Everton Everton J Hippolyte’s electrifying performance of Prince’s Purple Rain at Ronald Boo Hinkson’s Show the World concert last December was a revelation. It left many in the audience, encountering his talent for the first time, utterly mesmerised.
Yet, this wasn’t his first time commanding the stage. As a teenager, Everton J was known as the calypsonian Floopsy. But those days are behind him, as he made clear after a February performance where he breathed new life into Herb Black‘s calypso classic It’s All in Me.
Today, he can be found performing on the hotel circuit – the very place where this new chapter began, thanks to a chance encounter with Hinkson. That rediscovery led to his recently released single, Love & Money.
The song features Everton J‘s soul-stirring vocals over a fusion of compass and Afrobeat rhythms, layered with a compelling jazz staccato and a fiery guitar solo.
Though he hadn’t released new music in a while, Everton J tells St Lucia Times that he never stopped chasing his musical dreams.
“I never really stopped doing music, even though I did not want to go back into calypso,” the singer says. “I have been doing covers of other people’s songs at the hotel which is where Boo saw me, before inviting me to perform at Show the World last year. Then, earlier this year, he called saying he had this song he wanted me to record. I was like, yes, let’s do this; I was really up for it.
“So we went into the studio, I listened to the instrumental, we went over the lyrics which were not quite complete at the time, and we later ended up having a complete song. I went in, recorded, and that was it.”
Everton J credits Boo‘s passion, dedication and professionalism for making the process seamless.
“He’s a brilliant mind, and we knocked it out pretty quickly – plus, it was a lot of fun,” he says.
Grateful for the opportunity, Everton J is eager to move beyond being seen solely as a cover artist.
“It was always about working with the right people and Boo is definitely one of them,” the singer says. “He takes time with the material, ensuring he gives you the best finished product. He is very professional and focused on the things he puts his name to.”
That respect is clearly mutual. According to Boo, who wrote and produced Love & Money, Everton J was a consummate professional – both in rehearsals for Show the World and during studio sessions.
Recalling their first encounter, Boo shares: “For my yearly concert, I always look for young talent to showcase. I heard Everton singing at one of the hotels and thought, ‘Wow, this guy is good’. I didn’t even realise he was Floopsy at the time. After inviting him to perform, the rest, as they say, is history.”
After featuring him in the concert, Boo tells St Lucia Times that he recognised Everton J needed original material to capitalise on his renewed visibility and relaunch his career.
Boo says the singer’s face lit up the moment he heard the track – he was instantly hooked: “He was excited to record it, and this is what we ended up with.”
Love & Money is an infectious, danceable track, brought to life by Everton J‘s dynamic vocals. The song carries hints of Jason Derulo’s style, yet stands apart from anything Boo has written or produced before.
“I think this is a track that can penetrate different markets because of so many influences in it,” the ace musician says.
As Everton J embraces this new phase, his gratitude for Boo‘s guidance is matched only by his enthusiasm for what lies ahead.
