2026
Grass Not Greener
featured on Ebony Empress's single (bouyon)
Bouyon blog · Artist profile
Carlyn XP
Bouyon artist · Bouyon Queen · major figure of female Bouyon · Giraudel, Dominica · 2010s-present
91Tracks
13Sources
In 2022, at the inaugural Dominica Music Awards, Carlyn XP sweeps five awards the same night: Female Artist of the Year, Bouyon Song of the Year ("Bouyon Water"), Female Soca Song of the Year, Female Cadence Song of the Year, Best Music Video, Bouyon ("Soundboy"). No other female artist has hit that score at the DMAs. And that Female Artist of the Year title is awarded by the Dominica Music Awards, not the Caribbean Music Awards. For Bouyon, it's consolidation: the genre doesn't just have a King (Asa Banton, Goodwill Ambassador 2020), it also has a Queen. Her place in the "Women of Bouyon" story is central: before her, women in Bouyon were mostly collective (Gaza Girls Crew in Guadeloupe, 2010-2012). After her comes the 2020+ wave: Holly G, Faithii / Bouyon Barbie, Theodora, MiiMii KDS, Totally Spice's. Carlyn XP is the hinge between the collective era and the mainstream era. In 2025 she keeps a steady release pace with the singles "Ice Cream" and "Nobody" (Cornell Phillip production) and the feature "Without You (Women Response)" by Sweet PoyZin, then appears on Ebony Empress's "Grass Not Greener" in 2026.
THE GAME
The bet
Think you know Carlyn XP? Three questions, let's find out.
5 facts about Carlyn XP. The first one is free, go all the way, your gift awaits 🎁
Fact #1, on the house: , First consolidated public presence on the Dominican carnival scene. Builds her female Bouyon voice before the 2016 crown. Dominica Festivals, Carlyn XP
1/5
Bet #1
Where is Carlyn XP from?
Carlyn XP is from Giraudel, Dominica.
Bet #2
Which of these three is active in the Caribbean?
Carlyn XP is active in the Caribbean.
Bet #3
Which of these three has been active since 2014 or earlier?
Carlyn XP: first documented trace in 2014.
0/3
The bonus fact: , Featured on Ebony Empress's "Grass Not Greener" (bouyon 2026). YouTube, Ebony Empress ft Carlyn XP « Gr
The sound of the moment is right here:
The bouyon dropping nowTHE STORY
Who Carlyn XP is
In 2022, at the inaugural Dominica Music Awards, Carlyn XP sweeps five awards the same night: Female Artist of the Year, Bouyon Song of the Year ("Bouyon Water"), Female Soca Song of the Year, Female Cadence Song of the Year, Best Music Video, Bouyon ("Soundboy").
No other female artist has hit that score at the DMAs. And that Female Artist of the Year title is awarded by the Dominica Music Awards, not the Caribbean Music Awards. For Bouyon, it's consolidation: the genre doesn't just have a King (Asa Banton, Goodwill Ambassador 2020), it also has a Queen.
Her place in the "Women of Bouyon" story is central: before her, women in Bouyon were mostly collective (Gaza Girls Crew in Guadeloupe, 2010-2012). After her comes the 2020+ wave: Holly G, Faithii / Bouyon Barbie, Theodora, MiiMii KDS, Totally Spice's. Carlyn XP is the hinge between the collective era and the mainstream era.
In 2025 she keeps a steady release pace with the singles "Ice Cream" and "Nobody" (Cornell Phillip production) and the feature "Without You (Women Response)" by Sweet PoyZin, then appears on Ebony Empress's "Grass Not Greener" in 2026.
- Role
- Bouyon artist · Bouyon Queen · major figure of female Bouyon
- Origin
- Giraudel, Dominica
- Period
- 2010s-present
- Genres
- Bouyon · Soca · Cadence
- Territories
- Dominica · Caribbean · Guadeloupe
Where to listen
Carlyn XP is the first female figure to take Bouyon's carnival crown with an unbroken run. In 2016 she wins the Bouyon Monarch, the first edition won by a female voice on the genre's modern scene. In 2017 she does it again: the Caribbean press headlines "Carlyn XP Proves She Is Bouyon Soca Monarch For A Second Year". Two consecutive carnivals on Dominican Bouyon's supreme title is the symbolic equivalent of a "two-peat" in creole culture, and it seals her nickname of "Bouyon Queen", later validated by the Dominican state as a cultural-representation status (mirroring Asa Banton, Goodwill Ambassador in 2020).
