In July 2022, Antiguan soca singer Ricardo Drue asked Trinidadian soca singer Patrice Roberts to marry him. It was the perfect next step in a love story that began years before and the beginning of what would be the second marriage of popular artists in the soca world.
On Again, Off Again
The couple’s on-again-off-again relationship took a more serious turn after they welcomed their daughter, Lily, into their lives in 2016. They officially announced their relationship in 2019 with the “Toxic Love” artists opening up about their lives and keeping their fans updated with postings to social media.
Proposed During Performance
Drue made his marriage proposal during a performance at the 2022 “Druesday” concert in Antigua. The annual concert is one of the biggest pre-Carnival events on the island. A video of the event shows the singer surprising his intended bride by getting down on one knee in the traditional posture. When Roberts accepted his proposal, Drues exclaimed, “She is now officially an Antiguan.”
Career Highlights
Soca singer Drue was well-known in his birthplace of Antigua and Barbuda, as well as in Caribbean communities throughout the world. Growing up in Trinidad and Tobago, he was influenced by R&B, Reggae, and Soca, the genre with its origin in calypso blended with soul music. He gained popularity working in soca boy bands and was a finalist in soca music contests. His best-known track, “Vagabond” in 2015, paved the way for vocalists like Sean Kingston and Fat Joe. Between 2022 and 2023, his Spotify streams rose in number from 100,000 to 1.2 million. Roberts grew up in Toco, Trinidad, and began her singing career at age eight. first came to the attention of the public in 2005 with a collaboration, “The Islands,” with her second cousin Bunji Garlin. The track was used in a promotion by Trinidad’s Ministry of Tourism. Her career is marked by numerous wins at calypso and soca competitions, including selection as the National Soca Monarch in 2001 and the National Junior Calypso Monarch in 2002. She currently performs with the popular soca artist Machel Montano. Roberts and Drue released their duet, “Toxic Love,” in 2021.
Unexpected Passing
On December 12, 2023, Ricardo Drue was found unresponsive in his room and rushed to the Sir Lester Bird Medical Center in Antigua where he later died. The A Team band manager Zarin Morean confirmed reports of the “Vagabond” singer’s death. According to reports, fiancé Roberts learned of his passing while she was live on the radio. Some hours later, she posted a video to Instagram of the couple engaged in a kiss and several crying emojis. The post was captioned, “I do anything to hear your voice…wake up.”
Celebrated Spotify Milestone Over The Weekend
Drue posted a celebratory message to Instagram over the weekend, sharing screenshots of his statistics on Spotify Wrapped and writing, “What is your motivation to fight through it all? Mine is my children!!!! Thank you, guys!! we are just getting started.” Drue is the father of five children. His passing was marked by the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda Gaston Browne who called Drue one of Antigua’s best soca artists and noted that he had the respect and admiration of the nation’s people.
Photo – Nick Ford
