CHRIS Martin and Etana are the Jamaican acts booked for Soleil’s Roots and Soul Festival in St Lucia on June 17 and 18.

The event, which is being headlined by American neo-soul crooner Musiq Soulchild, will also feature some of St Lucia’s finest in roots, soul and related genres such as Chrycee — featuring the Dynamix Band, Deanna Phillips, reggae band 4th World, Rob Zii Taylor, Phyness and Kayo.CEO of Events St Lucia Inc, Thomas Leonce said Roots and Soul will see the same level of production and organisation as the just-concluded St Lucia Jazz Festival, which did not compromise on logistics, sound, lighting, catering and amenities for artistes, service providers, and patrons. He explained that, unlike what obtained in the past with different entities organising jazz and carnival, these events are now under the Soleil banner, and the quality of the production will be consistently high.He said the festival is targeted primarily at a Caribbean audience. Noting that reggae music has a very strong and loyal fan base in St Lucia, Leonce expects the artistes in the line-up to attract local as well as regional reggae fans, especially the Martiniquans, who love reggae music. The CEO is optimistic that Musiq Soulchild — who has international acclaim and appeal — will draw fans from North America, Europe, and the Caribbean.Musiq Soulchild is expected to bring his brand of neo-soul to the festival with hits like

Just Friends, Love, Half Crazy, Better Man; and

Chocolate High, a duet with India Arie.St Lucian-born Kayo also has a strong fan base at home, as well as in Canada, where he has made a name for himself as a recording and performing artiste in the hip hop genre.Etana, considered the leading contemporary voice in reggae music is set to wow her fans with her blend of conscious reggae, lovers rock and pop. Some of her hits include

I Am Not Afraid,

Blessing, People Talk, and

Reggae. ‘The strong one’ has a legion of fans in St. Lucia, especially the ladies.Chris Martin, whose hits include

Cheater’s Prayer, I’m a Big Deal, Under the Influence, and a reggae cover of

Let Her Go by Passenger, is also set to take the stage.– Richard