Sabrina Francis: A Vibrant Journey Through Grenada's Music, Culture, and Hidden Gems

Step into the vibrant world of Grenadian singer and songwriter, Sabrina Francis as she takes us through a rhythmic journey of her life - her musical upbringing on the 'Isle of Spice', Grenada, her inspirations, her favorite local nature spots, and her love for the music and her island home. We explore the magic of Sabrina's music, her unique insights about life in Grenada, and her upcoming project, 'Meet Me at the Mango Tree', a mobile venue where she will perform her beautifully soulful music.

Let's explore Grenada through her eyes. From hidden gems like the Welcome Stone,  Levera Bathway, Bushiri Beach, and Bocage River to the buzzing downtown area, local rum distilleries, and the enchanting Annandale and Seven Sisters Waterfalls, Sabrina offers us a virtual tour of her homeland. And if that isn't enticing enough, we delve into the tasty world of Grenadian cuisine and festivals, like the famous Fish Friday in Guave.

This episode is a fantastic opportunity to hear some of her latest songs like "Woman" and "Cool Me Down". 

Visit Sabrina's website: https://sabrinafrancis.com/
Listen to her songs on her YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/sabrinafrancis
Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sabrinafrancismusic

Contact her through her website to sign up for her newsletter and stay informed of her performance dates and new releases.

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Transcript

Speaker 2: 2:15

This episode started a bit different there today, right, and that is because the soulful and beautiful voice you just heard is of the person who will be joining our conversation today, and that person is none other than Grenada's very own Sabrina Frances. I gotta tell you I was a bit nervous and so excited at the same time when we started our conversation. I mean so much so that I was tumbling over my words there in the beginning. So for that I must apologize. But Sabrina is a breath of fresh air. You know, she's so fun and jovial and kind, and I mean so so talented, right? If you are not familiar with her music or the Isle of Spice that's Grenada's nickname, by the way I guarantee you that at the end of this episode guaranteed, you will be running to the nearest travel agent if you're old school that is or to your favorite travel website, or to book your trip to Grenada. Take it for me. I really it's exactly what I did after my chat with Sabrina.

Speaker 2: 3:22

Now, a little about her before we start this episode. Her musical journey started in Grenada, where she was born into a large family that was all very artistic, and although opportunities and access for creatives at a time were very limited there, sabrina still found that writing and singing came to her very naturally. Now, her focus today is Afro Caribbean pop and R&B, and her songs are about life in general I guess the good, the sad and the in between you know. So get ready. We're about to take off to Grenada to meet with Sabrina Francis, and I want you to stay till the very end of this episode because she and I have something very special planned for you. Okay, now are you ready? Let's take a listen. Sabrina, welcome to Paradise Perspectives. I am so beyond grateful that you could make the time today to be with us here and tell us all about your beautiful island, grenada, and about your music journey. So please, please, please. I just want you to start off by just introducing yourself and introducing the Sabrina Francis.

Speaker 3: 4:35

Well, hello everybody. Thank you for having me so much. Rizal Again. I'm Sabrina Francis. I am a singer and songwriter based in the small island of Grenada, but we are working and crossing over to bigger pastures and the journey has been really, really, really amazing. I've been writing for about 10 years now even more because ever since I was a kid but being doing music professionally for a long, long, long time.

Speaker 2: 5:05

So, yeah. Well, I am, like I said, super grateful and excited that you're here with us today and to get that, I get to you know that you actually get to share not only your musical journey but also your Isle of Spice.

Speaker 2: 5:23

I think you call it right, that's the nickname of Grenada, and I got to tell you, like a funny story. I went on a cruise and I think that's the first, probably the last cruise I'll ever be on but never say never. You never know and on that cruise I think it was 12. So it's a while ago and the one island, of all the islands that we visited, the one island that stuck with me was Grenada. So since then, yes, it's stuck with me because I think because of the smells as soon as we got off the ship it was no wonder it's called the Isle of Spice. It's the spices, the smell and the breeze of the ocean mixing together. It was all of that good stuff. I remember having one of the best chocolates in my life, you know. So Grenada has a very, very special spot for me, and I think with you as well. But what I want to know from you what was it like growing up in Grenada?

Speaker 3: 6:24

I always describe my childhood as very rich. I have very rich memories, very happy memories of my childhood, even though it's a very rural country in the sense that I didn't we didn't have much, I didn't have electricity. Growing up, I grew up in the countryside of Grenada, but I never even knew that that was really a problem because I was busy having so much fun. So my mom was a Calypsoanian as well, so my dad played the guitar, so there was always music around us. I have four brothers and four sisters, so activities were never ending. So my childhood was very busy, very bustling. I was a very energetic child. It was full of music, which isn't surprising that this is what I'm doing now. And yeah, it was really really cool. I was always in the bush and this is the one life gets really busy for me now. That's actually how I get to rejuvenate myself. I just go into the bush, the woods, the forest of Grenada, go to a river, because this is how I spent my childhood.

Speaker 2: 7:23

It's one of the happiest times of my life, exactly, and probably always barefoot. That's one thing about you know island. When you grow up on the island, as I get thinking, most people just spend it pretty much barefoot everywhere. Now, if I just go outside barefoot I'm like ow, ow, ow. But when we were kids we were just running through you know the bush and the desk and the data. We had no problem at all.

Speaker 3: 7:48

I wouldn't like to tell you I'm still barefoot most of the time.

Speaker 2: 7:51

Yeah, yeah, me too, same here. It's just one of those things and it keeps us grounded. I think too. So, one of your and it's silly to ask, really, because you already kind of answered that. And then, of course, where does your? You know, love for music comes from, and that comes, of course, from growing up in such a musical family. But who in the family was your biggest inspiration and the biggest? And I guess, pretty much I'm guessing the whole family pushed you to where you are today but who was kind of like the one, that was the one that you could say, okay, that is, I'm doing this for this person.

