Bravo weekend

The release of his March 2016 hit song –which has gained over 27 million views on YouTub– has catapulted the cricketing star to another level of stardom.

At his charity event, “47”, taking place tomorrow at Estate 101, Maraval, Bravo is expected to perform some of his new material, among them “Number One” and “Dream”. The cricketer/entertainer hopes that his “Bravo Weekend”, as he dubbed it during the interview with Newsday, would assist the nation’s children with their back-to-school needs. He will host the Dwayne Bravo day for Kids today at the Brian Lara Recreation Ground, Sam Boucaud, Santa Cruz.

The recent loss by his team, the Trinbago Knight Riders in the Caribbean Primer League (CPL), did not deter him nor this weekend events. He said he was still proud of the team because it played its best with only four members of the winning T20 World Cup team which played earlier this year.

For Bravo, this weekend and in particular “47” will aid in raising funds for the blink/bmobile Book Buddy programme. His teammates Chris Gayle, Darren Sammy, Andre Russell, Kieron Pollard, among others, would be attending the events. Omari Banks and Russell are also expected to perform. The team is yet to play in front of the TT crowd as the winning World Cup team but, he added, the event gives people the opportunity to rub shoulders with their cricketing stars. Some of the region’s prime ministers are also scheduled to attend.

Music is Bravo’s passion. It is this passion for music and charity that would blend together at the all-white affair tomorrow. “I am someone who is passionate about music. I am passionate about life. I am a happy person. Music is a big part of our culture and to do the song like ‘Champion’, I think it just happened at the right time. I am trying to enter into the entertainment aspect; the music side and I still have a long way to go... I am still learning my craft.

“I still want to do some more music and some collaborations. I just want to do things differently than just Dwayne Bravo the cricketer or Dwayne Bravo try something.

I definitely am going to take it a lot more serious than before.

Hence the reason I have some more projects in the making, some more songs to release. Everything happens at the right time,” he said.

Referring to his soon-to-be released songs, “Number One” and “Dream”. Bravo said “Dream” tells of his frustration of being dropped from the then World Cup cricketing team and how that impacted him. “It was a big disappointment for me. I felt hurt and I just did a song called ‘Dream’. Channelling my frustration into music. There are other projects. There is a song collaboration with Gyptian also.” Bravo said films are also a part of his future. Approximately three to four years ago he had a stint in an Indian movie called Ola. “I have to go back to India the first week in September to do some projects. I am marketing my brand as something people can relate to. Like a true entertainer. On or off the field I want to entertain my fans...I want to do something differently. It is very rare to see an athlete branching off to something else and being successful at it. It is very rare.” Doing both cricket and music is fulfilling to Bravo and he believes that many people should pursue their passion.

“If you have a passion or dream for something you should pursue it,” he advised those who think that a person has to be only limited to one thing.

Today, he hosts his seventh year of the Dwayne Bravo Day for Kids.

“The village of Santa Cruz is my home town and every year I put on the Dwayne Bravo Day for Kids, for kids between the ages of five to 15. Boys and girls come out and have a full fun day of cricket, football, running, slides and all the different novelty games. (They) have a full fun day and getting the chance to be with their local and international cricketing heroes.” The event is from 10 am to 5 pm.

And although the face of cricket might be changing with the faster format of the game T20 becoming more popular, Bravo is unfazed.

He said of the growing interest in T20 cricket: “At the end of the day we live in a world where people fail to face reality. The more you get to accept reality, the easier people will get to accept certain things and accept changes. I do not think T20 cricket will ever whitewash Test cricket. But T20 cricket is a brand that attracts different people, different crowds.

“There is more money involved in T20 cricket so it would look and seem as if Test cricket is dying.

Right around the world – except Australia and England when they play against each other– it is the only time you would see a Test venue kind of sold-out. But everywhere else it is actually struggling.

“It is a matter of accepting, T20 cricket brings something different to the game and if you want the game to go into America, China and these places you have to use T20 cricket to get to these markets, you cannot really use Test cricket because it is longer and to the average fan it is more boring.

“So if you want youth and kids involved in a sport you have to put it in a package that is attractive to the eye. It is sad but it is about reality. Because Test is traditional it does not mean you have to stick with it. Everything moves on.” After hanging up his cricket bat –although that is far in the future– Bravo does not see himself as a coach. While he intends to give back he hopes to do so in other ways.

“I more see myself in the entertainment side. But life after cricket for me is to have business and companies set up so that I should be able to live comfortably so that after I am finished playing, I am still able to be comfortable.” The tickets for “47” cost $547 each. Limited tickets are available at All Out, Queen’s Park Oval; Caribbean Jewellers, Trincity Mall and from committee members listed on Bravo’s social media accounts.