Five-foot-tall blonde bombshell

When latina Mevian Ortiz sashayed on stage at Pier 1’s Latin night last Thursday, before scores of fans, she got what she was searching for — the cheers, whistles and applause. With one hand on hip and the other clutching the microphone, Mevian did a few “hip-swaying” 360-degree turns to Latin and a bit of soca, and in stiletto heels. In a continuous movement she flowed right into a synchronised salsa dance with her co-lead vocalist Damian Primus at her left. They were accompanied by band mates “Son del sue?o” in a 30-minute midnight performance. Mevian, the five-feet-tall Venezuelan had passed the test. Her vivacious personality and big voice were sufficient to put the band back on the Latin/parang circuit. After a two-month hiatus, “Son del sue?o” had returned with a burst of energy.

When former lead singer Natasha Marcano passed away in a car crash earlier this year, members of the group considered disbanding. “Natasha was the heart of the band,” said band captain and musical director, Edmund Thomas. “Some didn’t want to go on, but some of her friends said that if we didn’t, all that she worked for would be in vain.” Of course, the next question would be: “Who would take Natasha’s place?” “Then Joel (Garcia), a member of the group said he had someone in mind, who could sing,” said Edmund. Joel called up Mevian a few days later, they met and headed for the band room at 6 Oropouche Road, Valencia for what would be Mevian’s first band rehearsal. The 29-year-old recalled feeling “a little nervous. I didn’t know what to expect,” she said. The band was impressed. “Son del sue?o” comprises Edmund (bassist), Venezuelans Joel (timbales) and Christian Quezada (tambor and conga), Damian (vocals), Garret Pollard (rhythm keyboardist), Edson Mendoza (bass keyboardist), Keith Bell (guitar), Patricia Goodridge (back-up), Kurt Skeete and newest addition, Mevian. Edmund told People: “It felt strange without Natasha when we started back up, but with Mevian, it was a different character, different personality, a different feel but the same music.” The band plays a varied repertoire including pop, ballads, soca, reggae, but is primarily a Latin band.

Mevian agreed to sing with the band on a voluntary basis with “no strings attached.” She simply loved singing. “Damian records the music and I listen over and over and write it down. I fall in love with the soca music in Trinidad,” she said, though she admitted to understanding only “some” of the lyrics. Mevian grew up in Bocono, Trujillo State on the northern sea coast of Venezuela and later moved further north to Valencia. “There the people, some of them are friendly and they like parties every weekend,” she pointed out. Since Valencia is known as the principal industrial city in Venezuela, Mevian readily found a job as an Industrial Engineer at General Motors, Venezuela (GMV). Mevian learned English at secondary school, but had forgotten most of her vocabulary. “A friend told me about coming to Trinidad to study it, but in that moment I said no...but when I worked at GMV it was a requirement, the first tool to improvement.” She formerly belonged to the three-member group “Aries,” playing at restaurants and private parties. “We sang whatever kind of Latin music, meringue, salsa, pop.” She never dreamt of singing both Latin and soca on the same stage, or even singing soca for that matter. “I had heard that many people sing parang,” she said. It’s a delight to see the blonde latina and her dread-locked companion paired up. “Damian and I have a special understanding between us. We improvise many things together,” Mevian said.

The band delivered an impressive performance at the recent 15th annual International Business Conference at Hilton Trinidad. “The people were so impressed that they took our numbers and addresses and invited us to perform in their country,” Edmund Thomas informed. Mevian was pleased. She said her performance is reflective of the energy which she feeds off her audience. She added: “It’s how I feel in that moment, and the people I sing for...” Her most enjoyable party, ever, she said, has been in Trinidad — the country she described as “happy” and “a very hot place.” When she returns home by year’s end, she plans to take with her “plenty soca and calypso CDs.” She said: “I have no favourites.”