Bunji Garlin

Trinidadian soca superstar Bunji Garlin ranks among the foremost figures in the ragga soca movement and stands out as one of its rare crossover successes, reaching global audiences through partnerships with Major Lazer, appearances tied to the Soul Train Awards, and placements on the television series Greys Anatomy. Born Ian Anthony Alvarez in Sangre Grande, Trinidad, he derived his performing name from the flexible properties of a bungee cord combined with Garlin, a reference to a firearm model. His professional start coincided with the rise of ragga soca, an aggressive digital style rooted in dancehall influences within soca. That sound shaped his 2000 debut album The Chronicles, a forward-looking project that included a contribution from soca legend Alison Hinds. Garlin claimed victory in Trinidad’s Ragga Soca Monarch competition in 2000 and repeated the win the following year; 2002 brought both an International Soca Monarch title and his initial VP Records release, Revelation. His 2006 marriage to fellow soca artist Fay-Ann Lyons generated considerable attention, and the 2007 album Global marked the beginning of his broader international campaign, complete with guest appearances by reggae artists T.O.K. and Freddie McGregor. Although years passed without a new full-length project, numerous singles achieved widespread impact, most notably the 2013 track “Differentology.” Major Lazer delivered a remix of the anthem, the song appeared in an episode of Greys Anatomy, and it earned Garlin a Best International Performance nomination at the 2013 Soul Train Awards. A 2014 RCA contract followed, leading to a major-label edition of Differentology that same year. Subsequent collaborations involved Elliphant on “All or Nothing,” Jack U on “Jungle Bae,” Machel Montano on “Buss Head,” and Sebastian Ingrosso on “Ride It,” while Garlin issued his own single “Big Bad Soca” in 2017.