Reggae Wave Radio & Reggae Storm Radio dive deep into Sylvia Tella's musical journey
Sunday 22nd of October 2023. Live on Reggae Storm Radio and Reggae Wave Radio. 8 PM (UK TIME) 3 PM (USA TIME) 2 PM (JAMAICA TIME) 7 PM...
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TRINITY CONNECTIONS
Sylvia and long time friend Sonia Caesar, who Sylvia has known since she first came to live in London when she was 17 years old, joined together having mutual admiration for each other’s skills and talents to form a business. They set up Trinity Connections working in a shared office space in Perivale London.
Anyone that knows Sylvia knows that she is fiercely independent (a very Mancunian trait) but the thought of working together was exciting and adventurous for both. Managing Sylvia Tella the Artist, her music business label Boss S Records, her image, photo shoots and videos, performances at live shows and festivals, interviews alongside managing Educational Arts Programmes, events, TV appearances, launches, exhibitions are the themes of the business. As two young friends they decided to navigate the Music Industry and the Arts to forge the longevity of their talents and elevation of Sylvia’s musical attributes in the best way possible. In an ever-changing industry having stability and closeness at the core of the business definitely gave Sylvia and Sonia even more courage, stamina, creative freedom and strength to rise to great heights in reggae music and the music industry knowing that this union was sound, formidable and anything was possible for the future.
Our first year was very busy with much to celebrate and has continued to this day!
TIMELINE
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Singer/Songwriter/ Recording Artist 1992 - 1994
1992 Sylvia was collaborating with Production Teams like Andrew Lungsy D and Pinky of Boomi Toons. Sylvia recorded one of her biggest hits: In a Special Way. Trinity Connections worked with Lloyd Gardiner and Boomi Toons to produce the Video for In a Special Way
1994
Sylvia recorded a string of reggae hits with Saxon and Stingray such as Mother Nature, People of the World, Jamaica Land and Feeling Good All Over
1995 Africa 95
Trinity Connections’ first project was an educational arts project Africa95 Arts Festival which was a nationwide season of the Arts of Africa that was held in the UK granted patronage by the Queen, President Nelson Mandela and President Leopold Sedar Senghor of Senegal. Michael Caine was
chairman of the Executive Committee. We pitched and won the opportunity to develop a programme for school children to participate in the Africa95 Arts Festival and called it the ‘Cowrie Card Scheme’ embracing the cowrie shell as currency to be used by schools for students to gain entry to events for their education in African Arts, visual arts, music, dance, film, literature. A great, spiritual, meaningful successful and engaging start to the new business.
As can be seen below Trinity Connections was busy, busy with making music in the UK and all over the world with writing, songwriting, collaborations, studio, rehearsals, appearances, live shows, festivals, tours, projects, event management.
1996
Sylvia recorded The Sylvia Tella Album in Kingston Jamaica with Stingray at Bobby Digital Studio. He also recorded With the Haywood brothers Mafia & Fluxy which led to hits like Happy Home, Time Will Tell
1997
Sylvia worked with Island Records to co-write and record with the jazz-flavoured Reggae Jamaican guitarist Ernest Rangling on his album: Modern Answers to Old Problems.
1997
Sylvia was the First and only Woman to produce a Jet Star Reggae Max Album with 20 of her Hits. (Released in 1997)
1997
Sylvia toured internationally with Saint and Campbell, Australia and Singapore singing on their album: Return of the Saints. She also appeared at London's Notting Hill Carnival alongside Beenie Man and the Main Street Crew, and received a nomination for Best British Reggae Artist at the MOBO Awards.
1998 - 2002
Sylvia toured with Steel Pulse around Europe, Italy, Rome, Spain.
They also performed at the 2nd Amnesty International in Senegal
On the second leg she toured South America, Puerto Rico, and Miami, Florida playing at many festivals Reggae on the River, Sara Nevada, Bob Marley Festival.
2000
Tella Like It Is album was released, recorded mostly in New York City and produced by Sidney Mills of Steel Pulse and Barrington Bailey of Living Room Records. Sylvia also did some tracks on a compilation album with Wyclef Jean, and Ranelle while working with Sydney Mills.
