By now, most of the Caribbean would have heard that soca songstress Nadia Batson has left Kes The Band. They would have also heard her reason for leaving-to form her very own, all female soca outfit, which she says is poised to take T&T by storm. However, many may not have heard what Kees Dieffenthaller, the lead singer of the versatile band, has to say about it. The T&T Guardian caught up with the reigning Groovy Soca Monarch and asked him just that, and found out that, unlike the rest of us, for him the news came as no surprise. Speaking via a telephone interview from Antigua, Kees stated that he and his band mates were "completely fine" with Batson's decision to move on and remained in full support of her bold venture. "Everybody is just cool with it. Nady told us about it, and we're pretty supportive of whatever she's up to. We've been working with her for 16 years. She's family and she knows she has the support of all of us," he explained. "It was a gradual thing though. We knew it was coming. She always kept us in the loop."
Great things
Admitting that he had a special on-stage chemistry with the Caribbean Girl singer, who's been an integral part of the six-year-old band since its inception in 2005, Kees said while he will miss her strong vocals, he was confident that she would be successful in her endeavours. As for Kes The Band, the Wotless singer said it was well armed to stand on its own and added that fans could expect "some great things" for C2k12. "Over the years, we've been doing shows with and without Nady, so we have already established our performances without that element. It's our mission to create that international feel and also to get that international attention. We really want to step it up," he asserted. "Like anything in life, you have to know how to move with the waves." Kees was quick to point out though, that Batson's departure did not in any way mean that the two would not work together in the future. "We definitely will. But, it'll just be in a different capacity."
Pushing the envelope
As for now, Kes The Band has been burning the midnight oil-literally. "Every weekend we are out. We are already booked up until the end of the year. Every week we're in a different hotel in a different country. We just keep it moving," he told us. With a North American and Caribbean tour currently in full swing, Kees and his band are enjoying the fruits of their hard work. And while they evidently had a great 2011, Kees is hoping that 2012 would be even greater. "We will be coming with a different sound, something even crazier than what you heard this year. We will be pushing the envelope." And with all that envelope pushing, Kees confessed that he needed to "be a little more stringent" with his multi-vitamins. "I know I need to be taking them more often eh. But I also like to eat my fruits and stuff to get that natural boost. When I'm eating, I'm eating!" he joked.
