Kes The Band Is First Soca Headliner For Budweiser Stage Toronto

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News Americas, New York, NY, June 10, 2025: Trinidad and Tobago’s Kes the Band is set to make history as the first soca group to headline Toronto’s Budweiser Stage on Saturday, June 14, 2025, from 7:00 PM, marking a major milestone in the band’s 20-year journey and a groundbreaking moment for Caribbean music on a global platform.

FLASHBACK – Kes performing live on stage at Mann Center For Performing Arts on September 09, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Lisa Lake/Getty Images)

Toronto, a city close to the heart of lead vocalist Kees Dieffenthaller, was the first international destination the band performed in after their debut in 2005. “This is a full circle moment,” said Dieffenthaller at a Toronto social mixer on May 27th according to RonFanfair.com. “Soca has always been the heartbeat of Toronto Carnival. Now, it’s time we step to the forefront and be celebrated on stages like Budweiser.”

The highly anticipated show, presented by Live Nation and the Summer of Sound, (SOS) Festival Inc., will include surprise guests, reflecting the band’s two-decade connection to the city and Caribbean diaspora.

Dieffenthaller paid homage to pioneers who championed soca in Canada. “This opportunity is the result of years of dedication, passion, and cultural pride from those who built something meaningful out of homesickness,” he shared. That cultural legacy inspired collaborations such as his 2010 studio session in Toronto with Kerwin Du Bois, where they co-wrote the hit “Wotless,” later winning the International Groovy Soca Monarch title and earning a BET Soul Train Music Award nomination.

In recognition of their cultural contributions, Trinidad & Tobago’s Consul General in Toronto, Simone Young, presented Kes the Band with a Cultural Impact Award. “From the Caribbean to Canada and beyond, Kes has carried the soul and heartbeat of our region in every performance,” said Young. “Their music is the soundtrack of joy, unity, and Caribbean pride.”

The June 14 concert promises to be a vibrant showcase of soca’s global rise, connecting generations and cultures through the unifying power of music.

Tickets: Available through Ticketmaster and Live Nation

Caribbean Set To Outgrow U.S. Economy Through 2027, Says World Bank

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News Americas, New York, NY, Tues. June 10, 2025: The Caribbean region is poised to outpace not only the United States but also Europe and Japan in economic growth over the next two years. According to the World Bank’s latest Global Economic Prospects report released today, the Caribbean’s growth will be driven by Guyana’s ongoing oil boom and the continued rebound of tourism and services across the region.

The Caribbean is projected to grow by 3.9 percent in 2025 and by an impressive average of 6.2 percent across 2026 and 2027. Even when excluding Guyana, regional growth is expected to remain solid at 3 percent in 2025 and 3.3 percent in 2026–27.

By contrast, the U.S. economy is forecast to grow by only 1.4 percent in 2025, followed by 1.6 percent in 2026 and 1.9 percent in 2027.

Among Caribbean countries, Guyana stands out with extraordinary projected growth: 10 percent in 2025, followed by 23 and 24.3 percent in 2026 and 2027, respectively. The Dominican Republic, another high performer, is set to grow by 4 percent in 2025 and an average of 4.3 percent in the two years after, fueled by structural reforms and rising foreign investment.

Here is the projected GDP growth ranking for Caribbean nations from 2025 to 2027:

Country2025 (%)2026 (%)2027 (%)Guyana10.023.024.3Dominican Republic4.04.24.4St. Vincent4.92.92.7Dominica4.33.42.8Grenada3.83.42.7Suriname3.13.33.5Trinidad & Tobago2.81.33.2Belize2.82.42.3Barbados2.82.01.7St. Lucia2.82.31.9Jamaica1.71.71.6The Bahamas1.11.21.3Haiti-2.22.02.5

The broader Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region is forecast to grow by 2.3 percent in 2025, improving to 2.4 percent in 2026 and 2.6 percent in 2027—surpassing both the U.S. and other major economies such as the Euro area (1.6% in 2026 and 1.9% in 2027) and Japan (0.8% and 1%, respectively).

While the regional outlook remains positive, the World Bank cautions that external risks such as rising protectionism, policy uncertainty, and global financial tightening could affect export performance and delay fiscal improvements. Still, the Caribbean stands at the forefront of global growth prospects heading into the latter half of the decade.

Felicia J. Persaud, CEO of Invest Caribbean, reacting to the World Bank data in the Global Economic Prospects, June 2026 report, stated: “The time is now to invest in the Caribbean – and the numbers back it up. To all those who have dismissed the region as too small or unworthy of investment or lending: it’s time to wake up from your slumber.”