Local Design House Akilah’s Creative Expressions and Sincerity Studio of Trinidad will put on a series of fashion shows and concerts around Guyana from August 4. The tour, dubbed I Am SOCA was launched on Friday last at Bethel Gospel Hall Church and this past Sunday at the Children Ministries Department in Agricola.
The shows will see performances from various churches including Pentecostal, Assemblies of God, Seventh Day Adventist and Methodist.
Designer Akilah Atherley said, “The show is [geared] to empower young people in the kingdom of God by using their talents in song, dance, poetry and fashion. It is my aim to have us all come together and worship God, the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We will be visiting hospitals, institutions and churches doing motivational talks with young people to try and help them find their way through Christ and encourage them not to give up on their dreams and talents that they have been blessed with by God.”
Manager of Sincerity Studios Nigel Lopez explained that soca, a Trinidad music genre has over time become a Caribbean thing. “I’ve been a singer for almost 15 years now,” Lopez said. “Soca music is one of our main genres. As a gospel artiste soca was acceptable in the gospel community and that’s the music I grew up with. My manager and I have decided to add a little twist to it where we made an acronym out of soca which stands for Sold Out for Christ Always. I am SOCA simply means I am Sold Out for Christ Always.”
The first show is slated for the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, Georgetown on August 4. The SOCA team will also be hosting shows in Linden on August 11 and on August 17 at Bartica.
Local artistes Renison Duncan, Loiden Henry, Mariah Collymore, Ryan ‘DSC Chosen Son’ Patterson, Loversa Glen Tucker, Rene ‘Nehemiah’ Williams and Teron London are expected to perform. The international artistes on the schedule are Nquan, Farenite, Richie Stanislaus, Keron Thomas and Nigel Lopez. Dominion Dancers Academy of Performing Arts and the Royal Gospel Flames Band will perform throughout the tour.
Akilah will show her latest collection ‘Rwanda’, a fusion of African and Greek cultures.
SOCA organizers promise a treat and a blessing.
Currently they are doing promotions at various churches and these will be ongoing in June and July so as to inform persons of the tour and to attract sponsorship. To date the SOCA tour has already gathered sponsorship from the Ministry of Public Telecommunications, Uni-Fabulous, the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, and Hair-tee International. The team is asking that more sponsors come on board.
Tickets cost $3,500 and $5,000 and can be purchased at Da Silva’s Optical. Interested persons can also call 670-0696 or 682-1554.
