A Catalogue That Resonates: Kes Connects with Belize Beyond the Stage
On June 4, the Soca Fest Belize Instagram account announced Kes as the headliner for the 11th Annual Belize Soca & Culture Festival, to be held September 20 at the Belize Civic Center in Belize City. With a capacity of roughly 4,500 and timed around Belize Independence celebrations, the festival highlights Soca, Belizean music, and culture.
In the 90 days leading up to the festival, Kes had already established a strong presence on the Belize Apple Music chart, with a catalogue spanning more than a single album. By the day after the show, thirteen Kes tracks were in the Top 30, eight of which had entered the chart in the weeks prior. This demonstrated once again how a live performance can elevate an entire catalogue, sometimes years after a song’s initial release.
The results affirmed that Kes was the right artist for the event, not only reflected in ticket sales and draw at the door but also in streaming engagement, showing listeners were actively connecting with both old and new tracks before and after the event. On the day of the show, Kes posted on Instagram with Cocoa Tea playing in the background: “Belize got me smiling 🇧🇿❤️🙂 We jammin later @socafestbelize”, a sentiment mirrored by the audience interest in his sound.
Similarly, “Fallin’” (2014, Written by Full Blown Entertainment and Kes; Produced by MadMen Productions) reached #12, and Million (2014, Written by Full Blown Entertainment and Kes; Produced by Kurtis Wells, aka London Future) peaked at #18. These examples underscore the enduring resonance of Full Blown’s songwriting alongside Kes, proving older material continues to find traction.
Workout (2016, with Nailah Blackman; Written by Kes, Atiba “Xone” Chance, Nailah Blackman, Mical Teja Williams, Anson Soverall, Akeem “Preedy” Chance; Produced by Anson Pro) rose to #15, while the blockbuster Hello (2017, Written by Kes and Kit Israel; Produced by Advokit Productions), previously peaking at #3 in 2019, climbed to #7 post-show, reflecting steady audience engagement.
Tracks from 2019–2023 demonstrated both catalogue depth and the impact of collaborative partnerships.
Savannah Grass (2019, Produced by P.A.G.E; Written by Jelani “Pops” Shaw and Kes), peaking at #1 exactly 6 years ago to the date on Sept 21, 2019, the track reached #6 the day after the show on the 21st of Sept. 2025, after consistent chart activity in early September.
Close to Me (2019, with Shenseaa; Written by Kes, Tano, L’Shun Emmanuel, Christian Kalpee, Nicolai Ramjass, Daryl Gervais, Shenseaa; Produced by Tano and Brooklyn Decent) rose to #10, and Like It Like This (2017, with Patrice Roberts; Written by Kees Dieffenthaller, Patrice Roberts, and Shertz James; Produced by Ramon Fryktion McDowal) reached #16. Liki Tiki (2022, with J. Perry; Produced by Michael Brun & Dwala) peaked at #11, while Jub Jub (2022) and Tack Back (2023), both produced by Tano, reached #19 and #8, respectively.
Recent releases also gained post-performance traction. 2024 releases reflected both anticipation and sustained listener engagement.
Cocoa Tea (2024, Produced by Tano; Written by Kes, Tano & Mical Teja) maintained a top-ten presence for over three months, moving into the top three by September 8, and reached #1 two days after the festival, a position first achieved in December 2024.
No Sweetness (2024, Produced by Full Blown; Written by Kevon Hart, Kory Hart, Kes Dieffenthaller, Tano) from the Big Links Riddim peaked at #3 on September 21.
By September 21, eleven Kes tracks occupied the Top 20 on Belize’s Apple Music chart, representing 55% of top positions in a market of roughly 400,000. In a post-event Instagram message that day, accompanied by photos from Jono Hurst, Kes wrote: “Happy Independence Belize 🇧🇿 🎆 It was a blessing to celebrate with you @socafestbelize.”
The range and consistency of chart performance reflect not only Kes’s drawing power but also the alignment between his catalogue and audience preferences.
Apple Music Top 50 Chart activity in Belize reveals clear patterns. Older tracks not seen in over a year re-emerged, highlighting the depth of Kes’s catalogue and the ongoing engagement of audiences.
In addition, recurring collaborators Tano, Full Blown, and Mical Teja have helped craft tracks that continue to live in listeners’ daily soundtracks. Individually and collectively, these collaborators exert a clear creative influence, their tangible impact on streaming and chart performance pointing to promising futures.
Belize, just under 2,000 miles from his native Trinidad and Tobago, has become a home away from home for Kes, with a mutual familiarity and enthusiasm that extends well beyond a single-day performance. “I love Kes” is an understatement in Belize, and beyond.
Listen to Top tracks by Kes here:
