Meet Cyndi Celeste | Spoken Word Artist & Arts Administrator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Cyndi Celeste and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cyndi, what principle do you value most?
Community matters most to me. I always say that as an artists I’m forged by community, and everything I produce as an artist is made possible by my community. From the time I first entered the spoken word scene in Barbados, I’ve been extremely fortunate to have the most uplifting and supportive mentors, peers, and friends. I mention my friend Luci all the time because they grabbed by hand and insisted I come to a youth open mic called Poetry Lime they hosted at the community college. They are so much a part of my journey even now, and they’re the inspiration behind the piece “L.o.L -Labour of Love” on my album “Love in My Language”. I have three long-time mentors I affectionately call my poetry parents, and numerous others whose wisdom and work have inspired me and poured into me. When I wrote the so-called ‘Republic Poem’, “We Ain’ Done”, I couldn’t have done it without my friends and peers who gave me the space to workshop my ideas with them. My community is my forged family, and I always remember that adage that says: ‘if you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together”.
I can unequivocally say without the support of my community, I would be even half the artist I am today.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m Cyndi Celeste (she/they), a Barbadian spoken word poet and writer. I’m known for blending Bajan language and Caribbean storytelling, influenced by R&B, soul, jazz, and hip-hop. My creative journey began in 2013 on the underground open mic scene in Barbados, and since then, I’ve had the privilege of performing on stages all over the world, from the US to South Africa, Paris, and Colombia. I’m a four-time NIFCA award winner and was honored to be named the 2021 GineOn People’s Choice Poet of the Year.

My work is all about merging performance with power and purpose. I’ve used my platform to coordinate community arts outreach projects, and a standout moment for me was when I became ‘de Republic Poet’ after performing “We Ain’ Done” at Barbados’ Pride of Nationhood ceremony in 2021. That performance marked the country’s transition to a republic and the inauguration of our first president.

I first made the decision to be a full-time artist during my undergraduate studies. Realising that a career in the arts was the only thing that really excited me and ignited my passion was the easy part – being a full-time artist in a niche genre in a small island country is not for the faint of heart. I also came onto the spoken word scene at a time where there weren’t many women spoken word artists, so I had to navigate a lot of the problems unique to women in the art form through trial and error. There just wasn’t much precedence for being a full time spoken word artist, so much so that people always asked me “what else do you do?”

It was, and still is in so many ways, a lot of trial and error but I listened to and observed a lot of older artists in Barbados and paid attention to what was going on with spoken word elsewhere and started to figure out my own style. I also started out as an empire of one, mainly out of necessity – I couldn’t afford to pay a team yet so I was doing it all, the admin and the art. I built my career up to the point where gradually I could afford to onboard team members and pay them, but in the earlier years I had a lot of help from willing friends and family.

Because of how I got where I am, the prospect of collaboration is often exciting to me – I like working with people towards a common good/goal. What I do may not always have been easy, but I’ve always been fortunate to have a solid foundation of community to lean on.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
A week long trip would definitely include some of my event stomping grounds, an open mic night is a must. Of course, the beach! A Leggo Theatre Show at The Sage Bar and stage. A breadfruit bowl at Yelluh Meat. A nice dinner at Dis Ole House. A visit to the springs. A chill night at Hashtag Bar. A music night at QP Bistro.

I’m generally a fan of niche or intimate events…

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to dedicate this shoutout especially to Luci Hammans, Adrian Green, and the GineOn family DJ and Keisha Simmons, and to my creative family who has always poured into me.

Website: https://cyndiceleste.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cyndi.celeste/?hl=en

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@cyndi_celeste

Other: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/cyndiceleste/love-in-my-language

Image Credits
Black and White Photo by Jamonn Roberts, Revolt Visuals

All other photographs by Alexander Newton, Devere Debonair