Machel Montano is ready to make us dance with new music. On Wednesday, the Tobagonian, soca musician announced his album One Degree Hotter, out later this month, as he released the high-energy music video for “Her Mudda.”
The upcoming LP is titled One Degree Hotter in reference to his numerous soca hits, along with playing on his recently acquired Master’s degree in Carnival Studies from the University of Trinidad and Tobago.
The playful “Her Mudda” video, directed by D. Padmore and ColorMeStadic, sees Montano and Pumpa singing along to the catchy song as a crew of dancers show off their “booty shaker” moves in front of a yellow backdrop. “Shake what your momma gave you,” Montano repeats in the track’s chorus.
“After two years earning my Master’s degree in Carnival Studies, immersing myself in my culture, and studying where we’ve come from, I’m more inspired than ever about where we can go next,” said Montano in a statement. “One Degree Hotter is a double entendre — it marks my Master’s degree, but also my mission to turn up the heat on my music and take it to the corners of the globe.”
“Songs like ‘Fling It Up’ ft. Davido and ‘Pepper Vine’ with Lady Lava and Drupatee reflect that vision — pushing Soca forward by connecting it with the global sounds of Africa and India. To me, this album represents a step forward in the evolution of my sound and mission,” he added.
Along with “Her Mudda,” the album will feature previously released songs such as “Pardy,” “The Truth,” Bumpa,” “Fallen Fetters” with Skinny Fabulous, and “Fling It Up” featuring Nigerian star Davido. One Degree Hotter marks Montano’s first full-length release since 2021’s The Wedding Album, which included “Super Soca” and “Slow Wine” with Afro B. The LP also featured an interlude by Ms. Lauryn Hill.
The One Degree Hotter announcement comes just several weeks after he kicked off the year with a visit to NPR’s Tiny Desk, bringing soca, the Caribbean style of music, to the special concert series. There, he played songs “Like Ah Boss,” “Famaly,” and “Soca Kingdon.”
“You know what the Caribbean says, ‘It’s dancing time all the time,’” Montano said during the Tiny Desk performance, which has more than a million views.
