At the age of five, Saucy Diva donned her first costume, and though she preferred Wonder Woman to the clown costume her mother chose, she fell in love with Trinidad & Tobago Carnival.
“To me, Carnival is a time of transformation, euphoria and liberation. For those two days you get the chance to throw off the persona you adopt for the other 363 days of the year and play your mas in whichever way brings you the most joy,” she said.
Today, she translates that love into a blog called Trinidad Carnival Diary, a portal of information on everything Carnival-related, from band launchings and fete reviews to juicy exposés and advice on the trendy accessories for the season.
Over its four years, the blog has become wildly popular, with some proclaiming it the number one blog in Trinidad & Tobago. Saucy says at its peak, Trinidad Carnival Diary has attracted 140,000 page views during band-launch season and in the months leading up to Carnival. She estimates the site receives 70,000 hits a month, with a steady increase in new visitors.
“I think it is definitely the content – which is Carnival,” she said, when asked what draws people to her blog. “The readers and I all share a common bond: the love of Carnival.”
Trinidad Carnival Diary is by no means the only Carnival-related website, but it has the edge over the competition because Saucy’s posts are so regular.
“Consistency and content are what sets me apart, I think. I have been blogging nonstop for the past four years, 365 days a year,” said Saucy, who even blogs on Carnival Mondays and Tuesdays.
“My content is very much focused on only one thing, Carnival, and I tend to have the inside scoop, so my readers know that they can always come to the blog and be kept in the loop of everything happening with Carnival in Trinidad, even if they do not live in the country.
“The aim is to talk about Carnival until I have nothing more to say. I love Carnival and that is my daily motivation,” said Saucy, who says she is no journalist but enjoys researching and digging up dirt and other behind-the-scenes information.
So she has deliberately kept her identity a secret, preferring to blog under her alias. For this interview, she communicated only via e-mail, and refused to reveal her place of work or what she does for a living.
“It makes doing my blogging job easier. I prefer to remain anonymous.”
The blog is published through Triniscene, a local party site whose gallery of images from fetes and other events sparked a rash of imitation sites after it debuted ten years ago.
Fast becoming an authority on Carnival, Saucy has many ideas to improve the product – if she were in a position to do so. They include a Masqueraders Complaints Board to take action against bands who don’t provide what they advertise; adequate media coverage at all judging points; and revamping the National Carnival Commission in tune with social media for promoting, marketing and advertising Carnival.
While Miami Carnival is the only Carnival outside Trinidad that she has covered, Saucy would like to attend and write about all the carnivals around the globe, which marries well with her passion for travel.
As with other bloggers whose blogs have launched careers in other areas, Saucy has big plans for her enterprise.
“Many projects are in the works right now for the future. The plan is to take the focus on Trinidad Carnival and spread it globally. My partnership with Triniscene.com is only one step towards that goal.”
