It was the voice in the new Republic Bank 45 second jingle "The Power of One Serving Many" that grabbed my attention during the early morning radio programme.
A soprano that belongs to Renee Solomon, a 17-year old Sixth Form Student at St Joseph Convent in Port of Spain, one of the lead vocalist with the Marionettes Chorale, who has won numerous awards and championships at the Trinidad and Tobago Biennial Music Festival and delivered other sterling performances locally and internationally.
In 1999-2000, as the Ms. Hal Jackson Talented Teen of Trinidad and Tobago, Renee went on to win the title of Ms Hal Jackson Talented Teen International 1999 in the U.S. Virgin Islands singing "Summertime" from Gershwin's "Porgy & Bess". As part of her prize, she received a partial scholarship which will assist in whatever she decides to study in the future.
And for those of us who may not know, Hal Jackson, explained Renee, "is a famous radio talk-show host, operating out of New York, who has set a standard for black pioneers in the music industry. WBLS is his radio station and he is chairperson of the Youth Development Foundation in New York."
This very articulate teen-ager performed as a guest artiste at the Foundation's Benefit Dinner in 1999. And last year also performed at the Aaron Davis Hall-Marion Anderson Theatre in New York when she handed over the International title to Miss California. However, she was very proud that Patrice Inglesbirth, who was representing Trinidad & Tobago, placed third.
The jingle which forms part of the bank's new corporate campaign and was launched early last month, says Ronald Harford, Republic's Managing Director "is a simple message. It is a powerful message and it is our commitment to the entire nation and region....The campaign takes a new look at what we often forget in our busy corporate world - the individual...the Power of One.
Each of our customers has dreams, and everything we do each day, is a reaffirmation of our commitment to being a leading institution that focuses on people while helping them to realise their dreams...This is a perfect moment in our Corporate life to remember the fundamental reason for our being Republic Bank. To remember that we work wholeheartedly everyday toward making the dreams of our customers come true."
Why was Renee Solomon's voice chosen? And it really is only the voice of this very pretty, dimpled teen-ager, as she is not seen in the jingle. But I tend to agree with Clint Williams, Executive Creative Director of Hernandez/FCB, the agency which searched extensively for the ideal voice for the jingle "you can feel the passion with which she renders; you close your eyes and listen...and it's as though you are in a concert hall."
And of the young star herself, who will complete her A level examinations in 2002. The daughter of Beverley Kitson-Solomon, a home economic teacher at Woodbrook Government Secondary School, and the late Michael Solomon, and youngest sister to Stefan and Wesley. Renee, who has been singing from age four with the Bishop Anstey Junior School choir, chirps "my inspiration and motivation came from 'mi madre' who has sang solos, duets and trios for Bishop Anstey High School in past music festivals, and Michelle Ben-Lisa- Varley, my trainer at Convent from age eleven."
It was very difficult to catch up with this very busy young woman since she is involved in so many activities. "The main one is Art, one of my sixth form subjects along with Business and Literature, especially in the area of fashion design as that's what I really love and it is kind of a lead up to the field which I want to dabble in when I get out of school."
She does Latin dancing after school, and has only just re-started jazz and ballet with Linda Pollard Lake, which she had given up for a while for singing "my main focus. I know that singing will have a major part in my future. It's likely to be my sole career. I see myself singing opera, but mainly because I like to dance and act and my Mom is always telling me how dramatic I am, picture myself in a Broadway role of say "Beauty and the Beast" or any broadway musical. I love musicals because I can incorporate all my talents into one thing, opera-based or classical music doesn't matter, as long as I get to do everything along with the singing. I know I would not be able to get everything but opera and classical music are my genre of music."
To this end, Renee practises soprano solos at lunchtime on Wednesdays and "it's choir on the same afternoon, but it's worth the extra time. Marionettes practise on a Saturday after lunch." Then there is piano as well, and some time before getting to the homework part "I listen to my youthful MTV music."
And if by chance you live in the area which surrounds Renee's Cascade home, the strange sounds at all hours of the night and day come from her practising the scales "and could be the same thing over and over again. Not to mention bursts of song in the middle of my homework." That's how it goes for this young singer who thinks that a university study programme "where I can do my fashion design and voice will be fantastic."
Does this busy 17-year old really enjoy all that she does, brought the ready reply "I am enjoying it all, although some of the things are difficult, but they are all needed in my future. Form VI for discipline, while the music and all those things are helping me towards my ultimate goal, singing and fashion design."