“Unforgettable. Magical. Pantastic.”
For Krystal Nestor, sharing the stage with legendary musician Ronald Boo Hinkson at the Ultimate Celebration was more than just a performance, it was a full-circle moment. Years after her first collaboration with him in 2017, this time, she wasn’t just playing steelpan – she was honouring a legend.
“The minute I walked on stage and looked out at the crowd, that moment became magical,” she recalled. “It was a privilege and honour to be playing with Boo again … but this time, paying tribute to the late, great steelpan icon Lennard Scrubb Wellington on an international stage. That was pantastic.”
Krystal, who hails from La Toc Road, Castries, but has family roots in Choiseul, is recognised as a formidable pan player, not just a fine female pan player.
Today, the eldest of three siblings – raised by a single mother – lives her dream as the bandleader and arranger for the Pantastic Muzik Steel Orchestra.
“My involvement in pan started in the year 1998. It was my mother who introduced me to our culture, carnival and traditions at an early age,” Krystal told St Lucia Times.
She continued: “I fell in love with pan by the roadside during J’ouvert. I found myself lost in the music and promised myself that I had to learn to play. I became a member of SJC Steel at the St Joseph’s Convent Secondary School and later joined North Stars Steel Orchestra, where I played a key role behind the scenes with the band’s planning committee.”
Over her 27-year journey in steelpan, Krystal has worn many hats – pannist, manager, leader, captain, section leader, performing artist, music educator, and now arranger. She has played with North Stars Steel Orchestra, Babonneau Steel Orchestra, Harmonites and Pantime Steel Orchestra.
Krystal has also mesmerised audiences beyond Saint Lucia’s shores.
“I also played with Solo Pan Knights, Solo Harmonites, Sforzata Steel Orchestra, Starlift, Siparia Deltones, and Invaders Steel Orchestra from Trinidad, Halcyon Steel Orchestra and Original Steel Orchestra of Antigua, and Adlib Steel Orchestra of New York,” she shared.
A former assistant secretary and secretary of the National Steelbands Association, Krystal now serves as a trustee for the organisation.
Her journey to becoming the first female arranger began after participating in an arrangers’ workshop facilitated by the Cultural Development Foundation (CDF) in 2011.
“The mission was to then go back to our bands and apply what we learned. Luckily, I had a young group of players at North Stars Steel Orchestra to work with. I put into practice my talent and skills, along with what was taught by Allison Marquis at the workshop, and entered the National Junior Panorama competition held by CDF, placing sixth. It wasn’t persuasion but a goal I had to achieve, wanting to be better at my craft,” she explained.
She admitted, however, that the journey wasn’t always smooth. At first, she faced pressure and the stigma that steelpan and arranging were male-dominated fields in Saint Lucia.
Krystal was shifting the balance from a time when women were mere flag bearers or, as one song put it, “de woman on de bass”.
“That didn’t stop me from improving and growing as the only female arranger in the national panorama competition,” she said.
“I was able to use the negativity, the pressure, the stigma and discrimination to create history with masterpieces at Panorama. You know the saying, ‘‘I work best under pressure’? Well, that’s me.”
Her first major achievement as an arranger was securing 2nd place in the Small Bands category at the 2014 National Panorama, a milestone she describes as one of her proudest moments.
Why? “It was my first attempt at senior panorama, and it felt good to have gotten that far.”
More recently, she relished the opportunity to serve as musical director for a collective group of drummers and steelpan players during Folk Fusion’s Jazz & Arts in the City.
While she looks forward to performing with some of her mentors and contributing even more to steelpan, Krystal acknowledges the immense support, encouragement and advice she’s received from noted Saint Lucian musicians and pannists, including Alison Marquis, Boo Hinkson, Aimran Simmons, and Terrence B.J Marcelle, along with her longtime steelpan family and friends.
Over the past few weeks, Krystal has been juggling work commitments while preparing her team for the upcoming Junior Pan Festival in June and the National Steelband Competition in July. It’s a gruelling task, but one she embraces fully, leading a team of talented pan players ready to give it their all.
On a personal level, Krystal says she wants to take her solo path to the next level along with her band.
“When it comes to steelpan in Saint Lucia, I will be that pioneer pushing the narrative for continuous growth and development. The work continues on this mission of mine to ensure that there is consistency in the instilling of love for the artform. If there is no love and passion for what you are doing then you won’t really accomplish much,” she says.
