Artiste gives birth hours after Soca, Ragga Soca performances

by Chanolde Munroe

After delivering a performance that secured her a spot in the Ragga Soca monarch finals, a few hours later Keronna ‘Keke’ Samuel delivered again: this time, a 6lb 8oz bouncing baby girl.

Last Saturday night, a heavily nine-month pregnant Samuel showed her “Baby Power,” when she performed a song by that name in the Soca Monarch semi-finals and before that, ‘Mah Maylay’ in the Ragga Soca semi-finals, dubbed ‘Boardiing Pass,’ held on the tarmac of the former ET Joshua Airport at Arnos Vale.

Yesterday, during an interview with SEARCHLIGHT from the Maternity Ward of the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH), the cosmetologist said after her two performances, she started feeling cramps; however, she just brushed it off.

“I went home the morning about after three. I slept and woke up with contractions.”

Samuel said later Sunday morning, she asked her boyfriend to take her to the hospital, where she delivered a baby girl, whom she calls Faith.

The 25-year-old said although her pregnancy was full-term, she believes that her movements during the performances helped to speed up her baby’s birth.

Samuel, however, added that being a new mother will not negatively impact her performance in the Ragga Soca Monarch finals on July 8, as she still plans to compete. And, not only does she plan to compete, but also she hopes to walk away with the Ragga Soca Monarch title.

Samuel, who also has a five-year-old son, said her pregnancy was normal, with no complications.

“I does always tell people pregnancy is not an illness,” she said.

Samuel said she recorded her song ‘Mah Maylay’ last year, but released it for Vincy Mas 2017.

“I was saying I ain’t going in and after, something just tell me ‘man go for it’. The song just get big and I just take it to the next level,” she explained.

The Layou resident said that she feels great about the feedback she has been receiving for the song, but while some encouraged her to go forward with her music, some also discouraged her.

“I just forget about the negative vibes and just go ahead and do my thing,” Samuel said.

Samuel’s boyfriend Daren Baptiste said he supports his girlfriend’s dream 100 per cent.

He, however, admits to being quite nervous while she was performing.

“I wasn’t on the stage, so I was just telling her take her time on the stage, don’t fall… but everything turn out good,” he said.

Samuel’s mother Murvilla Samuel-Layne told SEARCHLIGHT she is proud of her daughter, because she didn’t believe she (Keke) could have performed with such an advanced pregnancy.

“But she did it; she real perform well and the little soca fever baby… I believe she was jumping too anah,” the proud grandmother said.

Samuel and 11 other artistes will be out to dethrone current Ragga Soca Monarch Chewalee Johnson in the show on July 8 at the Victoria Park.