Her trajectory is also that of an artist who can hold a coherent studio output. Released in January 2020, "Foreigner" with Edday becomes a landmark for the Gwada ↔ Dominica transition: the single is produced by Cornell Phillip. WCK founder and sound architect, which places Carlyn XP in direct lineage with the 1988 matrix. During the pandemic she launches Musical Therapy, a weekly virtual show keeping the link between the scene and its audience alive. That resilience is documented by Dominica Festivals, and the Covid episode proves she does not depend on the physical carnival alone to exist artistically.
The consecration comes in 2022 with the inaugural Dominica Music Awards. Carlyn XP sweeps five prizes in one night: Female Artist of the Year, Bouyon Song of the Year ("Bouyon Water"), Female Soca Song of the Year, Female Cadence Song of the Year, and Best Music Video. Bouyon ("Soundboy"). No other female artist has reached that score at the DMAs. The press coverage is massive: the Dominican press writes that Carlyn XP is followed only by Asa Bantan and Sour Sour for most prizes of the night, and The Sun Dominica runs a dedicated piece titled "Xpilious". For the DMAs it is a consolidation: Bouyon does not only have a King (Asa Banton), it has a Queen. Carlyn XP, and that parity is itself historic.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Carlyn XP from?
Carlyn XP is from Giraudel, Dominica. This profile then follows the whole run: the dated timeline, the releases and the circle of artists around them.
How old is Carlyn XP?
This profile does not give Carlyn XP's age: no verified birth date is documented here. What is documented: active in the 2010s, from Giraudel, Dominica. The profile also lays out the releases, the circle of artists around them.
Who is Carlyn XP?
In 2016, Carlyn XP, civilly Carlyn Xavier-Phillip, from Giraudel, Dominica, wins the Bouyon Monarch.
What are Carlyn XP's key tracks?
Key tracks by Carlyn XP: "Grass Not Greener" (2026), "Ice Cream" (2025), "Nobody" (2025). The profile lists all 9 documented releases, with dates and sources.
THE CATALOG
What's playing
Listen now
My Bouyon New Waves playlist
Standout releases
2025
Ice Cream
single (Litle Boy and Cornell Phillip production)
2025
Nobody
single written with Too Greedy (Cornell Phillip production)
2025
Without You (Women Response)
featured on Sweet PoyZin's single (with Shyanne, Ebony Empress, Starsha)
2022
Bouyon Water
Bouyon Song of the Year DMA, signature track
2022
Soundboy
Best Music Video, Bouyon 2022 DMA
2020
Foreigner
with Edday, Cornell Phillip production, Gwada ↔ Dominica bridge
2020
Musical Therapy
weekly virtual show, pandemic resilience
2016-2017
Bouyon Monarch 2016+2017
consecutive carnival title, foundation of the "Bouyon Queen" nickname
Full discography
91 tracks. Every line opens the music.
