Singing calypsonian Francine, whose real name was Francine Edwards, died early on December 16, according to the Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organization (TUCO).
The veteran calypsonian, who was born in Barbados but grew up in Trinidad and Tobago, was 79 and would have been 80 next February. She was born on February 13, 1943.
The Trinidad Express said Singing Francine died at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York.
Francine won the Trinidad and Tobago National Calypso Queen competition in 1972, 1973, 1981 and 1983 and was known for Christmas carols such as “Hooray, Hurrah”; “Parang, Parang”; “I love Christmas”; “Christmas is love”; “Caribbean Christmas”; and “Ay Ay Maria”.
Trinidad and Tobago Newsday said Singing Francine was known for her groundbreaking song “Runaway”, “which encouraged women to walk away from domestic abuse situations”.
“Over the years, Singing Francine has released a number of Christmas hits, earning her a reputation as one of the best parranderos in Trinidad,” TUCO said in a statement.
“Throughout her career, she has become an important figure in the development of not only calypso, but also parang,” she added. “In 1975, she sang ‘A Call to Women,’ encouraging more women to use calypso music as a means of self-expression.
“In her 1978 calypso ‘Runaway,’ she tackled the topic of domestic violence, urging women in abusive living situations to seek help,” continued TUCO.
The Trinidad Express said Francine was born in Barbados on February 13, 1943 and came to Trinidad and Tobago at a young age.
When asked how she got into calypso singing, she replied, “I was never involved in the calypso art form. I was born in the calypso art form,'” the publication says.
He said that throughout Francine’s career, she has used her musical talent to address social issues, especially those that directly affect women, stating that she was one of the most successful calypsonians in Trinidad and Tobago, winning the National Calypso Queen in 1972, 1973. , 1981 and 1983.
During her career, the Express said that Singing Francine became “an important figure in the development not only of calypso but also of parang”.
In 1981, it noted that Singing Francine released the parang album “Christmas is Love,” “which featured a mix of calypso, soca, and parang sounds.”
The Express said Francine’s album came just three years after Calypsonian Crazy released ‘Parang Soca’ – ‘one of the first songs to feature what we now call ‘parang soca’ or ‘soca parang’, making her a pioneer in this genre.”
Since then, Express said many musicians like Baron, Scrunter, Chalkdust, Kitchener, Sundar Popo, Drupatee Ramgoonai, Rikki Jai and Singing Francine “have also made their mark by blending the dynamic sounds of calypso, soca, chutney and parang”.
Francine’s manager and friend of over 23 years, Cherril “Pauline” Caraballo, told Express that “the calypsonian was in good health until two years ago when she suffered a massive heart attack.”
“She has since undergone successful open heart surgery and is doing very well,” the Express said. “Francine’s singing was strong enough to have another operation last Monday, this time for cataract surgery.”
“She was working well and doing well,” Express quoted Caraballo as saying. “But yesterday (Thursday) morning, she started complaining about her breasts. I called the paramedics. and they took him to Jamaica Hospital (Jamaica Hospital Medical Center in Queens, New York).
“She was unconscious for five minutes but they were able to bring her back,” she added. “But Jamaica didn’t have the incubator, so they sent him to Lennox (Lenox Hill Hospital) in Manhattan.
“She was pronounced dead at 5:30 this (Friday) morning,” Caraballo continued. “The cause of her death was heart failure.
“It seems strange to me. “She was at church on Sunday and she was happy and singing and hugging everyone,” she said. “She was thanking God for her successful operation and everything was fine. There are no signs of anything bad.”
According to the Express, Francine is survived by her daughter, Shirley, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren – all of whom live in Barbados.
The Express said that “Shirley will soon travel to the United States and then it will be decided whether or not her funeral will be held in New York or Trinidad and Tobago.”
Trinidad and Tobago Tourism Minister Randall Mitchell said the legacy of Singing Francine should be preserved, according to the Express.
“On behalf of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the family of Francine Singing, the people of Trinidad and Tobago and the cultural fraternity,” Mitchell said in a statement.
“We will continue to be grateful for the joy she brought, especially during this festive season, and we will honor and preserve the legacy she has given to this county.”
