Kes is Budweiser Stage first soca headliner
June 4, 2025
Toronto is one of Kees Dieffenthaller’s favourite cities.
It is the first international space that the lead singer soca group, Kes the Band, performed in shortly after their launch in 2005.
To mark the milestone 20th anniversary, they will make history as the first soca band to headline the Budweiser Stage on Toronto’s waterfront on June 14.
“This is a full circle moment,” Dieffenthaller said at an exclusive social mixer in Toronto on May 27. “We wanted to take soca and not only bridge gaps, but put it in places we deserve to be. Soca has been the heartbeat of the summer Toronto Carnival for so long and I feel we need to step to the forefront now and showcase ourselves in places and spaces where we can be celebrated, loved and respected.”
The show’s supporting acts will be unveiled shortly.
“It is Kes the Band, but we are going to have friends there as well,” noted Dieffenthaller who sang in school choirs and co-founded ‘Klas’, an R & B group in his teenage years. “Who they are is a secret for now. It is telling our story as well. We are celebrating 20 years and 25 years of coming to Toronto.”
Kes Dieffenthaller gave soca fans a taste of what is to come at the Budweiser Stage (Photo by Ron Fanfair)
He paid tribute to the pioneers who kept the soca culture alive in Canada.
“That started from people missing their home and coming together to create something out of nothing and demanding that presence and respect,” pointed out Dieffenthaller who teamed up with Sean Paul to produce the official anthem for the International Cricket Council Men’s T20 World Cup in the West Indies and United States in 2024. “This opportunity to showcase the culture on a stage like Budweiser is a result of all the hard work, sweat, tears, the fighting, loving, wining and all the people who supported every year. The people in Toronto support soca music and Kes the Band are phenomenal and keep me going.”
There is another reason why Toronto holds a special place in his heart.
Feeling burned out in 2010, Dieffenthaller accepted an invitation from Trinbagonian-Canadian soca artist Kerwin Du Bois to visit his studio in the middle of winter.
“That was a lovely trip,” he recalled.
The creatives co-wrote ‘Wotless’ that won the International Groovy Soca Monarch title and was nominated for a BET Soul Train Music Award in the Best Caribbean Performance category the following year.
To celebrate Kes the Band which was the first soca group to launch an iPhone app 14 years ago, Trinidad & Tobago Consul General in Toronto Simone Young presented a Cultural Impact Award to the soca music genre trailblazers.
On behalf of Kes the Band, Kes Dieffenthaller accepted a Cultural Impact Award from T & T’s Consul General in Toronto Simone Young (Photo by Ron Fanfair)
“Kes the Band inspires across borders,” she said. “From the Caribbean to Canada and beyond, they have carried the soul and heartbeat of our nation and region in every lyric, every rhythm and every performance. Their music has become the soundtrack of joy, freedom and togetherness.”
More importantly, Young said the band has consistently used their platform to uplift, unify and represent.
“With hits like ‘Hello’, they showed us that even in a simple greeting, there is a world of connection waiting,” she added. “With ‘Fallin’, they captured the magnetic pull of love and rhythm. With ‘Savannah Grass’, we are instantly transported to a place where the spirit of Carnival lives year-round in our hearts. And with ‘Wotless’, they gave us permission to let go of the weight of the world and feel alive, proud and Caribbean.
“Whether you are waving a flag, dancing on a truck or smiling through nostalgia thousands of miles from home, Kes has a song that speaks to your moment. They have helped take soca to the global stage, to the big stage and they have done so with grace, humility and fierce Trinbagonian and Caribbean pride. We thank them for carrying the pulse of Trinidad & Tobago to every corner of the globe, for turning stages into spaces of belonging, lyrics into anthems and moments into 20 years of lasting memories. Their journey reminds us that when we honour where we come from, there is no limit to where we can go.”
Juno Award nominee Keysha Freshh presented a rag to Kees Dieffenthaller from Freshmen Clothing Company started by Khalid Chrysostom who passed away in 2016 at age 24. The rapper’s close friend adored Kes the Band. (Photo by Ron Fanfair)
Live Nation and Summer of Sound (SOS) Festival Inc. have partnered to present the first ever soca headliner at Budweiser Stage.
“This is just not another concert,” said SOS founders Naveen Sharma and Andrew Lalla. “It is a celebration of legacy, unity and pure Caribbean energy. Whether you have been with them from the beginning or just caught the wave, this is your moment to be part of soca’s evolution in a world-class setting.”
Jean Turner-Williams and Alpha King, Trinidad & Tobago Association of Ontario president and vice-president respectively, recognized Sharma and Lalla at the event at the Acqua Supper Club.
Trinidad & Tobago Association of Ontario president Jean Turner-Williams and vice-president Alpha King (r) made a presentation to Naveen Sharma ( second from right) and Andrew Lalla who co-founded SOS that has partnered with Live Nation to present Kes the Band at the Budweiser Stage (Photo by Ron Fanfair)
“In celebrating individuals and organizations that have gone above and beyond in uplifting our culture, we shine the spotlight tonight on two cultural ambassadors whose unwavering commitment and creative brilliance have not only elevated Caribbean music and entertainment, but have brought it to a world class stage with global impact,” said King. “It began 11 years ago right here in Ontario when a bold idea took shape at the International Centre. It was called the Main Event and from that very first production, it was clear something special was born. That something has grown into what has become the Sound of Soca Festival, an experience that has redefined Caribbean culture and representation in Canada.
“Naveen and Andrew have built a legacy. Through SOS Fest, they have brought us the very best in reggae, soca chutney and more…They have not only hosted the biggest and brightest stars from across the Caribbean, but they have created a powerful bridge connecting generations.”
T & T Consul General Simone Young (l), Consul Tracey Ramsubagh-Mannette (r) and event organizer Patrice Benn relaxing at the social mixer (Photo by Ron Fanfair)