Speaker 3: 8:30

My mother. Even recently she told me that she's living, very curiously, through me. I mentioned she used to be a Calypsoanian. She wrote beautiful songs and beautiful poems that we still sing today, that nobody ever heard, never been released, but my sisters and I grew up singing her songs, harmonizing her songs. Her singing name used to be Lady Empress, so I just grew up looking at her doing her thing, writing her songs and, yeah, I just followed in her footsteps. In a sense I took a different path musically, because the music I do is very it's really not what is played on the radio in Grenada typically. So I took a completely new and challenging path but so far it's been working out great, I must say. But yeah, my mom, absolutely 100%.

Speaker 2: 9:18

And I think you have one of your songs also that you kind of like dedicated to her love. I guess right, and I'm trying to remember the name of the song.

Speaker 3: 9:27

I have a few of them. Most recent one, I believe, that I dedicated to her, was Woman. You mentioned that you really like that one as well.

Speaker 2: 9:49

Oh, my gosh. That is like my favorite song of yours and I have it on repeat ever since. You know, I kind of discovered you and I think it was on. Well, I discovered you, I mean I discovered the music, so it was you know. It just really fast became one of my favorite, just. I don't know if it was pretty much yeah, so that was the one that you dedicated to your mom, and I think that is one of your latest ones as well, isn't it?

Speaker 3: 10:15

That's one of my latest ones. I had two recently Cool Me Down and Woman, and this is the one that I released dedicated to my mom.

Speaker 2: 10:22

I also have one called Mama Say and I think that's the one that I'm talking about. Mama Say Love God.

Speaker 3: 10:28

Yes, it's paying homage to my traditions, because she used to come to our school and teach the students, their old folks, dances and songs. And that was just me paying homage to that period of my life because those moments really shaped who I am musically.

Speaker 2: 10:46

Oh my gosh, Wasn't that a proud moment. I can just imagine you as a kid in school and your mom's coming over to teach something You're like. That's my mom.

Speaker 3: 12:35

Oh yeah, I mean right now, thinking back, I'm proud, but at the time I was quite horrified and embarrassed, I must say.

Speaker 2: 12:45

But now you can see all of our values. You can see all of that, you know. Yes, it takes us growing up to kind of like, see and appreciate our mothers. Oh my gosh, absolutely yeah.

Speaker 3: 12:57

Absolutely Right now. I could you know, oh my gosh, that was so cool, but at the time I was like, oh my God, what is happening? Why is she at my school? Why is she here? Yeah, you know, you know how it is.

Speaker 2: 13:10

Yeah. So listen, you know I have like so many questions for you because I try to be like super prepared, because I don't know when I'm going to get to get some of your time again, so I may have gone a little bit overboard with some of the questions that I want to ask, because there's just so much. You know, just because I just explained to you what, why I love I'm granada so much, and you know so right now I'm pretty much getting the opportunity to revisit the island, so I'm going to ask you a bunch of questions about the island through you.

Speaker 2: 13:45

So I'm going to be living through you today for the next 30 minutes or so. Okay, so let's start off. Let's go back to, because I'm going to be switching back and forth between granada and your music because it's just so much, so much that I want to know. But let's talk a little bit back to your childhood, about growing up in the bush, running around barefoot and then enjoying the pictures. Brothers and sisters, tell me a little bit about your favorite spots on the island that you still kind of revisit today and that, for somebody who has never been to granada, would be definitely one of those places that you're saying you need to go there, and I'm talking more about places that are more in nature.

Speaker 3: 14:28

Well, of course, that's the only places I visit and the only honest. Granada is. Granada is not really, even though it's a tourist destination. I always hear that people come and they never feel like granada dressed up for them. When you come, you're going to just be immersed in what granada is naturally. So I think that's a really good thing, which means that a lot of the places aren't very touristy. So if you go to a waterfall, you're going to find it as it is in its natural state.

Speaker 3: 14:56

So one of the first places that I would mention is called the welcome stone. That's where I grew up, literally walking up the hills. So it's a place. I don't know if a lot of people know it, but I noticed that a lot of people have been going more and more often. So it's right on the top of a cliff in St Patrick's. That is Google the welcome stone and you'll see. You get it's a panoramic view of the bay, of Levera Bay and Bathway. It's a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful spot. So please check it out. You must, must, must go. And then there's, of course, bathway Levera that was my stomping grounds. A local, local beach would be Bushiri, that's not. I don't know if you hear it a lot on the you know traveling sites, but Bushiri yeah, so I think that is definitely, I think, one of those things that you hear about Grenada, bushiri, but it's still not really frequented by visitors.

Speaker 2: 15:53

It's more of a local vibe.

Speaker 3: 15:56

If you go there, you will find many locals there. I haven't. I don't really see many tourists coming to Bushiri Beach, but it's a cool spot. So Bushiri Beach Okay, I don't know if I want to share this one, because this one is really like my, my hideaway, like there's not many people there, but it's gorgeous. So, okay, I'm still gonna say, I'm gonna say Are you still gonna yeah?

Speaker 2: 16:21

because I was just gonna say it's like you're gonna share this and don't be surprised that you're gonna be finding people autograph waiting for an autograph from you, Like okay we've been waiting for you to get here. That's where my mind went.

Speaker 3: 16:34

Well, my mind actually went in the next direction, which is don't be surprised if I see Sunday when I go up. Then there's just a lot of people sitting there in my little secret hideaway spot. I didn't know that. I've had it to myself long enough, so it's called Bocage Bocage River in St Mark's.

Speaker 2: 16:53

Beautiful. And what is it so beautiful about? Okay, spell it for me, please.

Speaker 3: 16:59

Bocage B-A-B-O-C-A-G-E Okay.

