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78-year-old Caribbean sensation Calypso Rose is the unlikely face of a gender equality movement within the music industry called #LeaveMeAlone.
Rose hails from from Tobago, of Trinidad and Tobago, the twin island state in the far south of the Caribbean, famous for producing gold medal-winning athletes and music genres like Calypso.
Her Baptist Minister Father called it the ‘Devil’s Music’, and it turns out Calypso music is actually very subversive, hiding a scathing social commentary behind those happy instrumental rhythms and feelgood vibes.
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They tricked us through song!
Calypso Rose has been a trailblazer in what was a traditionally masculine genre of music and had to fight to have her popularity and success recognised over the lesser achievements of men.
She started the #LeaveMeAlone movement in 2016 as a way of allowing women to be free with their own bodies and sexuality when dancing in public, particularly during events like Trinidad's Carnival.
Men can get in on the act and show their support too.
Calypso Rose has campaigned for other things too, like fair wages for domestic servants. She even had an act of parliament changed!
She's still agitating for change on her new album, a tribute to those who inspired her life and career like Nat King Cole, Aretha Franklin, The Melodians and Angelique Kidjo, along with six of her own songs.
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'So Calypso!' came out in May, 2018.
At 78-years-old, she just played at the famed Paris concert hall, Olympia.
Calypso Rose, standing up for your rights (and your right to party!) since 1940.
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