Listen on
Lead tracks82
- 2025Nobody
- 2025Ice Cream
- 2024Check on Me
- 2024Thick Girl Summer
- 2024Mango Lika
- 2023Cool Me Down (VI Cooler Riddim)
- 2023Sugar Cane
- 2023Big Truck
- 2023Blessed
- 2023Main Chick
- 2023Anywhere You Go (Home)
- 2023Accidentally
Show 70 more
- 2023Misbehave
- 2023Juicy
- 2023Sweet Wine
- 2022Iz Dat Dey Like
- 2022Sway
- 2022Double Dare
- 2021Go Down (Mr. DJ)
- 2021Bouyon Water
- 2021Trending
- 2020Trouble (Uber Riddim)
- 2020Foreigner
- 2020Caribbean Colors
- 20202 4 1
- 2020Stranger (Smooth Jazz Interpretation)
- 2020#fymf (For You My Fans)
- 2020Doh Stress Me out (Mash up De Road)
- 2020The Praise
- 2019Hallelujah
- 2019Holiday Sing Along
- 2019Face 2 Face
- 2019Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
- 2019Canavalist
- 2019Baby Ok (Mabouya Riddim)
- 2019Raise up a Song
- 2019Come Together
- 2019Liquor Family
- 2019Santa Coming
- 2019Holding on to Mama
- 2019More Powder
- 2019Stranger
- 2019Christmas Feelings
- 2019Christmas Memory
- 2019Twelve Days of Bouyon Christmas
- 2018Bouyon Step
- 2018Bouyon Wuk
- 2018Bbhmm (Bouyon Remix)
- 2018How Many Licks
- 2018Love That Body
- 2018Soca Criminal
- 201824/7
- 2018We Will Rise 767
- 2018A Little Wuk
- 2018Christmas Feeling
- 2018Score (Bouyon Remix)
- 2018Boldface
- 2018Anou Jouez Cadence
- 2018Pray for Dominica
- 2018Gimme Dat
- 2018Dance with Me
- 2018Big Bad Wolf
- 2018One Dance
- 2017Bumpa Scare
- 2017Far Away
- 2017Bouyon Calling
- 2017Like Home
- 2016Hello
- 2016Sélébwé
- 2016C'est Pas Fault Moi
- 2016Tan Lavi Wed
- 2016Kizomba Na Na
- 2016Aime Moi
- 2016Festival
- 2016Mama Twavay
- 2016Back Biters
- 2015Drunk in Love
- 2015Another Love Song
- 2015Our Crown (feat. Tacabelly & Dova)
- 2014Shake Me Bambalam
- 2014Champion Whiner
- 2014Big Batty
Featured on9
- 2026Grass Not Greener (feat. Carlyn XP)Ebony Empress
- 2025Without You (Women Response) (feat. Shyanne, Carlyn XP, Ebony Empress & Starsha)Sweet PoyZin
- 2024Always Be My Baby (feat. Carlyn XP)Signal Band
- 2024Touch & Go (remix) (feat. Carlyn xp)Trixzmigos
- 2024Many Waters (feat. Carlyn XP)Cornell Phillip
- 2023Now and Forever (feat. Carlyn Xp)Cameron Pierre
- 2019Bouyon Army (feat. Carlyn XP)RBM
- 2019Illegal Whine (feat. Carlyn Xp & Melodee)Cornell Phillip
- 2019Breaking Loose (feat. Carlyn Xp)Cornell Phillip
THE NETWORK
The circle
Other bouyon voices from Dominica
In the same circle
12
tracks in catalogue
Edday
Bouyon artist
- Island
- Guadeloupe
- Period
- 2020s
Bouyon
Profile
32
tracks in catalogue
Cornell Phillip
Keyboardist · producer · WCK sonic architect
- Island
- Dominica
- Period
- 1988-present
BouyonCadence-lypsoJing Ping
Profile
8
key releases
WCK
Foundational Bouyon group
- Island
- Dominica
- Period
- 1988-present
BouyonCadence-lypsoJing Ping
Profile
19
tracks in catalogue
Holly G
Female group · Gwada Bouyon
- Island
- Guadeloupe
- Period
- 2020s
BouyonDancehallCrossover
Profile
122
tracks in catalogue
Mr Ridge
Artist · producer · entrepreneur
- Island
- Dominica
- Period
- 2020s
BouyonNasty BusinessLove Bouyon
Profile
The story behind the name
Carlyn XP appears in these chapters of the bouyon story.
