How Caribbean Up-And-Comer Coutain Is Breathing New Life into Trinidadian Classics With Smart Songwriting & Smooth Vocals
Billboard ·
Coutain is Billboard's Caribbean Up-And-Comer of the Month for September 2026.
The sultry allure of R&B vocal stylings is steadily creeping back into the forefront of mainstream music — and that includes some of the buzziest genres around the world. Hailing from Sangre Grande, Trinidad, Coutain’s soulful, honeyed tone has quickly made him one of the most sought-after names in Caribbean music, with recent hits like “Wedding Band” and “Suga Dumplin.” Now, he’s taking lessons learned from his banner year into the studio as he prepares his forthcoming new album.
The artist born Denzil Coutain, just wanted to experience life. He “had no aspirations to be an artist,” he says, though his earliest musical memories place him around the church choir when he was just seven years old. His family, which includes fellow artists Jimmy October and 80sede, was fairly musical, but it was his late cousin Shanna Marie Fuentes who “made sure that I had some sort of musical direction in my mindset,” Coutain reflects. He began properly building on that foundation in his last years of secondary school at the Sangre Grande Educational Institute, where the principal and his wife used to host talent show fundraisers.
“They had an idea that I could sing, but I didn’t care about singing,” he recalls. “Things started really heating up when I went to university. I met some of my brothers who are part of my camp now, like Brooklyn [Decent], who’s our in-house producer and engineer. In 2019, I put out my first single, ‘African Dancer,’ but I still didn’t think of this as anything other than a hobby. But things started to get really active after that.”
In the years since “African Dancer,” Coutain has maintained a steady stream of releases that flaunt his penchant for seamlessly shifting across myriad musical styles, including soca, dancehall and R&B. More recently, Coutain has scored major hits by teaming up with esteemed cross-genre Trinidadian producer Michael “Tano” Montano for records like 2024’s “Junction” and 2025’s road-dominating “Jamtown,” the latter of which has earned nearly two million official on-demand U.S. streams to date, according to Luminate. Ahead of his upcoming debut solo studio album, Coutain has also shared a trio of projects: 2020’s introductory Product of Big Blood , 2022’s G Syde Tape, Pt. 3 (a joint effort with Brooklyn Decent) and 2024’s Dwala-assisted 1996 .
“Wedding Band,” which arrived in December 2025, found Coutain solidifying himself as one of the biggest current Caribbean hitmakers. Not only did his smart reinterpretation of Mighty Sparrow’s classic “Mr. Walker” win over Caribbean people around the world, but the funky hit also presented a lyricist unafraid to bridge the sociopolitical bent of calypso with soca’s party-rocking essence. Naturally, that song was a standout moment during Coutain’s opening set for Kes the Band’s amphitheater and arena-headlining Roots, Rock, Soca Tour this summer. And he’s also snagged three nominations at the 2026 Caribbean Music Awards, including best new soca artist.
Below, Billboard speaks with Coutain about touring with Kes the Band, being inspired by Michael Jackson, and the ascendant Trinidadian musicians whose names the world should know.
What do you remember about your very first time in the studio?
I was confused! [ Laughs. ] I heard about studios and saw them on social media and TV, but actually experiencing our definition of a studio — it wasn’t big and grand, but it was just enough to get the job done — was interesting.
How would you describe your sound? How has it evolved?
I’m still trying to figure it out because I have so much range. I don’t stick to one sound, and that diversity comes with the different genres of music I sing, such as dancehall, reggae, R&B and soca. It’s one-of-a-kind and still evolving.
Who are some of your biggest vocal influences?
Mighty Sparrow, Shadow, Bob [Marley], Dennis Brown, Garnett Silk, Barrington [Levy], and Michael [Jackson]. Also, Aidonia, [Vybz] Kartel, Kes and Bunji Garlin.
I’ve heard you’re a big MJ fan, and you can hear it in some of your vocal inflections. When did you first fall in love with Michael Jackson?
When my mom wanted us to stay put, she would put on music videos. Michael used to be so intriguing with how he was able to captivate the crowd but still sometimes have a more subtle presence. He never had to do too much. Watching old documentaries and seeing his work ethic also resonated with me. The behind-the-scenes was more interesting to me than what the media [was focusing on].
Is there a Michael Jackson song you would ever sample?
Some things should just be left alone because they’re so great.
What do you remember about recording “African Dancer?” When did it click for you that the song was blowing up in a major way?
That song was made in my mother’s bedroom. Me and my uncle recorded it, but we were anxious to release it because it was the middle of Carnival season. We ended up holding it for a bit, so “African Dancer” was actually three years old by the time it got released. I remember hearing someone playing the song in their car while I was walking to school. I told her thanks and asked if she downloaded it onto a CD; when she told me it was playing on the radio station, that’s when everything clicked.
“Jamtown” was another key inflection point for you. What do you recall about the making of that record?
That was one of the most intimidating songs I’ve recorded in my life. Most of my influences are on the dancehall side, so when it came to soca, I didn’t want to do the average, jump-and-wave, wine-on-a-bumpa song. I wanted to go back to the nostalgia of Black Stalin and Lord Nelson. I really wanted to take my time, especially coming off of “Junction.” It took almost two months to finish “Jamtown,” and that was the first time I spent so long on a single song. Me and Tano made three different versions, but I’m proud of it because it helped lead us to where we are right now.
On a random day, we pieced together different pieces from the demos. We got some roti, came back to the studio, and then I pulled the chorus out of thin air. And then Mical Teja was in the studio at the same time and came up with the refrain, and “Jamtown” was done.
Why do you think you and Tano have such good synergy?
We both have the same vision for the music, where it could reach and what it is evolving to be. We understand each other musically. We treat it not like work, but like a part of life. We have fun while creating; the music always has to resonate with us first.
How have you developed your approach to songwriting over the past couple of years?
I will have to credit Brooklyn, Dwala and Tano. That’s the crew. At one point in time, I didn’t want to write and just sang off top; if we didn’t press record while I was singing, we lost everything. They helped me get into the habit of taking my time, revising lyrics, and typing them out. Brooklyn helps me balance my soft and rugged sides, and Tano makes sure I tap into the older side and look at history. I heard my grandfather singing about “Mr. Walker” all the time. I didn’t know what direction to go in, because the “Wedding Band” beat is so funky, so I had the idea to sing about Ms. Walker. Today, most guys are asking for the mom for their daughter’s hand in marriage!
What was it like joining Kes the Band on tour this year? What did you learn from that experience?
It was a momentous time, to be honest with you. I’m still trying to wrap my brain around it. I learned that an abundance of discipline is necessary, as is having a proper team of people who know their roles and functions to keep the engine moving. They made it look so easy, but I know it was a lot of work. I’ve tried to incorporate certain things that we experienced on the road with Kes into our camp, and we’re already seeing improvements in a huge way.
When can we expect your next project?
Hopefully after Carnival.
Who are some of your dream collaborators?
Kes, Buju Banton, Gunna, and either Tems or BNXN.
Who are some other Trini artists that we should know right now?
Kilu, Kimi, Christo, Jimmy October, MelaCaribe, Kman 6ixx, Medz Boss, Teflon and Annalie Prime.
What are some of your long-term goals? How do you define success?
A long-term goal for me is to reach a place where I could help the next generation and show the world that the Caribbean has so much to offer. We have stars living right here. And, for me, success is being able to pass down whatever I want.