Voice’s account before the 2016 final
In Newsday’s January 31, 2016 Q&A, Voice explained that he wanted his music to carry a message while challenging himself melodically. He connected that aim to “Cheers to Life.”
He also recalled hearing the Soca Monarch semifinal audience respond to his name before the instrumental began, a moment that eased his nerves. This is an artist’s account of that performance; the interview was written before the final and does not document its outcome.
Sources: Voice — Cheers to Life Q&A, Newsday
New vocals, and a separate video cast
Kasey Phillips told Newsday that SocaKidz reused existing Precision and Advokit music beds but recorded new vocals in July–August 2019. The album’s singers were Akeela Dillon, Daniel Garavito and Antonio Wade, selected by Stacy Nurse of Rosemand’s Academy of Performing Art.
Those names are given at album level, without a per-song solo allocation. The article lists “Cheers to Life” as originally by Voice and names Steven Taylor as director of the SocaKidz video. Phillips explicitly says the recording singers and the children appearing in the video were different performers.
Sources: Kasey Phillips — SocaKidz re-recording and video interview, Newsday
Choose by the credited performing artist
Apple’s selected Voice entry credits Precision Productions as producer. The selected SocaKidz page lists both Precision Productions and BadJohn Republic in its production section. Both pages show the same five writing contributors, while their performing-artist headings differ.
The provider dates below belong to the selected listings. Neither one turns the SocaKidz vocals into a Voice performance or identifies the children seen in the video as the recording singers.
| Displayed artist | Edition | Provider date |
|---|---|---|
| Voice & Precision Productions | Cheers to Life - Single | 2015-10-20 |
| SocaKidz | Carnival Party, Vol. 1 | 2020-07-10 |
| Role | Names |
|---|---|
| Composer | Kyle Phillips; kasey Phillips |
| Lyrics | Kory Hart; Kevon Hart; Aaron St Louis |
Sources: Cheers to Life - Song with Lyrics by Voice & Precision Productions - Apple Music · Cheers to Life - Single - Album by Voice & Precision Productions - Apple Music · Cheers to Life - Song with Lyrics by SocaKidz - Apple Music · Carnival Party, Vol. 1 - Album by SocaKidz - Apple Music
Sources and further listening
- Voice — Cheers to Life Q&A, Newsday
- Kasey Phillips — SocaKidz re-recording and video interview, Newsday
- Cheers to Life - Song with Lyrics by Voice & Precision Productions - Apple Music
- Cheers to Life - Single - Album by Voice & Precision Productions - Apple Music
- Cheers to Life - Song with Lyrics by SocaKidz - Apple Music
- Carnival Party, Vol. 1 - Album by SocaKidz - Apple Music