In Barbados, soca, hip-hop, reggae and other genres are viewed as more mainstream, and it’s sometimes a hard sell convincing Bajans that the average radio listener enjoys anything other than ‘urban’ genres of music. However, Annie contends that despite the stereotypes of music in Barbados, many Barbadians are rock fans, even if they are ‘closet’ rock fans, afraid to let people know they actually enjoy the selection she plays on air. To prove a point, she pulls out a collection of photos showing winners from her on air promotions. The vast majority of winners were indeed black, a point which Annie gleefully emphasized. “Music should never have a colour,” she muses.
She admits that it was a lot harder to be a rock fan in her earlier days. While in school she could usually be found holed up under the headphones of her Walkman (iPods weren’t around) listening to rock — a pastime which found her called into the principal’s office on at least one occasion.
Annie no longer has to report to the principal’s office to justify her listening preferences and seems determined to expose her listeners to a bit of everything that’s out there - no matter the genre.
“Do not adjust the dial on your stereo, I am black.” These are the words from Annie, lead presenter/programmer on Mix 96.9 FM. In Barbados, like many other Caribbean islands, rock and its derivatives are generally viewed as taboo ‘white’ music.