Understand bouyon
THE TIMELINE
The dates
Year by year
-
Shares the stage with Michelle Henderson at one of Europe's largest music festivals, in Belgium, the "Bouyon Queen" carries the genre onto the continent. Dominica News Online, Michelle Henderson
-
First consolidated public presence on the Dominican carnival scene. Builds her female Bouyon voice before the 2016 crown. Dominica Festivals, Carlyn XP
-
Wins the Bouyon Monarch title, first edition won by a female artist on the modern scene of the genre. Dominica News Online, Bouyon Monarch 201
-
Wins the Bouyon Soca Monarch title a second time, la presse caribéenne headlines "Carlyn XP Proves She Is Bouyon Soca Monarch For A Second Year". Soca News, Carlyn XP Bouyon Soca Monarch
-
Releases "Foreigner" with Edday (January 2020, Cornell Phillip production), Gwada ↔ Dominica bridge. Launches Musical Therapy during the Covid period (weekly virtual show). YouTube, Edday × Carlyn XP « Foreigner »
-
Wins five awards at the inaugural Dominica Music Awards, Female Artist of the Year, Bouyon Song of the Year ("Bouyon Water"), Female Soca Song of the Year, Female Cadence Song of the Year, Best Music Video, Bouyon ("Soundboy"). Dominica News Online, Carlyn XP at DMA 2
-
Catalogue continues to circulate in carnival playlists, notably in the PepseeActus Dominica Carnival Starter Pack. Audiomack, Dominica Carnival Starter Pac
-
Keeps up the bouyon releases: the singles "Ice Cream" (Litle Boy and Cornell Phillip production) and "Nobody" (written with Too Greedy, Cornell Phillip production), plus the all-female feature "Without You (Women Response)" by Sweet PoyZin (with Shyanne, Ebony Empress and Starsha). YouTube, Carlyn XP « Ice Cream » (Offici
-
Featured on Ebony Empress's "Grass Not Greener" (bouyon 2026). YouTube, Ebony Empress ft Carlyn XP « Gr
-
Remains cited at the center of the "Women of Bouyon" narrative with Holly G, Theodora, MiiMii KDS, Totally Spice's, Faithii, Gaza Girls, historical pillar before the 2024+ female wave.
THE PROOF
The sources
Sources
-
Dominica News Online, Michelle Henderson, Carlyn XP take center stage at Europe's largest music festival in Belgium
Stage shared with Michelle Henderson in Belgium (2026), Bouyon's European export.
https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/homepage-carousel/michelle-henderson-carlyn-xp-take-center-stage-at-europes-largest-music-festival-in-belgium/ -
Dominica News Online, Bouyon Monarch 2016
2016 Bouyon Monarch crown, first institutional female Bouyon recognition.
https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/news/culture/carnival/in-pictures-bouyon-monarch-2016/ -
Soca News, Carlyn XP Bouyon Soca Monarch 2017
2017 Bouyon Soca Monarch crown, second consecutive year.
https://socanews.com/news/carlyn-xp-proves-she-is-bouyon-soca-monarch-for-a-second-year/ -
Dominica Festivals, Carlyn XP
Official profile, Bouyon Monarch, Musical Therapy, Fanatik, C Square.
https://dominicafestivals.com/2022/03/29/carlyn-xp/ -
Dominica News Online, Carlyn XP at DMA 2022
Details of the five 2022 DMA awards (Female Artist, Bouyon Song, Female Soca, Female Cadence, Best Music Video).
https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/carlyn-xp-followed-by-asa-bantan-and-sour-sour-cops-most-awards-at-dma-encourages-fellow-artists-to-keep-pushing-forward/ -
The Sun Dominica, Xpilious
Article on the five 2022 DMAs and the Bouyon Queen institutional role.
https://sundominica.com/articles/xpilious-6629/ -
YouTube, Edday × Carlyn XP « Foreigner » (prod. Cornell Phillip)
January 2020 official clip, Gwada ↔ Dominica bridge with Cornell Phillip production.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTKLaiRgrLc -
Audiomack, Dominica Carnival Starter Pack
Carnival playlist containing Carlyn XP's 2024-2026 circulating catalogue.
https://audiomack.com/carnival/playlist/dominica-carnival-starter-pack -
YouTube, Carlyn XP « Ice Cream » (Official Audio, Bouyon 2025)
2025 single, produced by Litle Boy and Cornell Phillip, written by Carlyn Xavier-Phillip.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_leeOwrJtc -
YouTube, Carlyn XP « Nobody » (Official Audio, Bouyon 2025)
2025 single written with Too Greedy, produced by Cornell Phillip.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldqsFpkkzTM -
YouTube, Sweet PoyZin « Without You (Women Response) » (Bouyon 2025)
2025 all-female feature with Shyanne, Carlyn XP, Ebony Empress and Starsha.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKnrtnipwG8 -
YouTube, Ebony Empress ft Carlyn XP « Grass Not Greener » (Bouyon 2026)
Carlyn XP feature on Ebony Empress's 2026 single.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKuDw61WdQo
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Hits & New Releases 2026 · curated by TIITII NBA
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The best bouyon releases right now. Latest drops and hits from the New Bouyon Wave and the gwada scene, from Guadeloupe to Dominica.
Inside, among others
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- In Di Corner
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- Sé Miimii
- Like You
with also DJ SOFTEE · MiiMii KDS · LeJuh
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