Speaker 2: 17:03

Bocage Right, am I saying it right? Bocage River.

Speaker 3: 17:07

What is so?

Speaker 2: 17:07

special about Bocage River.

Speaker 3: 17:12

It's very quiet. There's a beautiful canopy, so when you lay in the river and look up, there's just birds and butterflies and trees and the sky. It's very, very relaxing. And a lot of our rivers and granada isn't like. You can't immerse your whole body in it and swim around. It's kind of like streams, but this one they have a basin in there where it feels like a jacuzzi. Oh my gosh you just want.

Speaker 2: 17:41

You just made it made me, you just transported me with your, with your storytelling. You just transported me to that basin and I can like I can, almost hear the birds yeah, many birds. Beautiful, beautiful, I love it. All right, so let's talk a little bit about waterfalls. Do you have your favorite waterfalls, if you can see? Okay, these are the top three waterfalls that you would advise somebody to go to, if they have a limited time in the granada.

Speaker 3: 18:13

If you have a limited time in granada, I would advise you to go to Anandale Waterfall. That one is a little bit more on the touristy side, but it's still really nice and you could swim. And there's also somewhere very nearby where you could get food at the same time and you could drive all the way up to it.

Speaker 2: 18:31

So you can have two hours. Yes, waterfall and food. Yes, place, yeah.

Speaker 3: 18:35

There's a bar. There's a bar, there's food. It's just a beautiful, beautiful spot. The restaurant is called the White Orchid, so I would suggest you go to Anandale Waterfall. If you don't, if you have some more time and you don't mind hiking, then the Seven Sisters Waterfall is a feat.

Speaker 2: 18:52

And I think that is the one that is mostly mentioned. Whenever you talk about waterfalls in granada, the Seven Sisters is the one that pops up high on the list. Yes, yes.

Speaker 3: 19:04

Because it's the whole thing and it's more than one waterfall in the journey. I guess that makes it a little bit more rewarding for the heights Of course, of course.

Speaker 2: 19:15

Okay. So we got our waterfalls, we've got our favorite nature spots. But let's talk about downtown area. What is?

Speaker 2: 19:24

it that you love about downtown and I have to say, and I think it's your song, insane, that you recorded in the downtown area, yeah, I love that. And your yellow, the yellow dress, it's like that's the one thing that sticks with me, because I love yellow and the yellow dress, just so vibrant, and then all the colors and the people, and you showcase the people of granada, which I absolutely loved. So, if you have to like, you really are traveling at heart. Oh, my gosh, absolutely. But I'm a Caribbean traveler at heart.

Speaker 2: 20:00

It's like give me a Caribbean island over anything else, anytime, any day, and so I just but, like you said you said it in the beginning too you said something about when you get into granada. It's not a place that has been completely dolled up to welcome you, and I think that is what kind of stuck with me when I just arrived, because when you get in, it is as, from my eyes as a 12-year-old, it was super colorful and such a deep contrast with that bright, bright ocean of yours right in that harbor. And then, when you come in, all of the smells and everything. So it was like a whole vibe. It was the people, it was the friendliness, it was the smells, it was the sensations, it was everything it really was.

Speaker 3: 20:51

Yeah, I like to think that you're just coming into someone's home, and it's not like you're not coming into a business place. You're coming into someone's home when you visit granada.

Speaker 2: 21:02

Yeah, and it didn't need to be all dolled up because, just in its natural state, just like it is, it was already very welcoming. So definitely. So, going back to the original question, what is it about the downtown area that you think is definitely one of those things that you would like to share with our listeners today and tell them that? Okay, well, if you are in the downtown area of granada. This is where I would suggest you go.

Speaker 3: 21:31

The Caranaj is really somewhere. First of all, we have this boat called the Rumrunner. That's usually on the Caranaj where you could go to boat parties on it. Rumrunner on the Caranaj is beautiful. The Caranaj itself is really beautiful. It's a harbour where we do a lot of like trade business there, but it's just beautiful to stand and look at. I think that's something that you would really enjoy Walking through. I never consider the downtown area to be very much of a massive tone.

Speaker 3: 21:59

It still feels really tiny and small and manageable, yeah, because I've travelled and I've seen towns and some of them are really overwhelming. So Grenada I just think it's cute. Everything about downtown is really cute and Grenada's area is nice as well Lovely places to eat. Grenada's beach one of the longest white sand beaches in the Caribbean.

Speaker 1: 22:25

So those are my favourite spots.

Speaker 3: 22:26

And you could just walk around St George's as well. On it. The people are entertaining just to look at. If you like people watching, go to St George's, it's going to be a good experience Amazing.

Speaker 2: 22:41

You know that you just spoke about this boat bar and there is, of course, a party boat.

Speaker 3: 22:49

It's more about a party boat.

Speaker 2: 22:51

So you give me like, when you talk about party, of course my mind goes to rum drinking. And you guys have your own rum distilleries there, don't you?

Speaker 3: 23:02

Yes, we do. We have a few. To be fair, I don't drink alcohol so I cannot. Based on what I've heard, the rum is great Because even when I travel, I bring rum as gifts to my friends overseas and they really enjoy it and they ask for more. So based on that experience, I can say that the rum is good rum and we have a few. We really do have a few. We have the Westsha Hall rum.

Speaker 2: 23:32

We have what's the name of that bee, I think something called Antoine. You got a river, antoine.

Speaker 3: 23:41

River Antoine. That's closer to where I grew up and where I had my graduation party. So River Antoine rum yes, our rum is very, very, very strong. I mean, if that's what you're into, it's really good. My favorite one is Westsha Hall rum, just because that's the one I see most often.

Speaker 2: 24:00

I like how you say your favorite, but you've never drank alcohol or you don't drink.

Speaker 1: 24:05

No, but that's the one.

