DJ Bloodline Franco drops high-energy carnival mix

DJ Bloodline Franco takes centre stage ahead of Sunday’s road march with the release of a free, downloadable carnival mix, created in partnership with Pepsi-Cola Jamaica. The mix features artistes from Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and Grenada, reflecting the cross-Caribbean spirit of the local carnival scene.

“When I was putting this together, I wanted a strong Jamaican influence mixed with soca. It’s about bringing all the artistes from across the region into one space so everything connects for the road,” said Bloodline Franco.

The mix follows the progression of a typical carnival day, starting groovy and building in energy toward the end.

“I wanted it to feel like the road. You start off groovy, then it builds, more energy, more vibes, and, by the end, you just let loose. It’s that kind of journey where you’re ready for an encore.”

Franco said the current season reflects a strong return of carnival energy in Jamaica. “The energy around Carnival in Jamaica feels like it’s back at pre-pandemic levels. That shows how resilient we are. The anticipation is high, the vibes are up. Jamaica to the world.”

He added that crowd response remains central to how he curates. “The crowd will tell you what they need. You just have to watch them. Once they stop moving, that’s a red flag. So you keep building, every song has to lift the energy from the last.”

Among the tracks featured are Voice’s Cyah Behave; Still a Road Man by Bunji Garlin and Xplicit Mevo, and Machel Montano’s Encore. Franco said familiar soca anthems play a deliberate role in his selection.

“There are certain soca songs that everybody knows, even people who don’t go to parties. Those are the ones you can lean on to bring the energy up and then build from there.”

He added that carnival remains rooted in shared experience. “Carnival is really about unity and celebration. It’s people coming together, putting everything aside, and just enjoying life and the culture.”

Ashli-Rae Recas, brand coordinator at Pepsi-Cola Jamaica, said the partnership was about giving people something practical ahead of road march day. “We wanted to give people something useful ahead of carnival. We encourage everyone to download it, learn the songs, so, by the time they hit the road they already know every word.”

The Pepsi x Franco Carnival Mix is now available for free download on SoundCloud.

entertainment@gleanerjm.com