Soul singer to perform tracks from new album

Bermudian singer/songwriter LaVette Fuentes is looking forward to performing her first local show since the launch of her debut album LaVette! My First One.

The versatile R&B/soul singer has been working on the album in New York since 2009 and, while her songs have had some airtime on local radio stations, she is excited to present her music live to a Bermuda audience this Saturday.

She will be performing  at 4pm with a host of other musicians at the Pembroke Community Festival this Sunday in Victoria Park. The festival is aimed at promoting local entertainers to representatives in the hotel industry. The festival is free and takes place from 1pm until. The concert will also feature local names including Troy Anthony, Gene Steede, Wendell ‘Shine’ Hayward, Gita Blakeney-Saltus, Joy Barnum and The Yellow Brick Road.

Speaking to the Bermuda Sun, Fuentes, who regards herself as a “balladeer who sings with soul”, said: “Music has always been a passion of mine and I’m glad to be pursuing it now in my more mature years. I wrote all the songs, lyrics and melodies and the producers in New York enhanced the songs and gave them some flavour. I love a lot of strings and violins so they worked with those instruments. I’m happy with how it sounds.”

In 2013, Fuentes was the featured artist at the fundraising concert In Aid of Caravan To Cuba. She performed Gershwin’s classic Summertime and her own songs Saggin’ Pants, and My Marriage Is Over, both of which are on her debut album.

In the summer of 2012, Fuentes was honoured to be asked to do a solo show at the renowned Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson Sugar Bar in Manhattan, New York.

She has appeared locally in venues including the Bermuda Music Festival and Leopard’s Club and she went on to be a guest soloist in Bermuda’s First Musical Hall of Fame induction for world renowned musician Vernon Ghandi Burgess. Her talent was recognized and that was when she was invited to perform in A Day for Sugars — Tribute to Women in Song, Poetry and Dance. She also opened for internationally acclaimed composer, pianist and improviser of Jazz and classical, Mr Donald Fox  and appeared in the Amateur night at the Apollo in Harlem.

Fuentes is due to film her first music video this month for her most popular song on the album My Marriage Is Over which will be filmed at locations around the island. 

She said: “Some of it will be filmed on the beach but also in different places around the island. It’s going to be a lot of fun I am looking forward to it as it’s my first video.”

Fuentes said that her next challenge in life is to write songs for established artists. “I plan to go back to New York because my long-term goal is to become a writer for other people who are stars already.”

Copies of the album are available through LaVette’s sister at Bull’s Head Car Wash or she can be contacted through her Facebook pages by searching for Lavette Fuentes. Her single My Marriage Is Over is also available on iTunes.

Hosted by Nadanja and Nishathi Bailey, Roddie ‘the Riddler’, Bootsie and Gina Spence Farmer,
Pembroke Community
Festival will include representatives from the local hotel industry who will be scouting for performing talent.

There will also be stalls, vendors, fun castles, face painting and more.