Speaker 3: 24:06

I would, that's the one. I would. I've had it before. Oh okay, okay, I've had the dark rum in my youth and I guess it was good, young Sabrina. But I said it's my favorite because that's the one I would gift most often to people.

Speaker 2: 24:27

Okay, fantastic, now you know we've got to go over a little bit more about your songs. It's like I mentioned Insane, I mentioned Woman as my favorite, and also your latest release, cool Me Down, is also very good. I mean, I'm vibing on that one. Oh, thank you.

Speaker 1: 24:45

And I'm loving the colors and everything.

Speaker 2: 24:48

It's like that Caribbean lifestyle with your hat and you got that fan going and you're in this bathtub on this cliff and it's just, it's vibes you know?

Speaker 3: 24:58

Yeah, that's literally how I would describe that visualizer. It was just vibes. You know, the music is that song. I have like a range of songs and those songs carry different emotions and Cool Me Down is really just a lighthearted, silly, few-good type of song, while Woman is more on the heavier, deeper mood. Yes, you know what I mean.

Speaker 2: 25:19

Yes, and we were talking about this earlier, before we actually started recording that I am currently going on my own discovery, as you like to say, about my womanhood and who I am, and I think that is why you know, and I'm a big, big supporter of Caribbean women and Caribbean women on their journey. So I think that is why it really like super touched me. But it's just the words and the and just If you had sung this song with no words, it would have kind of like had the same impact. It's the music, it's the lyrics, it's everything and, of course, the music video showing the different women of Grenada. Oh my gosh, you know.

Speaker 1: 26:03

You have me right here, Right here.

Speaker 3: 26:06

Thank you, thank you. That's the impact we hoped to get. That's the impact we hoped to Well, mission accomplished.

Speaker 2: 26:13

Mission accomplished, miss Frances. Well done, absolutely.

Speaker 2: 26:16

But, the next song that I want to talk about is actually Coco Tea, and this is something that Because I grew up, I was born and raised in Curacao and then I moved to Simarton and it wasn't until when I got to Simarton that I heard for the first time about Coco Tea, and I think this is something that you don't. It's not every Caribbean island has that. I know I spoke to somebody from St Lucia and she was explaining how her mom would make it, but I want to know what is Coco Tea in Grenada, because what I have discovered is that it's not the same just everywhere you know. So how does, how do you make your Coco Tea?

Speaker 3: 26:56

Well, well, earlier you mentioned that when you came to Grenada, you had chocolate Grenada have a lot of cocoa.

Speaker 3: 27:02

Everybody have cocoa just in their backyard. So people usually pick the cocoa, dry the cocoa, do that process and turn it into their own little cocoa balls, which then they make for breakfast or for dinner. And that is kind of what Coco Tea is about. In a sense it's also about my sister Huela very, very much, but yes, so how to make Coco Tea, I made it recently. You know, to put the cocoa in the boiling water you need milk, you need a little bit of cornstarch. For sweetness, you need to add a little bit of salt to balance off the. We use condensed milk as well. So to balance off that sweetness, you add a little bit of salt. You need bay leaf spice. Some people put nutmeg in it. So it's very aromatic, very. If you've ever had hot chocolate, just think of that with a little bit of steroids.

Speaker 2: 27:54

Oh my gosh, I think it's this Grenada in a cup that you just described there. It's got all the smells and everything that the island is famous for, all the spices. It's very aromatic. You know, I can just smell it, as you're describing it. I can already. I can't taste it, but I can definitely smell it.

Speaker 3: 28:16

It smells like Grenada it's rich, yeah, and when I go to my grandma's house, that's the smell of the morning when you wake up.

Speaker 2: 28:24

Oh my gosh fantastic.

Speaker 3: 28:26

You know like they fry? Oh yeah, you call that by a bakes.

Speaker 2: 28:32

It's the. We call it Johnny Cake. I guess it's the same.

Speaker 3: 28:36

Johnny Cake? Who has called it Johnny Cake?

Speaker 2: 28:39

We call it Johnny Cake in Simgatan and there's a couple of other islands that we call it Johnny. Cake. It's actually Journey Cake, but you know how we kind of swallow all words as like Johnny Cake, as like sometimes I describe it to visitors. I was like no, this is not a cake that Johnny made. No, it's a Journey Cake. That's what it is. But, yeah, it's, we call it Bakes. You call it Bakes, but you also have it baked or fried, right?

Speaker 3: 29:05

We don't. Usually, you're right, we have it baked. Sometimes I love we call it roast bakes when it's baked, but usually I love it when it's fried, because of the yes, I agree the crispiness is crispy on the outside, it's soft and fluffy on the inside.

Speaker 1: 29:23

Oh my gosh.

Speaker 3: 29:24

With salt fish or whatever you want to do it with. Absolutely.

Speaker 2: 29:30

Oh yeah, I know. And then in my household we grew up with Johnny Cake because our the lady that used to take care of us, was from Dominica, so she used to make it kind of like we weren't fans of salt fish. Then we were little, we were obnoxious little kids. I mean, you know like I didn't like that, but she would put dutch cheese in it. Melted dutch cheese, oh my gosh.

Speaker 1: 29:56

It's like if you want to get me out of my bed early Johnny. Cake or Bakes Sweet.

Speaker 2: 30:02

Cheese oh my gosh. Yes, yes, isn't that like the best thing ever right?

Speaker 3: 30:10

I'm going to make some. See, I'm looking over. That's my kitchen over there. I'm going to make some. This has inspired me. I'm going to make some when we get off of this.

Speaker 2: 30:17

You're going to make some and then add some cocoa tea on the side, because I think that's like your best breakfast ever. You know, some Bakes, some cheese, some Even some salt fish. On the side, maybe a boiled egg and then a cocoa tea. Yes, I'm coming over, I'm not even joking, I'm going to make it now. I want to see proof afterwards, I want to see proof.

