February 2nd, 2025 is a historic day for Saint Lucia as two nationals bested in their respective fields on the international stage.
Hailing from Anse La Raye, Johann Deterville, known by his stage name, Yogi Da Producer, has made Saint Lucia proud with his incredible work on Chris Brown’s 11:11 (Deluxe) album, which earned the award for Best R&B Album at the Grammy’s on Sunday night. This is a monumental achievement, showcasing Saint Lucian talent on the world stage. Deterville has also produced songs for other internationally acclaimed singer-songwriters like Nicki Minaj, Giveon and Kehlani.
Taking to Facebook on Sunday night after his victory, Deterville thanked Saint Lucians for their continued support and encouragement: “Shoutout to Saint Lucia because without y’all, I wouldn’t be who I am today; shoutout to Anse La Raye, my community – Anse La Raye means everything to me,” an elated Deterville said while sipping a drink during a live broadcast.
The now Grammy winning producer anticipates that he will be in celebratory mood for a considerable amount of time: “I will be celebrating all month, maybe for the rest of the year.”
He says perseverance and faith were his guiding principles as he worked towards this achievement. “I’m so grateful. It’s one of those things that you don’t know how it’s going to happen. But you just have to pray and be consistent. Eventually it does happen and here we are,” he said.
Also on February 2nd, 2025, Saint Lucia’s Olympic champion Julien Alfred ran a national record in the 300 metres to win the event at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston, Massachusetts.
Alfred, who glided to the finish line with expert ease, did so with a time of 36.16 seconds at the race event on Sunday evening. This was Alfred’s season opener; an usual start for the 100 metre sprint queen, who opted to race to the 300 metres. All the same, she bested her contemporaries and brought another medal home.
Alfred, often reserved and calculated, speaks loudly on the track. After her win, all she said to her eager supporters waiting for comment on social media was: “New season. Same focus.”
This comes as the country prepares for its 46th Independence Anniversary under the theme: Douvan Ansamn: Health and Well-Being for a Prosperous Nation.
