Garvin “Scrappy” Johnson, a dynamic soca artist known for his fusion of Caribbean sounds and cultures, is celebrating 20 years in the music industry this year. With hits like “Start to Bounce,” “Don’t Push Me,” and “Montserrat Culture,” Scrappy has built an international fan base while continuously evolving as an artist and entrepreneur.
Recently, he took his experience to Antigua, where he shared valuable insights with aspiring musicians on navigating the industry and expanding their careers beyond traditional pathways. Reflecting on his own journey, Scrappy recounted a lesson he learned from soca legend Arrow, who advised him on simplifying his music for international audiences.
“When Arrow was alive, I was performing in one of the European countries, and I couldn’t really get through to the crowd. I rang him, and I said, ‘This performance is not hitting.’ And he was like, ‘Because your song has too many words. You’re in Europe. Simplify the song. Make it simple. Make it easier, make it more palatable.’ And these are minimal techniques that you probably wouldn’t pick up on. Having access to that sort of information and applying that skill made me more relatable to markets where English isn’t the first language or where soca and calypso aren’t dominant music styles.”
This ability to adapt is a key theme in Scrappy’s message to Antigua’s creative community. He encouraged them to think beyond carnival season and find ways to sustain their careers year-round.
“The objective of the event was to present ideas to the musicians in Antigua about how to present your product to an international market. I noticed when carnival is done, we go back to not doing music at a high capacity, so I was thinking, what if we were to expand on things like music for films, sync licensing, tour and event planning, and the list goes on? I just wanted them to think outside of the box. Look at things that a larger market would see and put methods in place so they can be relatable. If you can write a calypso song, then you surely can take the art of storytelling and write a play for a theatre. And in no way am I saying it’s simple, but through networking, it can be done.”
In addition to sharing industry strategies, Scrappy also introduced his latest creative project – Oliver, an adventure passport series featuring a character based on Montserrat’s national bird. Through this initiative, he hopes to inspire young creatives to explore opportunities beyond music, such as writing and multimedia production.
“As a songwriter during COVID, everything was at a standstill. We had to find different ways to be creative. I thought, what if we created something that engaged kids in a way that also taught them about Caribbean culture? So, I took the national bird of Montserrat and turned it into a character. Now, Oliver goes on different adventures across the Caribbean, meeting new characters and exploring history, music, and culture.”
By bridging music, storytelling, and education, Scrappy continues to push the boundaries of what Caribbean creatives can achieve. His message to Antigua’s musicians is clear – expand your vision, embrace new opportunities, and take the culture to the world.
His consistency in producing music and touring across Europe with his band has made him a staple at major events such as Miami Carnival. He learned a lot about the industry from launching his own festival, the Caribbean Music Festival, in 2014, which he plans to revive in 2026.
Scrappy, one of the headline acts for Montserrat Festivals UK on July 19, 2025, in London, plans to take the presentation to other Caribbean islands interested in building their creative sector.
Follow him on Instagram at Scrappy Sinon.
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