Speaker 2: 30:44

You're definitely going to send me a WhatsApp message with a picture. All right, so let's All right. So we just talked about you. Got so much cocoa and I think that is. One of your biggest festivals is, of course, the Chocolate Fest, which was, I think, may, if I'm not mistaken, around May. I think it is right. Okay so, but what other festivals is Grenada very well known for?

Speaker 3: 31:11

Well, a few years ago we used to have a music festival called Grenada Music Festival. Now it's transformed into Pure Grenada Music Festival. But yeah, we've been doing really well with the music festival. We also have sailing festivals. People come and sail, the course, you know. Yeah.

Speaker 2: 31:28

You have, I think in Caracol. You have a regatta in August, don't you? Yes, yes, yes, yes.

Speaker 3: 31:34

Do I say it right, by the way?

Speaker 2: 31:36

because that is like the one thing. I've been struggling with the word. Is it Caracol or Caracol? Caracol, caracol, caracol Okay, caracol Okay. I got to ask.

Speaker 3: 31:47

Caracol. Yeah, yeah, so we have also in a place called River Sallean, in different places in Grenada we have something called Sarka, which is a food festival, traditional food yes, that's really nice. We have Fish Friday in Guave. We also have Street Food Day in San Max. We don't call it festival, but I think they are classified under those things, you know, so yeah.

Speaker 2: 32:14

And I think just by them just being well, it is, it probably is, but not advertised to the tourists a lot, so they're probably more local also.

Speaker 3: 32:24

Yes, it's very local, but I think people would enjoy that If you're a tourist visiting Grenada, I imagine that you want to see what the locals do and eat with the locals, absolutely, which is what paradise perspective is all about.

Speaker 1: 32:35

Yeah, paradise perspective is all about that.

Speaker 2: 32:37

We're still showing the Caribbean from the perspective of the locals, and I think you hit it spot on with mentioning these smaller festivals that not a lot of people talk about.

Speaker 3: 32:48

you know so that is amazing, but I mean. Thank you for that info Carnival also is a festival in itself.

Speaker 1: 32:55

Of course.

Speaker 2: 32:55

Of course.

Speaker 3: 32:58

Every August we jump in the streets, we paint our bodies, we do all kind of madness and dance to our soka music.

Speaker 2: 33:05

And it's justified. I mean, it's not only justified, but it's a big excuse. I don't know about you, but here in San Martin it's yeah. Well, yes, I got on, but it was carnival. Yes, exactly.

Speaker 3: 33:19

There's no judgment. There's no judgment. You know Absolutely.

Speaker 2: 33:24

I call it the purge. The purge it is. It is, it really is. People live for that. I think I'm not really into it, but I'm starting to. I'd be appreciated, that's for sure. Yeah, so, landlords, the one thing that I have been really looking forward to talking to you about is the treehouse, because I think that it's one of those like super fantastic things. Is that something that you came up with, or because I think it's called Sabrina's Treehouse?

Speaker 3: 33:54

My team and I came up with it. It is Sabrina's Treehouse, so if I could tell the story of how it was birthed during.

Speaker 1: 34:01

COVID.

Speaker 3: 34:03

During COVID. You know, the music industry in Grenada is rather small, so during COVID we had no way to earn money as musicians. So my team and I decided to do some online concerts using not using, but including the Grenadian musicians. So people would come up to the studio and we would stream live some concerts and people would donate. And that's how we were able to earn a living during COVID.

Speaker 3: 34:29

After that, the government said that you only allowed to have 16 people. When things started opening up a bit, you only allowed to have 16 people gathered at any one time and we started thinking what could we do with that restriction? How could we make an intimate space with just 16 people and make it feasible? And my team and I came up with Sabrina's Treehouse concerts. So up in the mountains of San David's. It's a beautiful ride up the mountain. You land on a red carpet, you get a welcome drink and you go into this space that we created with a tree in the middle. Everyone sits around the tree. We give everyone a headphone, which I think is the most important aspect of this concert. Headphones are given to the guests so that they are really as close to the music as possible, and it's being mixed live in the studio by our sound engineer.

Speaker 1: 35:23

And I perform around the tree very intimately.

Speaker 3: 35:27

Now we're up to about 45 to 50 people maximum capacity and it's always sold out. It's always such an amazing experience for me because it's my ideal space to perform in Small, intimate, close to the people I'm sharing all of my songs and all of my stories behind those songs, so it's perfect and we've been doing it for about three years now and I think that would be one of the for your people visiting come to. Sabrina's Treehouse concert.

Speaker 2: 35:56

Oh my gosh, are you kidding me? Because people come now they tell anybody like the number one thing that you must do in Grenada right now is definitely go to Sabrina's Treehouse. I fell in love with not only the concept but the whole vibe and atmosphere that you created. Like you said, it's very intimate, but just like wow, what a concept to just bring the headphones, or you supply the headphones so that you can get closer to the music.

Speaker 3: 36:22

That's just I mean it doesn't get more intimate than that.

Speaker 2: 36:25

That's amazing, amazing. You only do it once a month, correct?

Speaker 3: 36:30

I only do it once a month and that works out. That works out well because for the rest of them the thing is, as a musician especially an independent musician performing is really how you earn a living. But aside from performing, there's also one million other things that you need to do. So the performing once a month at the Treehouse, which is a little bit more of an exclusive event, I'm able to earn and then do the other administrative things throughout the rest of the month.

Speaker 2: 36:57

And not only the administrative. I think I've seen you travel wide and far as well. You've done some amazing travels. You've performed in other countries, you have collaborated with other musicians that are not from Grenada, so you are a busy woman. You have a lot going on and you are going after your dream, which is why it's you know your story is so inspiring. But so, aside from Sabrina's Treehouse, you need to also manage your travel schedule and your other performances.

