Exclusive: Annalaex on Leaving SOBE Entertainment, Dancehall, Soca & Her Next Chapter

In an exclusive sit-down with World Music Views in Florida, model-singer Annaleax opened up about her whirlwind year—one that has taken her from Tobago to Miami, from carnival stages to recording studios, and from major-label beginnings to a new independent era.

One of the most visible faces on the Caribbean carnival circuit over the last season, Annaleax moves between Miami, Jamaica, and Trinidad. “This season has been a lot of fun in Miami specifically,” she said. But the differences between the U.S. and Caribbean carnivals were a surprise to her and impossible to ignore. “Carnival in Jamaica and Trinidad is very intense. People are having a lot of fun… but there are not as many Caribbean locals [in Miami]. So, it’s just a different energy.”

She pointed to one of the biggest shocks for her: the separation of masqueraders and non-costumed revelers. “In the Caribbean, anybody can join the mass and the parties, but in Miami, that’s not really how it works… You have to go through a whole different gate, a whole different section.” Trinidad, in particular, left a deep impact on her. “People party in Trinidad in comparison to Jamaica Carnival is a whole different vibe… they were telling the truth when they say you need to have your energy up.”

On the music side of carnival, she gave a frank observation about consumer behavior in the Caribbean: “I think like soca and dancehall as genres—we’re not necessarily purchasers of music. We’re more consumers. We love to listen to it, but we’re not the people who definitely get up and say, ‘I’m gonna spend my money and buy this album.’” According to her, this directly affects global reach and chart performance. “There’s not as much people from the soca or dancehall genre that gets global placements or international recognition.”

Hurricane Melissa devastated Jamaica, and many are still questioning whether the party scene is ready to bounce back. But Annalaex says she’s already noticed that, “people are moving on with life,” she said. “Everything that happened in Jamaica… yes, it’s a catastrophe, but every day is a new day. People acknowledge it, but they still live their daily lives because they’re okay.”

Though the Wavy singer’s own music blends dancehall, soul, and R&B, she admits that Soca music may be on her calling her creatively. “Since my trip to Tobago, I’ve come to the conclusion that [soca] might be something I should do… If I’m already in the scene, getting sponsored by bands, it wouldn’t be that hard to have some music I can promote when I post content.”

Annaleax- Photo credits by Allan Amirally

She explained what sponsorship means within the carnival world: “Outside of my music career, I’m also a model… This year I worked with Vivid Carnival in Miami… and Fog Angels in Tobago. Sponsored costumes, juve packages, the overall experience—everything was taken care of.”

Still, music remains her heart. When asked which she loves more—modeling or singing she said, “The singing speaks to my soul.” Modeling, however, currently pays more. But she plans to merge the two. “Definitely,” she said.

Her dream blueprint? The global path carved by Jamaican superstar Sean Paul. “He’s the closest thing to what I would try to emulate internationally,” she shared.

Annaleaux is currently working on a new EP with Jamaican producer Emudio—a collaboration she’s excited about, especially since she recently parted ways with Sobe Entertainment. “I was finally released from my contract… Now I have a little more creative vision,” she told WMV. Although her project with Sobe gave her the chance to work with the iconic Scott Storch, who produced three songs on her debut album, “Alter Ego Vol 1,” she notes that key deliverables weren’t met. “I never received one music video… There were things that weren’t met to make the album as successful as it could be.” Still, she remains grateful. “Working with Scott Storch is like a big deal… I got to work with real professionals in the industry.”

With her creative freedom restored and carnival culture continuing to shape her identity, Annaleaux stands at the beginning of her most promising chapter yet. Passion, personality, and perspective—she brings all three with her.

“I can only grow more from that,” she said, smiling. And the world is ready to watch her do just that.

Annaleax we’re talking carnival dancehall culture and you’ve been on the carnival/ soca circuit from Miami to Trinidad. What have you noticed this season in particular?

