Singing Sandra

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Singing Sandra
Born
Sandra Des Vignes

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East Dry River, Trinidad
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GenresCalypso
Years active1980s–2021

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Singing Sandra (Sandra Des Vignes-Millington) (December 10, 1957 – January 28, 2021) was a Trinidadian calypsonian known for her vocal performances.[1] She won both the National Calypso Queen and Calypso Monarch competitions,[2] most well known in the Soca music scene.[3]

Personal life

Sandra Des Vignes-Millington was born on December 10, 1957, in the East Dry River, Port of Spain, Trinidad. She was raised in Morvant, Trinidad and Tobago[4] and grew up as an only child with her mother. She never met her father.[5] At fifteen, Sandra was baptized into a Spiritual Baptist church faith and later began practicing Orisha.[5][6]

From an early age, she sang and acted in small productions.[6] Due to behavioral issues and poor attendance, Sandra did not complete her formal education and worked at various low-wage jobs in her twenties.[7]

Career

In 1984, Sandra was approached by calypsonian Dr. Zhivago to perform two of his songs. The following year, she joined the Mighty Sparrow's Youth Brigade tent during carnival.[8] There, in 1987, she earned the titles of National Calypso Queen[2] and St Maarten Queen of the World with the song 'Sexy Employees,' more commonly known as 'Die With My Dignity.'[9] The song reflected a moral stance against male chauvinism in the workplace.[10]

She won the Carifesta Monarch and 'Calypso Queen of the World' titles in 1992, and performed at the 1992 Reggae Sunsplash festival.[11]

Later, Sandra formed the United Sisters group with Lady B, Tigress, and Marvelous Marva. She continued to perform as a solo artist,[1] and at the 1997 carnival she won the 'Best Nation Building Song' award along with a prize for the song 'One Destiny One Heart'.[12]

In 1999, Sandra became the second woman to win the Calypso Monarch competition (after Calypso Rose in 1978) at Trinidad and Tobago's Carnival. Two of her songs, 'Song for Healing'[13] and 'Voices from the Ghetto',[14][15] addressed the struggles of marginalized communities.[16][17][18] She secured third place in 2000 and fifth place in 2001.

In 2003, she won the title for the second time, becoming the first woman to achieve two Calypso Monarch victories.[6] The two songs she performed for the competition ('For Whom the Bell Tolls' and 'Ancient Rhythm') contained strong political content. The latter song talks about the experiences of the African diaspora community in Trinidad and elsewhere, and finding freedom within music by embracing diaspora identity.[19]

Legacy

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Through her music, which addressed social, racial, and feminist themes, in a notably male-dominated genre,[17][15][16] Singing Sandra became a prominent female figure in the Calypso industry.[20]

References

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  1. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Trinidadian calypso legend Singing Sandra dies at 64 – Caribbean Life". www.caribbeanlife.com. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
  2. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Calypso - Singing Sandra". Best of Trinidad.
  3. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Goodwin, Michael (2000-01-01). "Singing Sandra: One Voice from the Ghetto". Caribbean Beat Magazine. Retrieved 2025-05-16.
  4. ^ Thompson, Dave (2002) Reggae & Caribbean Music, Backbeat Books, Template:ISBN, pp. 5, 257–258
  5. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.DesVignes-Millington, Sandra (September 4, 2008). "Singing Sandra-In her own words". wordpress.com. Retrieved June 7, 2017.
  6. ^ a b c Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.McGill, Aldwyn. "Singing Sandra Interview for Morvant Love Magazine". YouTube.com.
  7. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Social Soundtrack". Social Soundtrack. 2022-04-03. Retrieved 2025-03-20.
  8. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Loss of a Mother". Trinidad Express. January 30, 2021. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
  9. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."- YouTube". www.youtube.com.
  10. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Community Contact Staff (November 7, 2014). "CALYPSO ICON SINGING SANDRA HERE ON NOV. 23". Entertainment. Montreal Community Contact. Retrieved June 5, 2017.
  11. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Doughty, Melissa (2021-01-29). "TT crying as Singing Sandra passes on". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. Retrieved 2025-05-11.
  12. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Calypso icon Singing Sandra has died | CNC3". Archived from the original on 2021-01-28. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
  13. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Singing Sandra - Song For Healing". November 30, 2007 – via YouTube.
  14. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Singing Sandra - Voices From The Ghetto". February 12, 2009 – via YouTube.
  15. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Mondezie, Michael. "Mother to the Nation's Youth". The Trinidad Guardian. Trinidad Publishing Company Limited. Retrieved June 5, 2017.
  16. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.O'Donnell, Kathleen (March 2001). Adventure Guide to Trinidad and Tobago. Hunter Publishing, Inc. ISBN 9781588432575.
  17. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Thompson, Dave (2002). Reggae & Caribbean Music. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 9780879306557.
  18. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Doughty, Melissa. "Trinidad and Tobago Crying as Singing Sandra Passes On". The World News. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
  19. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Ancient Rhythm [Song]". Retrieved June 6, 2017. (Video).
  20. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.2B Karibbean (September 16, 2014). "AMBASSADOR 5-SINGING SANDRA-Calypso legend speaks on community, women & the future of calypso". YouTube. Retrieved June 6, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

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