“Tropicao was inspired by that need to love myself, to show appreciation for a culture that’s always kept me grounded, and to show people that it’s okay to be happy and live life. I think, especially times like this, that it’s easy to feel guilt when putting myself first, but in many ways I think that in itself is a form of activism, too.” True words of 25-year-old New York native singer and songwriter Synead.

“At the beginning of last year I was in the midst of going through some personal stuff when Synead hit me up about the fact that she was thinking of heading back to Trinidad for Carnival. To be honest, the idea of escaping to warmer climates to make art we’d dreamed of was at the time the perfect remedy for my situation at home. I will never forget those 3 days on the ground driving around w Bjorn Nichols, Cid’s Trini cousin and our de-facto location scout. From the frenetic and hectic energy of Carnival to the calming vibe of Maracas Bay… what a journey.” tells director Matt FX on the video.