Saint Lucian musician Edward Eddie Bellas plans to release his seventh studio album, Rooted, on September 26, 2025, on YouTube and Bandcamp.
After living in the United States for 25 years, Bellas returned to Saint Lucia earlier this year after being deported. The artist is now rebuilding a life at home while trying to reunite with his four children who remain in the U.S. In a previous interview with St. Lucia Times, Bellas explained that his deportation stemmed from overstaying a B-1 visa issued in September 2000.
According to Bellas, the album holds deep personal significance.
“Nine months is normally the time a woman takes to bring forth life in this realm and it’s been nine months since I was taken into ICE custody to be deported,” he said, adding that the album represents his return to Saint Lucia after a quarter of a century abroad.
Describing the project as a homecoming to the culture that shaped him, Bellas said, “The name Rooted is self-explanatory when you consider that I am literally back on home soil after 25 years.”
“My Saint Lucian identity and culture is what has always carried me across the musical spectrum and is what sets me apart from my other contemporaries.”
Growing up in Belle Vue, Vieux Fort, which he calls the cultural capital of Saint Lucia, music was always central to his life. He noted that the music of his upbringing always carried “a potent message, whether the guys were talking about social commentary, daily experiences or their love affairs”.
Bellas said creating Rooted gave him strength during difficult times.
“The fact that I am currently on the same soil the greats like Ramo Poleon, Corporal Jones, Gilo, etc., walked upon gave me the passion to push past all the pressures that I was going through and become rooted once again in my love for music.”
The 13-track album blends different genres aiming to reach a wider fanbase and features collaborations with other Saint Lucian artists. A video for his song ‘Freedom’ will also be released soon. Proceeds from Bandcamp sales will go toward appealing his family court case.
Reflecting on his journey, Bellas emphasised perseverance.
“Discipline, consistency and perseverance will always produce good results,” he explained.
He hopes his music inspires resilience and healing and is convinced that whatever persons go through in this life they can simultaneously grow through it as well.
Bellas’s message remains rooted in his guiding philosophy. “[It] is healing music, it is positive, it is inspirational, it is motivational, it is Eddie Bellas and it is ‘Rooted.’”
