St. Maarten’s Carnival 2023 season is right around the corner, and this year’s flagship show, TelCell’s Night of the Hitmakers, slated for Saturday, April 29, will surely be one to remember. Taking the stage this year are international artistes Vayb, Buleria and Destra, and the number one dance band in St. Maarten, Control Band. So this promises to be a night of non-stop dancing and entertainment, with hits after hits.
Leading up to the much-anticipated event, we will introduce each of the legendary Hitmakers gracing the stage this year. This week, we (re)introduce to you Buleria from Aruba.
Buleria
Buleria Official Aruba is a musical group from Aruba that was founded in 2014. The group consists of Rodrick “Rocco Flava” Franken, Jeanchrisjair “Buddy Love” Vesprey, Raynold “François” Kelly, and Maryann “Mary” Rodriguez, who form the front line.
The group specializes in a musical genre called Ritmo Kombina, which is a combination of various Caribbean rhythms such as soca, zouk, salsa, and merengue. Buleria Official Aruba’s music is known for its high energy and catchy melodies, which have earned the group a strong following both in Aruba and abroad.
Buleria Official Aruba has released several popular original songs since its onset, such as “Beautiful”, “Con Lo Ta”, and the multiple award-winning “Laganan Yama Bo Kayente”. It then metamorphosed to produce classics such as “Mi Curason Ta OK”, “Mi Futuro”, and “E Ta Bal Un Pleito”.
What distinguishes Buleria from its competition is its clever innovation and freshness when it comes to well-established “covers” and collaborations. It has produced fan-favourites like “Basila Riba Mi (Remix)”, “Djadja”, “40%”, “Wat Is Je Naam?”, “Tusa” (Karol G) and “Hello” (originally by Kes The Band). Buleria’s music has received widespread airplay on radio stations in Aruba, The Netherlands, and other parts of the world.
The group has also performed at numerous music festivals and events, including the Aruba Summer Music Festival, the Curaçao North Sea Jazz Festival, and the Dutch Latin Festival “Pal Mundo”. Buleria Official Aruba has shared the stage with several international artists such as Pitbull, Farruko, and Romeo Santos.
In addition to music, Buleria Official Aruba is also involved in various philanthropic efforts, such as fundraising for local charities and performing at benefit concerts. The group is widely regarded as one of the most popular and influential musical acts to come out of Aruba in recent years, and group members continue to captivate audiences with their dynamic performances and infectious music.
As of March 2023, Buleria Official Aruba has 13,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, 18K subscribers with a total of 14 Million Views on YouTube, 12K followers on Instagram, and 35K followers on Facebook
Tickets are still on sale for just $40 at Van Dorp, Adolphus Office Supplies, Domino’s Pizza and Levi’s Boutique.