Speaker 3: 37:30

I guess yes, yes, 100%. And I recently, in May well, in August I spent the entire month of August and half of July in London networking. So I tried to meet with musicians, I tried to meet with producers, I tried to just meet people within the music industry, because Grenada is very small, so for what I see from my music, it's not sustainable because we just don't have enough people to push. Even though I've networked as much as I could in Grenada, I feel like I know every musician on this island. So now I'm just trying to cross over a little bit and meet people so that I could, because next year I'm going to go on. I'm taking the Treehouse on the road. That's fantastic, but it's in a different concept. It's in a different concept. So this year I really tried to take some time and network and before that I performed in the Royal Albert Hall in London, which I feel is one of my biggest accomplishments so far, because that's not a venue to just chuck your shoulders at. I was so privileged.

Speaker 3: 38:32

Yeah, I felt so privileged to be a part of that and to open for an Afro artist called Asha Look her up, she's amazing. So yeah, so I've been doing it, we've been working, and whenever I don't have shows, we just try to use the time to do as much as we can, and I think it's really difficult to have some kind of an impact with the music, but I also try to balance it.

Speaker 2: 38:54

Where I'm not just working, I also take time to have a nice life work balance and still be able to go to your favorite spots and nature spots in Grenada. You want to have time for that. That is pretty much I can only imagine how much inspiration you've actually drawn from these places.

Speaker 3: 39:14

Yeah, and I draw a lot of inspiration from my family. I'm a big family person, but all of my family is still in St Patrick's, where I grew up, and I'm by myself in St George's. So I try to go up at least once a week and pass in the different houses and just stay connected, because it's really, really important to me to maintain my relationship with my family.

Speaker 2: 39:36

That is so beautiful. Now you've mentioned that you're going to take Sabrina's treehouse on the road, so will that? Can you tell us a little bit more about that? What can we expect? Where are you going with Sabrina's treehouse? It's in Martin on the plan. I don't know.

Speaker 3: 39:56

I'm going to Europe with it.

Speaker 3: 39:58

I don't have the exact menus as yet because, if I could just explain this a little bit, sabrina's treehouse on the road, it's an elevated Sabrina's treehouse and I'm going to call it meet me at the mango tree. So we're going to have a mango tree in the middle and meet me at the mango tree is a story that I'm going to tell of a broken promise and how the character in the story recovered with the use of music. But I'm going to tell the story unlike any other way that you've heard it. I'm going to tell it using just songs and music. So it's going to be very artsy and it's the same concept.

Speaker 3: 40:35

People are going to come around the mango tree, they're going to sit with headphones on and I'm going to tell a story using songs and songs and it's called meet me at the mango tree and it's going to be like a mobile stage, a mobile venue. So I'm going to go to one spot, spend about five days, do five shows, go to another country, do five shows and so on and so forth. We're still developing it, but it's going to happen 100%, because I'm already writing the songs and I think in two weeks I'm going to meet with Maestro, which is an Nigerian producer, to develop the program, the musical program. So it's a body of work that I'm going to be performing. It's not just these songs, one after the other, with different stories behind them. It's one story focused on one message, one body of work. That's the intention.

Speaker 2: 41:24

Wow, okay, I am blown away. Excuse me while I go and do something else in recover. Wow, I am just mind blown here. That is amazing. And do you have a couple of countries in Europe already that you've selected? I guess London will definitely be one of the cities. London is definitely on there.

Speaker 3: 41:45

Amsterdam probably. I don't want to say too too much yet, but I'm going to. Actually, I have a newsletter that if people want to stay abreast with the updates that are happening, as the tour dates or the show dates come out, email me at info at SabrinaFranciscom. Let me know that you would like to apply to the newsletter and I will put you on there and update you as we go along. I'm hoping to be in the UK or over there in Europe next year June, probably June, july.

Speaker 2: 42:17

This is what I was expecting, because that's exactly the month when I normally do my Euro trip, so I think it's just, it's perfect. It lines up perfectly. I guess I will see you in Europe in June. Oh my gosh.

Speaker 2: 42:32

That's amazing, and Amsterdam is one of the places that I always go to because I lived in Amsterdam for many years. So Amsterdam and Antwerp and Belgium. So, if we can like, definitely we're going to try to line up and make it lined up and so that you and I can meet in person, because this thing over digital is great and all, but I want to see you pretty face in person. Oh my gosh, that's amazing. I'm already excited.

Speaker 3: 42:58

I'm excited, I'm excited, I'm really excited, I'm excited.

Speaker 1: 43:02

Good.

Speaker 3: 43:03

I'm also going to try to do one show where I invite people, so you're definitely going to be on that invite list just to have an exclusive meet me at the mango tree, just to warm up before we get to the public. I'm going to do one with some invited people just to get a feel or just to practice, so you're going to be invited by Guinea Pig.

Speaker 2: 43:20

Definitely I'm happy, happy, guinea Pig Happy. So I would definitely be there. So what happens to Sabrina's treehouse and why do I keep going to the A letter islands? What happens in Grenada when you're not there? So Sabrina's treehouse, pretty much like you, won't have anything happening in that month.

Speaker 3: 43:44

I try, yeah, I try, not to leave the treehouse empty for more than a month or two. So I'm not going to leave for more than two months without the treehouse happening, for sure. But when I'm not there, well of course it can't. Yeah, no, obviously Sabrina's treehouse can't happen without Sabrina.

Speaker 1: 44:01

Sabrina's going to be there.

Speaker 2: 44:02

So it reminds me actually is, like you said, june, so I'm expecting. Well, summer months is when you're heading to Europe. What is that? Because that's your off season. I was wondering if Grenada has a high season and a slow season.

