 This Caribbean nation is rising fast, A sunbeam cutting through a clouded pass, A passion fills the world like a raging fire, As the sunrise you know we can take it higher, Let every voice be heard, everybody give praise. Beautiful rendition of Rally Round the West Indies. Rally Round the West Indies originally sung by Trinbegonian, Calypsoanian David Rodder was released in 1987 and adopted as the official West Indies team anthem in 1999. Recently as a tribute to Rodder, Cricket West Indies commissioned a remake done by Trinbegonian award-winning soccer artist. Irfan Alves and D-Pianogirl Joana were delighted this afternoon to be joined via Zoom by Irfan. Good afternoon, how are you? Good afternoon, I will find thank you, it's a pleasure. Happy to be here and representing in my region at Pride. Yes, always a pleasure to speak to you Irfan. So talk to me about you know this collaboration with Cricket West Indies. How did it come about? Who approached you because it turned out to be a beautiful rendition? Well it was definitely an organic occurrence. Joana Chokari better known as D-Pianogirl. We have a very good relationship musically and you know sometimes we would go hang out with a friend. All vision of that is me going over to her house and actually just sing along while she plays her piano you know. She has favourites of my catalogue and she says sing, sing that. And you know one day we posted an acoustic version of one of my latest songs called Ankadon because we are coaching the Carnival season for 2024 and Cricket West Indies they saw it and they found that it would be very fitting for us to represent in an acoustic way this epic and legendary piece you know. But we know as the anthem for US Indies so we it was a definite yes. And I'm always happy to show off my versatility you know. We're outside of the Socom music itself we can break it down and flex it a little bit and show how dynamic you know Calypso music and Socom music is. So this acoustic offering was really a blessing and I'm very grateful to be the vessel through which you know it was covered. Yeah really really well done and you know when I saw it I think I saw it first on social media and instantly you know it brought a lot of memories back because we're at a time in West Indies Cricket Irfan where you know we're not getting the results that we want we really need a turnaround and I feel like this rendition came at the right time. Yes for me as a you know West Indian who happens to be an artist I found it you know very fitting for me to present myself you know. This is this is my way of offering strength support to reignite that flame because I can remember running outside when Brayalara hit those runs you know and an immediate cricket game would start amongst my friends you know everybody wanted to be Brayalara everybody wanted to be a star you know we felt that fire as you say a raging fire so you know I'm happy to really be a way through which you know we could you know bring that that that true West Indian spirit alive and really face the world with some action. Yeah Irfan I really have to say that this is a beautiful rendition of the song and as Mariah pointed out it brings back so many memories how easy was it for you to connect with the words of this song. You know it took me to a place and even before you know I started you know just running through it because you know I had to match you know the legend you know David Runner so I had to kind of make sure I was you know really prepared to do so vocally. However I just figured that the idea of the aura of the song taking me back to that place bringing back vivid memories you know childhood memories whether it be in school during recess or lunchtime or summer vacation or weekends at home you know if we didn't have a cricket bat some my dad would make a cricket bat or we would find something around the house or a branch from a palm tree or coconut tree so just maybe in able to relate to that it was really easy to slide into that zone and express myself. Yeah and of course the rudder's version is legendary and the version that cricket lovers for such a long time have known and loved. How difficult was it if any at all to decide what your spin on this song would be? Well to be honest you know I'm glad you asked that question. Great question because you know that was something I thought about and if you listen to it very well I had very few inflections very few little bends and twists to it because I just wanted to respect something you know it's like an anthem you know and if I'm to present an anthem even live in a stadium you know I can't do too much as we say in Caribbean dialect fancy thing. So I sit close to the original melody and then just express it with my tone and my vibe and I believe that was just good you know. And thanks to the rudder he actually commented so I'm happy and grateful you know and I think we got the side help there. Yeah that could be really really pleasing because you know sometimes I always feel like if you have to step into somebody's shoe the thing is it can go both ways. You can do it really well and they love it or you can mess it up so badly and the people start bashing you. Luckily you got a sign off from him and of course the West Indies fans are OK. So all is well. Thanks to everyone who commented you know I went through the comments and it was like 100% positive and I saw a lot of people saying yes you know now is the time for us to reignite that flame and rally on. So as you would say rally. Rally round the West Indies. No one forever. And does Irfan Alves now become the face of this anthem. Are we going to be turning up at cricket matches maybe at the T20 World Cup next year when the West Indies are in action. And you're going to be performing live. Thank you very much for putting that in the atmosphere. So do I come to a soccer party in Trinidad next year for Carnival and we're dancing along to the West Indies anthem. Why not. It's always my agenda for the little calypso in the set of my performances. So don't be surprised if you see it. Yeah. I want to know though I mean does it end here. You've you've recorded the piece. It's beautiful. Everybody loves it. Is that now it. No way for me. I believe that I have a shoe suffer and continue showing my way of support. This is not just an online stand or whatever. I'm going to continue blessing you all with some acoustic organic vibes. You know, raw and uncut. So blessings to Joanna for always collaborating on this nice unique way and thanks to West Indies cricket board for actually reaching out for us. It's great collaboration. Yeah Irfan you did a beautiful job. We can't stop praising you and thanking you for giving us this version. I've been listening to some of your soccer music. I love it. I'm getting ready for carnival 2024. So keep on giving us the music and you know we look forward for greater, better things from you. I want to thank you so much for stopping by. It's a pleasure. Thank you. All right Irfan how's there from Trinidad and Tobago. If you have not heard that version of the West Indies rendition, let me just say you're missing out. It's break time.