Rosa Camacho: Trinidad’s Country Music Voice

Q&A: Rosa Camacho — Trinidad’s Country Music Voice With a Sierra Ferrell Soul

Rugged Revival Q&A • Independent Music • Trinidad & Tobago

Rosa Camacho - singer from Trinidad & Tobago - joins Rugged Crew Member, Gary Hector, to talk about growing up in a musical family, finding her voice in country music, tackling everything from Emmylou Harris to Sierra Ferrell, and why bringing twang to the Caribbean feels like breaking all the rules in the best possible way.

Gary Hector: Hi Rosa. Tell us a bit about your country and the music scene there.

Rosa: Trinidad and Tobago, being a melting pot of different cultures, showcases a huge variety of genres. From calypso to soca to chutney, to dancehall — and we even have a big rock community. I’d say country is probably the least touched genre here.

Gary: You’re a singer there. Where did your love of music and singing come from? And do you play any instruments at all?

Rosa: Both my parents come from musical backgrounds. My grandpa was famous for pulling out his guitar at any lime (that’s Trini for “people gathering”) and creating a vibe. My dad, Dion Camacho, is a music producer and has been a drummer in different bands for as long as I can remember — one of them being JOINTPOP with you, Gary!
If playing four chords on a guitar counts, then I can say I play a bit… haha.

Gary: You perform live concerts in T&T with me — how did we meet?

Rosa: My dad and you were in a band together for 14 years, so naturally our families were always connected and close.

Gary: What were your first thoughts on the type of music I asked you to sing?

Rosa: At first, I was a little skeptical because I hadn’t been exposed to much of the genre. But then I discovered Sierra Ferrell and fell in love with her storytelling. That opened the door for me to explore more country and roots music.

Gary: Were you aware of any country artists before meeting me?

Rosa: Other than the classics like Ring of Fire, On the Road Again, and Have You Ever Seen the Rain, which were always playing, I gravitated more toward alternative country artists like Brandi Carlile.

Gary: The songs we cover together — plus my originals — tell us about some of those.

Rosa: You’ve always been a great storyteller, Gary, which makes performing your songs easy (and remembering the lyrics even easier). Time Flies, Time Lies will always have the crowd laughing, but I Played the Song (the one about Aunty Wendy) always brings a few tears.
Let’s just say I feel less stressed performing your originals — because the first female vocalist you had me cover was none other than Emmylou Harris. So you can imagine the shoes I had to fill. But it didn’t stop there. Next came Linda Ronstadt’s Blue Bayou. And then Sierra Ferrell. If there’s one thing I can thank you for, it’s helping me develop my range… haha.

Gary: Apart from performing with me, any other live music projects?

Rosa: I also perform with my brothers, Sebastian and Jacob Camacho, and one of my favourite local singers, Rae Russell-Hosein, in a band called The Narrows, which we started about 10 years ago.
Sebastian also formed Indie Valley — a series of events showcasing all kinds of local music and talent — which gives us great opportunities to be around like-minded musicians.

Gary: If you could see one country or roots artist live in concert tomorrow, who would it be?

Rosa: At this point, it would 100% be Sierra Ferrell. To witness her and her full band perform would be a dream.

Credits: Interview by Gary Hector for The Rugged Revival Network. With thanks to Rosa Camacho. Photos by: Ejaaz Ramdhanie.

By the People. For the Music.