Speaker 3: 44:20

Grenada. What tourism is concerned, it definitely has a high season. We have periods. I believe Christmas into January months is the winter months are high season and then some there's a month in Carnival, a month or two around the carnival time, august, and then the others are kind of medium to low season For me. I'm not sure that it matters that much, but I want to go in the summer months to the UK because, especially for this show, it's kind of like an outdoor type of event.

Speaker 2: 44:53

You know you're going to need to love the sunshine. You're going to need to be a little bit of better weather than what Europe normally gets. Exactly.

Speaker 3: 45:02

We're going to have like a tent and stuff, but it's still fairly kind of outdoorsy and I don't want to ask people to come out in the freezing cold. So that's why we chose those months.

Speaker 2: 45:13

Totally got you All right. So we just spoke about the off season and high season. Of course, when it comes to tourism, you do have, like what you said, areas or times in the year when it's more touristy, when it's not. But I think basically what you're saying is is it because let me just try to formulate this in my head a little bit you are not exactly in the hurricane belt, but you did get hit by a hurricane in, I think, 94, wasn't it, ivan?

Speaker 3: 45:48

2000,. It's funny 94 is when I was born, but 2004 is Ivan 2004, you know I know there was a four in there somewhere.

Speaker 3: 46:01

So 2004 is when Ivan hit, and I wasn't in Grenada at the time. I spent seven years of my early childhood on a neighboring island called Union Island, because my mom was married and we lived there for seven years, but we still got some of the impact on but my family, here it was. It was really a very, very difficult time for Grenada because the hurricane that we had before was 50 years prior, so it's not like we constantly have hurricanes coming and that we're so prepared. We really I don't think we were prepared for this hurricane and it hit us and took almost everything we had really it was.

Speaker 3: 46:40

It was a lot. My mom had a house here that was completely gone. So that was tough and I think, from when I hear my dad and everybody speak about the time directly after, it was really a time where Grenadians bonded with each other a lot and they went back to again. As I mentioned, grenada is a very rural place, so they are able. If we had no electricity now and we had no running water in the house, they would survive, they know how to survive.

Speaker 3: 47:11

So they went back to a time where they were going to collect water from the river. They were there, they're, the neighbors were planting, replanting crops, so they really, in a sense, came together in that time in a really positive way. They were positives that came out of it.

Speaker 2: 47:31

Oh, absolutely, and I'm a firm believer that nothing happens without a reason, and I think that is one of the things that needed to happen. It is a lot of people are like oh my gosh, you live in Tumart and aren't you afraid of hurricanes? Of course, I'm afraid of hurricanes. So we just went through Irma in 2017. And that is what is actually stuck with me afterwards is that bond that everybody had afterwards, how we all came together with not only our neighbors but strangers, helping each other rebuild, and we are so resilient as Caribbean people. We have gone through so much. So this is just, you know, one of those things that just goes to show and I think just we were just thankful just to be alive, that we didn't matter. It didn't matter that we didn't have electricity and all of those basic things. It's like we just were you would manage anyway.

Speaker 2: 48:20

Exactly, Exactly. But so you are. But I also want to say that.

Speaker 3: 48:27

I also want to say that if you, if that's a concern for you, coming to Grenada, I wouldn't stress on it too much because, again, the one before Ivan was 50 years ago, and then I that's exactly where I was going.

Speaker 2: 48:37

Yeah, so you are. You don't have further south. I don't think you are. You don't get hit.

Speaker 3: 48:44

Yeah, we're really we don't get usually, usually pass right above us.

Speaker 1: 48:49

Exactly.

Speaker 3: 48:50

Which is not great for the other Caribbean islands, but it's great for Grenada in the sense that we are not constantly worried about hurricanes.

Speaker 2: 48:58

Yeah, you're not exactly out of the hurricane cone, as they call it. You're not outside of the hurricane belt, but you are so further south. I mean that is where because my husband is very much into the yachting industry, and that is Grenada is one of those spots that the yachts tend to go to whenever you know we're in a lot of hurricane morning 100%.

Speaker 3: 49:21

When there is a hurricane morning, you see all of the boats hustling to come down to. Grenada for shelter, for shelter, because we typically don't get. We don't get hit by the hurricane. Exactly.

Speaker 2: 49:32

Exactly All right. So if anybody wants to get in contact with you, like you said, you mentioned your newsletter, but how else can they follow you? I know you have a magnificent YouTube channel where you have shorts and long videos and all of your music videos, which are so beautiful. All of them are on there. You have the beautiful website that has been created as well, and so where can people find you? I think it's YouTube.

Speaker 3: 50:03

Yeah, I try to remain visible so that, whatever you prefer to use as your social media platform, I am there and in your face. So I mentioned, and I mentioned it again, my newsletter info at SabrinaFranciscom for more in-depth information on what's coming. My Instagram is Sabrina Francis Music. My Facebook is the same Sabrina Francis Music, tiktok as well what else? Youtube, just Sabrina Francis and my music is on all of the music streaming platforms iTunes, spotify, amazon Music, apple Music everywhere that you listen to your music, I'm there. All right, fantastic. Just type in Sabrina.

Speaker 2: 50:41

Francis, before I let you go, sabrina, there's one thing that I've been really wondering. You mentioned your biggest achievement in London, but I want to know two things for me. One is if I'm not mistaken, was it you that had a song that you played on. I saw it on YouTube. I came across it on YouTube with Jostone.

Speaker 3: 51:07

Well, that wasn't my song, we did a cover. But that was also quite impressive that Jostone she was doing her world tour where she went to different countries around the world and selected one artist from each country to do a musical piece with that she liked and she felt good about. So that song was one of the songs that we performed here. I used to perform at restaurants earlier in my career so I used to do more covers then. I don't do it as much now, but at the time I was just blown away that Jostone even knew or found who I was and we went on the beach, we sat there and we just jammed and that was really one of the top experiences.

