She was just eleven years old when she produced her first song, it was a remake of Jennifer Hudson’s “If This Isn’t Love.”
Today she has worked with some of the biggest names in the local soca and dancehall industry.
Vernice Herreira, 20, started off doing covers on YouTube in 2011 but felt like there was something missing in her sound, so she started to produce.
“I felt like it had nothing that stood out to me, that would be my style,” Herreira said.
“I wanted to create something unique,” she continued.
With no official training and not the best equipment Herreira spent several sleepless nights learning the art of producing by watching YouTube videos.
“My mother used to say oh gosh girl go and sleep,” she said
“I learned from the University of YouTube. You can go on YouTube and search anything these days, I took advantage of that,” she continued.
Herreira uses the stage name Trini Baby and first hopped on the soca producing train in 2017 when she co-produced a song titled “Single Again” for an upcoming soca artiste called Lincoln. Two years later she worked with three-time Soca Monarch winner Neil Iwer George.
“I actually co-produced on ‘Go’ that was for his 2019 Road March contending track,” Herreira said.
But it was the moment Nadia Batson contacted her that left her speechless.
“I really didn’t understand, I was like wow,” Herreira said.
“That was really amazing,” she added.
Herreira worked with Batson on her 2019 hit, “So Long,” and wrote a song called “Shake Down” with her.
Since then the young producer has worked on songs either as a producer or a background vocalist for several big soca artistes like Machel Montano, Bunji Garlin, Shal Marshall and Lyrikal to name a few. Her vocals can be heard on Shal Marshall’s “Party we love” and Machel Montano’s “Brace up.”
“My life has changed drastically, it’s like people don’t even doubt me anymore,” she said.
The young talent said what separates her from the rest is the eccentricities of her sound, much like her all-time favourite producer, Timbaland.
“I put weird patterns in my beats, I grab things from different cultures,” she said.
“I also look up to Precision Productions. They have one of the best sounds in the Caribbean,” she continued.
This year the 20-year-old worked on Nadia Batson’s “Kiss” and Ravi B’s “Head Shot” along with several other soca songs, some yet to be released.
“The real thing is to stay determined. If you love it make your sacrifices,” she said.
She even made her own 2020 groovy soca contribution with a song called “White Oak & Chaser” and according to her the vibe and the connectivity are what make the ideal groovy soca song.
For power, the musical creator wants energy and good lyrics.
“White Oak & Chaser” is on the riddim produced by Herreira called the Montrose Riddim and was dedicated to her friend Christian “Monty” Montrose who died last year.
“He is one of the best people I have ever met,” she expressed.
But Montrose was not the only person Herreira lost since she started pursuing music. Back in 2013, she lost her brother, the person she said introduced her to music.
“He legit shoved me into the music scene,” she said smiling.
Herreira told Guardian Media when she feels like giving up, the memory of her late brother gives her the push she needs.
She plans to continue writing soca music and expanding her career. She also encourages all young producers to keep striving, as everything has its timing.
