Alicia Jaggasar,
She has been named Best Lead Vocalist and Queen of Parang of T&T nine times and has never been dethroned, with successes in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2009.
Like many other singers Alicia started in 'Aunty Kay' when she was 6 years and, like many singers at that time, her big song was the ABC song. LOL. They had many home concerts, but nothing public, just family and close friends. She started singing calypso at age eleven, after entering Mt Hope Junior Secondary.
Her professional singing of calypso began at the age of 14 when, after entering San Juan Secondary Comprehensive, she won the Calypso Monarch. That experience took her to the stage of the National Youth Action Committee Stars of Tomorrow & National Womens' Queen Show. She was singing with big singers like Denise Plummer, Kurt Allen and Singing Sandra & more. "I really enjoyed those times I love singing Sandra so much she sings from her heart ……….." says Alicia.
"My mom did not like the calypso that much; she thought it was not the right choice after experiencing some negativity around. You know how parents are protective! I lasted about 9 years in calypso. Eventually I had to give up calypso not because of mom but because singing parang and Calypso became very difficult. Carnival season started during christmas season and all my auditons were during the parang season, according to the time carnival was falling in that year," says Alicia.
Coming from a non parang, non spanish family, it seemed strange that she fell in love with parang music. It was only her love for music generally that drew her to the school’s parang group. She wanted to be in anything that was music in her school. Never would she have imagined becoming Parang Queen years later.
Of her journey thus far, this is what Mrs. Jaggasar had to say:
"This journey has not always been easy, many sleepless nights and days. However I was blessed to have met some of the parranderos who have paved the way for us. Tito Lara (deceased) Willie Lara, Martin Constantine, Holly Betaudier, Sonny Christian, Sydney Granger (deceased) and many more.
I always admired Daisy Voison I listened to her music and wished that she was still here so that I could have met her. That was not meant to be."Alicia sings different styles of music at restaurants and hotels, when called upon, but she remain the most humble, genuine, kind, fun-loving, hard working and Christ centered person I have ever meet. She continues to thrill audiences nationwide and touch countless lives with her warmth and passion. She spends a great deal of time in many different schools, teaching the youths about parang, and helping them learn some of the parang songs.
We pay special tribute to one of the great icons in the parang industry....Alicia Jaggasar.