Speaker 2: 51:47

I loved it and the two of you really hit it off when it comes to music. It sounded magnificent. I really got to applaud you for it, because it was just a beautiful duet.

Speaker 3: 52:00

Thank you, thank you. And she's so down to earth as well I was really young as well so she made it very comfortable and not intimidating at all.

Speaker 2: 52:10

Jostone is really cool, awesome, and I think so that is one of those other things, but which one can you patch yourself on the back? It's like you did it, girls, when it comes to other musicians that you've partnered up with or collaborated with.

Speaker 3: 52:26

So recently I worked with Maishro Maishro Suga and he's a Nigerian producer who's worked with the likes of Brandy.

Speaker 3: 52:33

He works with Tiwa Savage, he works with Davido Wizkid a lot of the Afrobeat community so I was just taking a chance when I just sent him a DM, because I heard some of his music that he produced especially somebody's song by Tiwa Savage and I really wanted that type of sound on my upcoming song. So I sent him a message on Instagram, not even thinking that he would even respond, but he did and he wanted to work with me. So that was really good. After checking out my music and my stuff, I guess he liked what he heard and thought that we would be a good fit. So that just made me feel like I'm I don't know, I'm doing something that doesn't suck and that people want to work with. So I tapped myself on the back for that, because he's really an amazing, extremely talented, extremely advanced musician and so just for him to say, yes, I would love to work with you is validating. Not that I need it, but sometimes I do, so yeah.

Speaker 2: 53:36

All right. So the last question for you, sabrina, is which one of all of your songs, all of your beautiful songs, is your favorite, your personal favorite?

Speaker 3: 53:48

There's this song called no Way. Now I have a few favorite songs, but this song always just has a special place in my heart because it's not one of my most known songs, but it's really one of the songs where it's my first positive love song. So all of the love songs that I've written before now has always been about heartbreak or pain or getting through something really difficult emotionally. But no Way is one of the first songs that I wrote that is coming from a positive place where my love life is concerned, so that's one of my favorite songs. I also love the groove. It's very simple and touching and when I listen to it I close my eyes and sway. I love it and no matter how many years I've been listening to it every time I listen to it I still feel the same. So it's one of my favorites Awesome.

Speaker 2: 54:40

All right, and then, last but not least, the thing that I really really need to know from you when can we see you again? Live at Sabrina's Treehouse for the remaining of remaining 20, 23 months? I?

Speaker 3: 54:55

do have a Treehouse planned every month for the remainder of the year.

Speaker 2: 54:59

Fantastic, all right, thank you so much, sabrina. Thank you, thank you. Thank you for everything. Thank you for your time.

Speaker 3: 55:05

Yes, Thank you again, rizelle, for having me. This has been such a chill and relaxing conversation. I like the way that it felt. I love what you're doing. Keep doing it and I will keep doing my music and hopefully I'll see you next year in June at Meet Me at the Mango Tree To everybody listening. Follow me on social media to get more music. If you come to Grenada and you want to come to my Treehouse concerts, just Google Sabrina's Treehouse concerts to get your tickets and I'll see you all there. Thanks for having me, rizelle.

Speaker 2: 55:35

I don't know about you, but I am in love with this girl and her music and I urge you, urge you to go to her website or to her YouTube channel as soon as this episode is over. Take it from me Both are linked in the show notes so you don't miss the opportunity to get to know her songs and, believe me, you're gonna love every single one of them. A big thank you to Sabrina again for all that she shared with us today and, like I said in the beginning of this episode, stick around till the very end for a little extra from us. Okay, now, we now know what to do on our next trip to Granada, don't we? We will spend some time in St George's. We'll take a stroll on the beautiful Grand Annes Beach, we'll definitely take a hike up to the Seven Sisters waterfalls and, of course, to the very welcome stone, as Sabrina suggested, for some beautiful panoramic views. I checked it out online and it is stunning. We're also gonna visit Bushiri Beach for some local vibes and we're definitely gonna have ourselves some cocoa tea and bakes with salt fish in the morning. Right, and we will live I mean live for that one evening that we get to spend with Sabrina at Sabrina's treehouse. I know, I know that is like the number one thing that I'm so looking forward to my Granada trip. For sure, we're speaking this into existence. Let's do it right now. We're speaking it into existence and I guess I'll be seeing you in Granada.

Speaker 2: 57:10

Hey, thank you for listening to today's episode. I really appreciated. This podcast would not be possible without you and your love for, and interest in, the different Caribbean islands. It really wouldn't. The next episode promises to be another really good one, by the way. It's going to be all about snorkeling and the best spots to do so in the Caribbean. You do not want to miss that. I'm Brisel, the traveling island girl leaving you with Sabrina's latest song cool me down, enjoy it.

Speaker 1: 58:04

Much potential. You let your vices get you down. You know I can't make sense of it. Cool me down. You're driving me insane. Cool me down. You know I can't make sense of it.

Speaker 1: 58:45

You had headed on tail and I'm hurt for all the wrong reasons. No cold attack can come back. This end, if you know, I showed you lose me by your team. You had headed on brutal confidence in your style, so now let's have you come run baby. Cool me down. Cool me down, baby. You want to keep falling. You want to step outside of my life. I don't know what you think. Cool me down, boy. You know I came in says I'm gonna drive you insane. Cool me down, boy. Cool me down, boy. You know I came in says I'm gonna drive you insane. Cool me down. You know I came as a wish. Cool me down, boy. Cool me down boy. Yeah, yeah, you know I. You know I can't make sense of it. Cool me down. You're driving me insane. Cool me down. You know I can't make sense of it. Cool me down. You know I can't make sense of it. Cool me down. You know I can't make sense of it.