2001
Sylvia toured the first Reggae Festival in Marion San Luis, Sao Paolo, Brasilia. She worked with Global Television who produced the tour.
Sylvia got married in Senegal and returned to Brazil and sang with Sadad Negra and also wrote a song for them called “I Rasta”
2003
Sylvia worked with Lynn Spillane, Publisher for Steven Spielberg appearing at the Motown Awards in Hollywood.
2004 – 2005
Sylvia toured Brazil with Digital Dub and Mad Professor singing “Can’t get him out of my Head”. Sylvia also performed her single “Sacrifice” in Senegal at the Leopold Sadat Senghor Foundation Event as a tribute to their founder Leopold Sadat Senghor.
2005
Sylvia married again to Jean Pierre Senghor and whilst on honeymoon Sylvia recorded some tracks in Paris with musicians from Africa - Senegal Guinea Bissou, Gabon who lived in Paris and returned to Brazil to finish the album “Made in Brazil” working with her husband and some excellent Brazilian musicians.
2006
On return to the UK Sylvia wrote and performed many songs with different production teams and did collaborations on Jetstar compilation albums.
2006 - 2007
Sylvia toured the Caribbean Islands – Caricom Festival, Grenada 30th Independence, Caribbean Islands. Trinity Connections Record Label set up.
2008 - 2010
Sylvia took her father back home to Nigeria. Whilst in Nigeria Sylvia worked alongside the Founder and Director Senator Iyabo Anisulowo of the VIAC Foundation and was responsible for developing and promoting this successful charity. In her role as Event Producer, representing Trinity Connections and working with the Federal Ministry of Culture & National Orientation work was carried out by Sonia in the UK and sent to Sylvia to make presentations for the planning and production of the 50th Golden Green Jubilee Nigerian Reggae Festival.
2010
As Musical Director and Event Managers Sylvia and Sonia planned for a series of shows to include World International Reggae Artists from Jamaica, UK, USA and Brazil.
2011 Sylvia and Sonia worked with Menelik Shabazz in the making of the music documentary, The Story of Lovers Rock from conception to screening and everything in between. The film was released independently at the BFI in London and toured throughout the UK and internationally with Director and Artists Q&A forums. Sylvia is a featured Reggae Artist interviewee in the documentary alongside her pioneer peers.
2012 Sylvia returned to Manchester and Trinity Connections was immediately engaged taking up responsibility for planning and delivering vocal workshops, songwriting workshops and music making activities for young people in a popular youth arts centre based in the heart of the community.
2013 Trinity Connections organised Sylvia performances at Carnivals and Festivals in Birmingham, Leeds, Huddersfield, Oldham as well starting educational programmes using her skills to run musical workshops in youth centres. As part of Beat Bazaar, a community organisation that puts on festivals for young people to participate in during their school holidays. Sylvia did one to one sessions teaching singing, songwriting and confidence building for the Art Awards for Children in Care. She also taught vocal classes for different age groups for Bolton Council, Young Offenders, and Older People.
Energised by her work in the community Sylvia was able to produce new tracks and started putting together an album StoryTella. Ideas were also worked on for videos
2014
Sometimes EP was released.
2016
Tick Tock produced with some young engineers along with a video with some her young students in Manchester.
2017
Sylvia performed Dancing in the Sky that was dedicated to her Godson, Quamari, who was prematurely killed outside his school. Performing a deeply emotional tribute of this song touched many in the community and it is a much requested song for Sylvia to sing by many who have experienced loss.
2018 – 2020
Nina Simone Tribute Concert, Manchester
2020
Very busy period Studio, Radio interviews UK and abroad, planning, updating, consolidating projects culminating in Trinity Connections releasing album An Audience with Sylvia Tella.
Another album release is Sylvia Tella Live in Manchester following a performance at an event in support of Mental Health. Proceeds from sales being donated to Mental Health Charity.
NEWS
& EVENTS
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