The name Hans DesVignes has over the years become synonymous with the Trinidad and Tobago radio and television landscape. A professional media personality and presenter who has proven his worth across the spectrum, DesVignes delivers crossover appeal time after time. Now, he’s on to something new, necessary and exciting. He gets his hands on something he’s passionate about, something that’s already starting to put smiles on the faces of culture lovers everywhere.
A reflective attitude amid a pandemic that changed the lives of millions of people around the world, including cultural actors in Trinidad and Tobago, gave birth to a new project, aptly named, “Hans On”.
Producing a TV series that would delve headfirst into the heartache, frustration and glimmers of hope amid Covid became as necessary as it was urgent. “Our stories were not being told. It was clear to me that no one was telling the stories of our entertainers and other people in entertainment who left our country to pursue income overseas during the pandemic,” said DesVignes. He complained that there was not enough coverage. sufficient media for the difficult situation of the country’s cultural ambassadors and other representatives.
In September 2021, Hans joined his entertainers, flying to the United States prepared to collect their stories. From Carib Fest in Virginia, to meeting Kees Dieffenthaler and his band before their ‘IZWE’ concert in New York, a conversation with Boston-based Caribbean promoter Scoops Way about his efforts to promote Caribbean culture, Farmer Nappy Miami Expo, DJ Private Ryan’s Pandemic Experience, Miami Carnival Experience and much more, Hans gathered the content needed to bring them home, up to speed on what was really happening to their people , outside.
“I felt that these stories really needed to be told, and not just the stories of the singers, but the stories of all the other people who do it for us – DJs, promoters and every other professional who keeps our culture in focus even when no one else is.” give it the attention it deserves,” said DesVignes.
Now, a deal signed with the local network, TTT allows the media personality to shine a light on everything that happened during the pandemic and beyond. “The best thing about Hans On is that it can go either way from here,” he said. The 4-minute feature airs every Wednesday at 7:30am on the NOW morning show on TTT. Even so, Hans says it’s far from over, teasing yet another project he’s calling H&S. This, he says, will take a talk show format, something he knows will add immensely to what is already on offer in T&T.
Working hard on the next venture and having created, produced and organized “Hans On”, Hans is using passion and purpose. He has a keen sense of hope and pride for a culture that has lived in it for as long as he can remember.
