa. He has also produced two
reggae riddim compilations “The New Wave Riddim '' and “River Stone Riddim ''
featuring Caribbean reggae artists, and available on all digital platforms.
 Song 1- Dat Beat
Instrumentation:

The instruments used in the song are listed below and they are categorized according to
their ethnographic families.

Chordophones (Bass Guitar)

Membranophone (Drums, Snare Drums,Bongo Drums)
Electrophone (Synthesizer playing hand clap, Electric Guitar)
Vocals (Lead Singer - Tenor, Male Voices - Tenor, Bass Female Voices - Supreno, Alto)

Rhythmic Features:

The song starts off with the bongo drums playing a 4 bar rhythm which is then followed
by multiple claps and the strumming of a guitar.The meter of the song is simple
quadruple and has an extremely groovy rhythm which makes your body move.while
listening to this song a dancing sensation came over me.The call and response which
takes place during the chorus between the lead singer and the backup singers is
extremely catchy and you can’t help but sing along.The song’s rhythm gives an
overwhelming feeling of happiness and as the song suggests it makes you feel like you
are free. Majority of the instruments played similar rhythmic patterns however some
instruments were louder than others. Here is the rhythmic pattern of the hand clap:
Melodic Features:

One of the main melodic characteristics of the song is the unique pattern of the melody
which starts after four bars of a rhythm played by the conga drums. This melody starts
on the first beat of the bar. It is a 7-note motif consisting of long and short notes. The
phrase patterns are short and made up of short notes. This helps to create an energetic
mood. The song is in the key of G Major.

Harmonic Features:

The song’s harmonic progression in all parts excluding the bridge is: G C ⏐ Em D :⏐⏐I IV
VI II. The harmony is only heard in the chorus by the male and mainly the female
voices.The harmony is also present during the singing of the call and response.The song
ends in an imperfect cadence (I-V). The line with harmony is repeated four times.The
song had regular phrase patterns.

Formal Structure:

The formal structure is as follows:

Intro,Bridge,Verse 1,Chorus,Verse 2,Chorus,Bridge,Chorus,Instrumental(Outro).

Textural Features:

The texture is homophonic during most of the song.The lead and backup singers sing
the chorus in unison. The texture starts out thin and becomes thicker when the intro
ends. During verse 2 the . During the chorus the song resumes to homophonic and stays
like that throughout the rest of the song.
Expressive Features:

The song starts soft and gradually gets louder as more instruments join in. The vocals
and hand clap can be heard louder than the other instruments. Towards the end of each
chorus the melody has a crescendo ( gradually getting louder). The guitar plays a
smooth riff throughout while the other instruments play detached. The vocals sing
cantabile ( in a singing style). The tempo is Allego Moderato ( moderately fast)
throughout.

Genre/Style:

The song’s genre is soca,the lively rhythm and fast tempo appeals to a massive amount
of St.Lucians.

Socio-Cultural Significance:

The song takes place in somewhat of a fictional jungle called Zumunda.The video
features multiple dancers, a majority being female and few being male.The dancers or
the “Zumanda warriors” are from the Youth on Fire Ministry and Fundamentals
Dancegroup both of Anse La Raye St. Lucia. The dancers become trapped in a web of
what looks like dance control from the the pulsating sound of "Dat beat" and the beating
of the drum by Jhamarli the percussionist. The warriors have no choice but to surrender
to the will of King Arthur of the jungle.

The song's aim is to reach out to young party lovers. It speaks about irresistible parties
and the irresistible and groovy rhythm really lets the listeners and audience feel the
music.During the carnival season in May 2016 this song was uploaded with the
intention of it being used for parties or as we say “fetes”. Arthur was the first artist to
win the cover title for a third and fourth consecutive time, with the song “Dat Beat” in
2016 alongside “Over n Over” in 2017,this achievement went down in history.
 Song 2- Life Sweet

Instrumentation:

The instruments used in the song are listed below and they are categorized according to
their ethnographic families.

Chordophones(Bass Guitar)
Membranophone(Drums)
Electrophone(Electric Guitar, Synthesizer)
Vocals(Lead singer - Tenor,Male voices)

Rhythmic Features:

The song starts off with the lead singer singing some-what of a hook which goes as
follows “oh-oh-oh”,he then commences to sing the first verse.The song’s rhythm is
calming and soothing and like the intended moral of the song the rhythm not only calms
you down but contributes to the stress free feeling that the song gives.The song has a call
and response in the bridge which is very lively and in my opinion is the catchiest part.