Well, I don’t know. This season has been a lot of fun in Miami specifically. The culture here is a lot different than carnival in the Caribbean. So, you know, carnival in Jamaica and Trinidad is very intense. People are having a lot of fun and yes, there is fun in Miami too, but there are not as many Caribbean locals. So, it’s just a different energy and it’s just something that you have to kind of get used to. It’s very different. Like, for instance, in the Caribbean, anybody can join the mass and the parties, but in Miami, that’s not really how it works. It’s separated, meaning that people in carnival costumes have a whole separate road to walk on in comparison to people who are not in costumes. Like you have to go through a whole different gate, you’re in a whole other section, whole different segments. So you can only play mass with your friends if you are also in costumes, which was quite a shocker to me. And going to Tobago Carnival was my first time in Trinidad, and I’m telling you Louie, how people party in Trinidad in comparison to Jamaica Carnival is a whole different vibe. And they were telling the truth when they say you need to have your energy up. So those are like the major things for me.

What about the music itself? Carnival seems to be experiential and people aren’t buying the albums and singles. What do you think is causing that? And are there any similarities with Dancehall’s present status?

I think like soca and dancehall is like a genre the global world… and a lot of people in the Caribbean specifically, we’re not necessarily purchasers of music. We’re more consumers. Like we listen to it and we love to listen to it, and there’s music that we love but we’re not necessarily people who definitely get up and say, “Okay, I’m gonna spend my money and buy this album from this artist or purchase this track from that artist.” So for that reason I think we don’t have as much global placements and there’s not as much people from the soca genre or dancehall genre that gets global placements or international views or recognition I should say.

I’m gonna switch a little bit. With the hurricane that just happened, are you sensing that people abroad aren’t in the party vibe or you think people are just moving on with life?

I would say that people are moving on with life. Everything that happened in Jamaica, yes, it’s a catastrophe, but every day is a new day. And a lot of people don’t necessarily feel the need to stay in that mental space simply because, I mean, they’re not in that space. And I can definitely tell, like while I’m here in Florida, there’s people on a daily basis that have concern. But at the same time they still have their daily lives and they’re kind of willing to just, you know, acknowledge it but still live their life on a daily basis because they’re okay, you know?

The music that you do is not soca music. You do dancehall and soul and R&B.

Yeah.

What’s your affinity, what’s your love affair with carnival and soca music? Why don’t you do more soca music?

So since my little trip to Tobago, I’ve actually come to the conclusion that it might be something I should do because dancehall is fun. But carnival is also something that I enjoy doing. And if I’m already in the scene, getting sponsored by bands, it wouldn’t be that hard for me to also just have some music that I can promote and use when I have my content to post and just get people to love me more in that space. So it’s definitely something I’m considering to do.

When you say sponsored by bands, just explain to me—what does that mean?

So outside of my music career, I’m also a model and sometimes carnival bands look for influencers or models to work with. So this year I worked with Vivid Carnival in Miami, a designer called SherriDee. And while I was in Tobago, I worked with the Fog Angels band and it was absolutely amazing. Sponsored those costumes, ensured we had like juve packages, and just the overall experience was taken care of by them.

Modeling or singing—which one you love more?

The singing speaks to my soul. So I guess I’d have to pick that.

Annaleax

Which one make you more money?

Modeling right now.

So at a point you’re going to merge the two, right?

Definitely.

If you’re looking to a mentor, who would you say you emulate in the music industry?

I’ve always felt like Sean Paul would be the example of where I’d like to be internationally. He’s the closest thing to what I would try to emulate to become in that photogenic space.

And what are you working on next?

I’m currently working on an EP with Emilio from… why is it that my brain just glitched?

Why is my brain glitching? I’m working with Emudio Records and he’s a really good Jamaican producer.

So what happened to Sobe Entertainment? You’re no longer with them?

I am actually no longer with that record label. I was finally released from my contract, which is exciting for me because now I have a little more creative vision and things that I could take into my own hands. And I’m excited to explore those opportunities.

Emudio works with Big Ship.

So how was the experience working with Sobe? Because you dropped an album with them produced by Scott Storch. How was it working with them?

That was an amazing opportunity for me and that’s something I can always say that I got a great opportunity with them to do. Working with Scott Storch is like a big deal—like hello, it’s the Scott Storch, you know. So working with the record label I think there were good benefits to it but at the end of the day too there were certain things that just weren’t met. For instance, I never received one music video from that contract. There’s just lots of things on there that I think were not met to make the album as successful as it could possibly be. But knowing that I was able to get a body of work out, work with real professionals in the industry, Grammy-nominated people as one of my first experiences and my first body of work being out there in the world—I think that’s an amazing experience and I can only grow more from that and learn more from it for my future projects.