Bunji Garlin
Musical artist
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ian Antonio Alvarez (born July 14, 1978), better known by his stage name Bunji Garlin, is a Trinidadian ragga and soca artist. He is also affectionately known as the Viking of Soca. His spouse is Fay-Ann Lyons.[1]
July 14, 1978
Early life
Personal life
He married fellow soca artist Fay-Ann Lyons on December 23, 2006, daughter of successful soca singer Superblue.[4] He is also a second cousin of singer Patrice Roberts, who performs alongside the popular Machel Montano.[5]
Career
Bunji has won Trinidad's Soca Monarch/International Soca Monarch competition on several occasions: 2002 (tied with Iwer George) with "Down in the Ghetto",[6] 2004 with "Warrior Cry",[7] 2005 with "Blaze the Fire" (both songs were produced by then band member Shawn Noel (Da Ma$tamind)[8] and 2008 with "Fiery".[9] He placed second in the International Soca Monarch 2009 with "Clear de Road", while his pregnant wife Fay-Ann Lyons placed first with "Meet Super Blue".[10] She also won the Groovy Soca Monarch title that same night with "Heavy T Bumpa".
Bunji Garlin's "Brrt" is featured on the Grand Theft Auto IV soundtrack.[11]
In 2013, Garlin won the Soul Train Award for Best International Performance for the song "Differentology", which features Nigel Rojas on guitar.[12] An album of the same name was released by RCA and VP Records in August 2014.[13][14]
In 2017, he released Turn Up, his highest chart placing to date, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart.[15] On September 24, 2017, Garlin was bestowed with a national award of T&T, the silver Hummingbird Medal.[16] A song by Garlin entitled "All or Nothing" also appeared in the pilot of the Netflix TV series Impulse.[17]
Discography
Albums
- The Chronicles (1999)
- Revelation (2002)
- Black Spaniard (2003)
- Graceful Vengeance (2004)
- Flame Storm (2005)
- Next Direction (2006)
- Global (2007)
- Fiery (2008)
- "iSpaniard" (2012)
- The Viking (2013)
- Differentology (2014), VP/RCA - US Reggae no. 6[18]
- Turn Up (2017), VP - US Reggae No. 3
- Ayl'Ian (2024)
Singles
- "Differentology" (2013)[19]
- "Truck on D Road" (2014) (featuring A$AP Ferg)
- "The Message" (2015) (featuring Damian Marley)
- "Television" (2016)
Collaborations
- "Carnival Tabanca" (featuring Tarrus Riley) 2014
- "Coofy Lie Lie" (featuring Singing Sandra) (2002)
- "Let's Get It On" and "That Woman" (featuring Walker Hornung) (1999, 2001)
- "Rags Don't Care" (featuring Chinese Laundry and Shurwayne Winchester) (2003)
- "Soca Bhangra" (featuring Shami) (2003)
- "Don't Waste Water" (featuring Shurwayne Winchester) (2005)
- "The Islands" (featuring Patrice Roberts) (2005)
- "Lorraine" (featuring Explainer) (2005)
- "Move with Us" (TSTT jingle also featuring Shurwayne Winchester and Machel Montano) (2006)
- "Get Up Stand Up" (featuring T.O.K.) (2007)
- "Hardcore Loving" (featuring Rita Jones) (2007)
- "Swing It" (featuring Chris Black) (2007)
- "One Family" (featuring Freddie McGregor) (2007)
- "Bring It" (featuring Lalchan Babwa (Hunter)) (2008)
- "Country Rum (featuring Neeshan Prabhoo) (2008)
- "Bring It Superstar Mix" (Lalchan Babwa (Hunter) featuring Alison Hinds, Andy Singh, Bunji Garlin & Ziggy Rankin) (2008)
- "That's How We Party" (featuring Busy Signal) (2005)
- "Big Blood" (featuring 3suns and Sir Skarz) [2011]
- "Sex, Love and Reggae" (Gyptian featuring Bunji Garlin and Angela Hunt) (2013)
- "All or Nothing" (Elliphant featuring Diplo and Bunji Garlin)
- "Jungle Bae" (Jack Ü featuring Bunji Garlin) (2015)
- "Baddest Things" (Party Favor & Nymz featuring Bunji Garlin) (2015)
- "Buss Head" (with Machel Montano) (2017)
- "Ride It" (Sebastian Ingrosso & Salvatore Ganacci featuring Bunji Garlin) (2017)
- "Famalay" (with Machel Montano and Skinny Fabulous) (2019)
- "Bomboclat (Light It Up)" (with Dillon Francis, from the EP Magic Is Real) (2019)
- "Break a Branch" (with Motto) (2020)