Saturday October 1 marked the start of a new era in local entertainment programming. On Saturday, one of T&T's brightest budding stars emitted his light for all to see and feel. It was the day Mr Smooth, The God Bless Youth, infiltrated Synergy TV as the new host of Soca Star VII. Looking at him you'd never imagine that such a diminutive structure could equate to such a robust amount of vibes and energy, charisma and positive attitude. He showcased it within the past few months on various stages, among them, the semi-finals and finals of the C2K11 Bmobile International Soca Monarch competition.
It was at the semis that he'd gotten the thumbs up from the original King of Swag-Super Jigga TC on a job well done, and had been told that the powers that be were looking on with great interest. In the new season of the popular entertainment show, Super Jigga TC handed over the reigns of host to Mr Smooth, and he said, "Everybody knows I keep it fresh and in keeping with that, I believe Smooth is one of T&T's freshest faces so I 'popped his collar' and turned his swag up- yuh dig!"
Practice makes perfect
Mr Smooth, real name Randy Anim Mansoor, has been on a roll for the past two and a half years. In fact, his progression from one level to another has been constant and well deserved. Hard working and never willing to accept mediocrity, the 26-year-old Arima native told the T&T Guardian he believes it has all been God's doing. His career in entertainment spans five years. In fact, he would say his keen attention to music and radio as a teenager propelled him to the place he has reached today. It all began as a hobby among friends, but as the saying goes, practice makes perfect. And with enough practice, which eventually led to the creation of a sound system of which he became a part, Mr Smooth was noticed by then 98.9FM head honcho, O'Brian Haynes.
"We entered a competition on 98.9 called the Corona Extra Cool Summer DJ Face Off and we were one of the sound systems that stood out. We didn't win but we placed second. O'Brian Haynes said that he saw the potential and was willing to give us an opportunity, so he kept us." That was the start of Mr Smooth's career in radio. He held down the graveyard shift-midnight to 6 am-for almost two years and even dabbled in small prime time opportunities, executing live broadcasts and other similar duties. During his stint at YESFM, however, the network closed its doors and Smooth was out of a job.
Mr Smooth BOOMs big time
While at home, he told himself that it was time to better his craft by enrolling in broadcasting school. He subsequently received a call from Haynes, who he said asked him, "Yuh ready to Boom?" It was the second chapter, one that saw him leave his sound system friends behind, as Haynes had requested his voice only, and he became a member of the Boom Champions family. Developing with each opportunity presented, Mr Smooth has over the years had the opportunity to work with professionals like Mark Anthony, whom he said he owed a lot, having received unforgettable advice and support. Glen Antoine, noted by Smooth as one of T&T and the Caribbean's best radio voices, was also instrumental in polishing his on-air sound to a great degree.
In the past two years, the name and brand, Mr Smooth, has broken unbelievable ground. He's one of the faces and voices of mobile network Digicel, the official face of FX Trader, and it is now confirmed that following recent negotiations, he will be the a main host of KFC events in T&T. Additionally, the young personality's business mind has seen him venture into sales and marketing, having represented a number of clients, among them Phats International and Rennie's.
More than the money
The passion for what he does surpasses any economic value. For Mr Smooth, the value is seen in the faces of those he entertains and he promises great things as he ventures into the Synergy Soca Star limelight. "Smooth is not a quiet guy as some people may think. Smooth is a character that is spontaneous and full of energy. I think people are going to be shocked when they see me on that screen hosting Soca Star. I'm not coming to Soca Star as the new host to bash anybody or make anybody feel bad. It is a nice avenue for other media houses to look at Synergy and take example so they can give the youths an opportunity to showcase their talent.
"We're basically searching for the next big thing out of Trinidad and Tobago. Me, being passionate about my culture and soca music and local artistes on the whole, I will try to give them pointers and offer constructive criticism. I will try to help any and everybody on the show," he guaranteed. With so much still to come from the talented young voice of radio and television, the world is urged to keep abreast of it all. " People can catch me on the Boom from 6 pm-9 pm Monday to Thursday and on Fridays, from 3 pm to 6 pm. I also hold down the 9 am-noon spot on Saturdays," he said. Now, added to that, he's also going to be on Synergy for all to see, hear and feel!