Melodic Features:

The song's melody is frantic but slows down when the singer sings more sweetly or
passionately in a sense. The melodic pattern continues this way throughout the song but
slightly slows down towards the outro.The notes are really slow and almost blend with
the harmony.The song is in the scale of B flat Major but it starts on chord two which is
C…….and the melodic contour is as follows:
Harmonic Features:

The song first encounters harmony in the middle of the first verse and slightly in the
chorus. During the first beat of the bar the vocals start while the melody starts 0n the
4th degree of the scale. The song’s key is B flat Major. The “oh oh oh ohh” is sung
abruptly and detached while the rest of the song is sung smoothly.The key is in E
major - G major - B flat major - F major. IV - VI - I - V. This is an imperfect
Cadence. Although the song has an imperfect cadence it ends with a perfect cadence.

Formal Structure:

The formal structure is as follows:

Intro,Verse 1,Bridge,Chorus,Verse 2,Bridge,Chorus,Bridge,Chorus,Outro

Textural Features:

Throughout the entire song it is homophobic homophonic.The lead and backup singers
sing in unison during the last chorus.The songs texture starts out thick and gets thinner
during the first verse.During the bridge and chorus the texture gradually gets thicker, it
then gets thin when the second verse starts.The texture continues as thick until the
outro where it becomes thin again.

Expressive Features:

The song starts moderately and smoothly and rapidly speeds up during the bridge and is
detached during the chorus, it then resumes to normal speed during the second verse
and slows down during the bridge.It speeds up again during the chorus,the song then
resumes to original speed during the outro.

Genre/Style:
The song’s genre is soca,the lively rhythm and fast tempo appeals to a massive amount
of St.Lucians.

Socio-cultural significance:

The song’s aim is to connect with younger individuals who have a love and a passion for
music. The song has a great and clearly stated message which is to enjoy life. It has an
energetic and smooth melody. The artist intelligently uses a slower speed to really let the
listeners connect to the lyrics of the song.While listening to this song an instant wave of
happiness hits your body. This song came out during April 2015,perfect timing for the
song to be used in summer activities such as pool parties and picnics. The song’s
message is short and simple “Live the life you love, love the life you live!”. The song
features writing from Groovy Monarch Arthur Allain, award winning Trinidadian
songwriter Patrick "Mista Vybe '' Gordon, and iconic St. Lucian producer Francis "Leebo
'' DeLima.The song also features backup vocals from Mista Vybe & Arthur. This song is
definitely a spirit elevated and a great way to spread positivity.
 Song 3-Who I Am
Instrumentation:

The instruments used in the song are listed below and they are categorized according to
their ethnographic families.

Chordophones(Bass Guitar)
Membranophone(Drums,Snare drums,Bass Drums)
Electrophone(Electric Guitar, Synthesizer)
Vocals(Lead sing-Tenor,Backup male voices,Backup female voices)
Aerophone(Steel pan,Trumpets)

Rhythmic Features:

The song starts off with a simple rhythm but very lively vocals. The song gives me a
feeling of nostalgia and it takes me back to a much simpler time when my friends and I
sang this very song at a music festival in primary school.The song has a call and
response which takes place throughout the bridge, the lead singer calls out various
communities/districts on island and then sings “put your flag up”.This particular call
and response is an excellent way to involve the listens and to get them to be more
interactive with the song. The song as indicated multiple times is about being proud of
our country and this was brilliantly done from the lyrics down to the rhythmic
characteristics.

Melodic Features:

A main characteristic of the song is the funky and somewhat sci-fi sounding melody.The
key of the song is D flat major, the rhythm of the drums is as follows: D flat Major-G
Major-A flat Major-B flat Major.The melodic pattern is also repeated throughout the
song.The melodic contour for the song is as follows:
Harmonic Features:

During the first chorus in the song the harmony is done by male and female voices.The
harmonic progression is IV - I - V - VI and the chorus has the harmonic progression.The
harmonic progression for the verse is I - IV - VI. Each part ends with an interrupted
cadence.

Formal Structure:

The formal structure is as follows:

Intro,Verse 1,Bridge,Chorus,Bridge,Chorus,Bridge,Verse 2,Chorus,Outro

Textural Features:

The song’s texture is monophonic.A few of the instruments can be heard when the lead
and backup singers sing in unison during the chorus section.The song starts off thin and
as it progresses it gets thicker.The song then resumes to its thin texture during the
outro.

Expressive Features:

The song starts smooth and moderate, then speeds up a little during the bridge and the
chorus. It then slows down during the second verse and continues to speed up during
the bridge and chorus. It slows down during the outro and then resumes to its original
speed.

Genre/Style:

The song’s genre is soca,the lively rhythm and fast tempo appeals to a massive amount
of St.Lucians.
Socio cultural significance:

Arthur Allain of EvaLucian released a remix to his 2015 single “Who I am #WestIndian”
as “Who I am #StLucian”, to celebrate the 37th anniversary of St. Lucia's
Independence.This was followed by a music video edited by Francis Delima & Pierre
Chester, and directed by Danielle Dubois. The video features picturesque shots of St.
Lucia, many different elements of St. Lucian culture as well as acclaimed icons
throughout St. Lucian history, who have contributed to the development of our
beautiful island. The song was written by writing duo Danielle Dubois and Arthur
Allain, as well as St. Lucian icon producer Francis DeLima. “Who I am” was also
produced by Claude Jonas and Francis “Leebo” Delima. The song was published on
January 31st 2016, the video was released through the “St. Lucia 37” facebook page, has
received great reviews from St. Lucians all over the world. This song is objectified
towards St.Lucians and spreads the message that we as a country need to be proud of
where we are from. The song’s genre was also very familiar to a majority of St.Lucians.
The song’s message ““I’m a st.lucian no matter how far i go, i will always be a saint
lucian” is perfect as this song is a little piece of st.lucia which can be taken anywhere.

Song 4-Numb

Instrumentation:

The instruments used in the song are listed below and they are categorized according to
their ethnographic families.

Chordophones(Bass Guitar,Violin)
Membranophone(Drums,Snare drums,Bass Drums)
Electrophone(Electric Guitar, Synthesizer)
Vocals(Lead sing-Tenor,,Backup male voices,Backup female voices)
Aerophone(Steel pan,Trumpets)
Rhythmic Features:

The song starts off instantly catchy due to the repetitive and compelling rhythm. During
the intro of the song the lead singer repeatedly chants the words “I numb” which
immediately catches the listeners attention as it is extremely catchy. The carefree
rhythm supports the message of the song which is to have fun and to not worry about
other people’s opinions. Like most Arthur Allain songs this song is an instant stress
reliever and the strong synthesizer beat gives a slightly african feel to the song

Melodic Features:

One characteristic feature of this song is the line "Numb Numb Numb" which is
constantly repeated throughout the chorus. This phrase is an answer to a call and
response " I numb I numb".The song’s phrases are short but end on a stretched note.The
constant changing of the speed of the notes aids the singer in entertaining the listeners
by keeping the melody fresh.The song's scale is E flat and the melodic contour for this
phrase is as follows:

Harmonic Features:

During the chorus the harmony is done by male and female voices.The harmony
progression for the song is E flat - D flat - D flat - C major and repeat over.
The key of the song is E flat major. This progression is repeated throughout the song.
Each part of the song ends in an interrupted cadence.

Formal Structure:

The formal structure is as follows:

Intro,Verse 1,Bridge,Chorus,Verse 2,Bridge,Chorus,Interlude,Chorus,Outro
Textural Features:

The texture throughout the whole song is homophobic.The lead and backup singers sing
in unison during the chorus. The song starts out slightly thin and gets thicker during
verse 1 and continues with the same thickness throughout the whole song until the outro
when it gets thin.

Expressive Features:

The song starts moderately and continues like that through the first verse.It speeds up
during the chorus it then goes back to normal speed in the second verse and speeds up
again during the bridge and chorus. The interlude is moderate and the song then speeds
up for the chorus and ends moderately.

Genre/Style:

The song’s genre is soca,the lively rhythm and fast tempo appeals to a massive amount
of St.Lucians.

Socio cultural significance:

This song’s aim is to reach out to people who enjoy parties and jumping around from
time to time.The artist uses energetic and upbeat melodies and harmonies to really
capture the attention of the audience and get them moving. This song was written by
Arthur Allian and his good friends Danielle Dubois who brought down 2013 2nd place
groovy monarch “numbing alone”. The song ‘Numb’ was produced by the one and only
Arthur himself, and was mixed and mastered by Evalucian band members Yannick
Plante and Gus d’Auvergne. The song was published in April 2014, it was one of Arthur’s
singles for Carnival.