We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Bodine Victoria. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Bodine below.

Bodine, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

I’d have to take it back to 2008, toward the start of my career. I had just released the song “Intoxicated (O2 Junkanoo Refix)”. Later that year, I secured an ambassadorship with BTC, our telecommunications company with a partnership with Tempo Television. I had a budget that I used to shoot my first international quality music video with a Bahamian crew. That crew had shot with all of the International tv stations.

When I planned it, I wanted every aspect of the creative Bahamas to be seen. So, I hired the Junkanoo artisans to make out Carnival inspired costumes. Went to Jaws Beach at the historic Clifton Heritage site – a sacred place for freed Africans, performed my version of a freedom dance, hired local makeup artists, straw vendors and jewelry makers, there was authentic Androsia – a batik fabric made exclusively in Andros, The Bahamas in our costumes.

People see me and think I was on the sand being Bahamian Beyonce from ‘Baby Boy”, but I was actually showing respect to Maureen Duvalier, our Goombay Mama. Its how I show reverence for the work our women have done, especially those of African descent.

The overall production allowed me to not only financially support the Bahamian orange economy but highlight it internationally AND share the cultural similarities shared across the diaspora.
This video – Intoxicated, was the first earnest expression of my commitment to Bahamian culture and my brand philosophy of supporting and promoting Bahamian arts, history and culture.

I earned from that, my first article in a regional publication and booked my first set of international shows. It was a literal foot-in-the-door for me.

Bodine, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m Bodine Victoria Johnson but officially called BodineVictoria. I’m a singer-songwriter and entertainer from The Bahamas who performs a variety of music styles, including Hip Hop, Afrobeats, Soca, Reggae, Jazz and RnB, which I fuse with traditional Bahamian music i.e., Junkanoo, Rake n’ Scrape and Story-telling.

I’ve been a songwriter since 1997 while I was in Junior school and my first song was published on our school album and played for more than a decade on local radio stations as part of our school’s music program. I participated in pageants, lost 3 times, and was still was able to begin a rap career and television careers from that loss. If I track my progress as an artist, I’m proud to say that my greatest accomplishments come from the ashes of my losses. I never won the overall pageants, but being there gave me the visibility for well-intentioned people to recommend me to speak, sing and perform for young people and my country. I’ve traveled as a former CARICOM and Commonwealth Youth Ambassador in the spaces of education, youth and culture, which are all important pillars of my current brand.

I signed with Dunamus Soundz as a Gospel rapper in 2002 and by 2004, I was signed with local Reggae Label BuffBoo Records and Frontline Productions who officially launched my music career. My first music video, ‘One’ on the CopyCat Riddim appeared on Tempo Television shortly after and I’ve opened for Reggae legends Kymani Marley, Taurus Riley, and Beenie Man to name a few. I took a break to focus on teaching, but in 2016 I entered the Music Masters competition for Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival and won 4th – the event woke my career back up.

Since then, I’ve gained influence as one of the Bahamas’ cultural legends, with my music played and performed during national and international events like ‘Good Feelings’ at the Miami Heat half-time show, placed in local campaigns for BTC (Rocka my Cherry) and Commonwealth Brewery Limited’s use of ‘Sugar in a Plum Volume One’ to launch the new flavors of Kalik Platinum. I can say that in terms of placement and visibility, I’m one of the most successful female recording artists of my generation and I want to lay the groundwork for those that follow.

In the Soca world, I’m looking forward to one day soon having a collaboration with Fayann Lyons and Bunji Garlin, I’ve been a fan since my freelance entertainment writer days. I’ve opened for them, Machel Montano, Patrice Roberts, Kes and many more. I’ve performed at Atlanta DekalB Carnival and I’ll be performing at the South Carolina Carnival this year, which I am so excited for.

I have a budding acting career on stage and the small screen with a recurring role as Rovel in Travolta Cooper’s, ‘Where in the World is Wally’ which airs on Cable 12. I host and co-script ‘Fabulous Living Bahamian Style’ , a lifestyle and travel show which airs on The ZNS Network. My show on YouTube, ‘BodinePot’ is a go-to source for Bahamian recipes that can be recreated easily by Bahamians ad non-Bahamians no matter where they are in the world. I see myself being the quintessential expression of Bahamian Culture – a balance of international acclaim and the finances and estate to show that its possible. I don’t want to be an artist that is not able to earn beyond my lifetime and secure a financial future for my children (I’m unmarried with no biological children by the way) but I also genuinely want to impact the climate for creatives long term.

My brand BodineVictoria (formerly Bodine – because copyright, brand visibility and recognition) is built on the common threads of the Caribbean cultural experience; music, food and lifestyle. The influence I have in the market is based on the efforts I’ve made to promote local artisans as much as I promote myself. As far as I’m concerned, we go forward, upward and onward together and that heart really has been my guiding light as I continue to enter new spaces and create new cultural expressions.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

I’m pretty passionate about this topic. I sit on the Creative Industry Counsel which is an initiative of the Bahamas Tourism Development Board. In my capacity as sub-committee chair for education, I recognize that there are unique conditions affecting the development and export of creative products in music and entertainment and in the export of goods like anything made of straw for commercial export for example. We have a direct line to legislators and policy makers to bring issues that arise from international trade agreements, local cultural practices and a need to update procedures related to the orange economy to their attention and offer significant recommendations for change, I’m proud of that.

Society at large, in my opinion, is coming around to the support and recognition of Bahamian products and services. This is due in part to targeted effort by our government. NGO’s and corporate bodies to hear and put in place programs and initiatives that can be beneficial to artists. There is more visibility and education on the grant-writing process but we can use more training in that space to be qualified for them.

Additionally, we need our people to buy more from us. Buy our music. Buy our bags. Buy our clothes and fashion lines. Demand to see us on local and international stages and pay us what we deserve. This calls for a number of changes to happen in terms of visibility and enforcement of existing laws and procedures, but it can be done.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

We’re told that, “two is not a winner and three nobody remembers”, at least that’s what Nelly the rapper said. I had to unlearn that. My career is testament that you may not win the overall prize or place in the competition at all, but your impact is felt when you’re committed.

I never won a pageant, but I’ve made a career of motivational speaking, performing and culture. I’ve spoken as a diplomat on numerous occasions and have the ear of policy makers as a voice for my community.

You will continue to face rejection but your name is in the pool of people that are suited for a job, use every audition and application as an opportunity to make an impression. If the impression is lasting (and positive), chances are, you will get a call back for a different opportunity. In the meantime, continue to learn and grow.

Dealing with rejection is never easy, but character is built in the process of learning from those experiences, tweaking your product or approach and doing continuing the process of creation.

Finally, you and your art are not for everybody and that’s alright. Ideally, we want to appeal to as many people as we can, but realistically, if you create for you and your audience (especially in this age of digitization and free-market work), you will find that you’ll use your efforts and resources more efficiently and the promotion will come.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.bodinevictoria.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bodinevictoria
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bodinevictoria
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bodinevictoria
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bodinevictoria
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/bodinevictoria
• Other: https://www.youtube.com/bodinepot

Image Credits
BodineVictoria performs at Alpha Sounds Ladies Night on behalf of KALIK PLATINUM, 2022. Shot by Sherard Campbell. Styling by Kejuana Beneby of KBAD Studios, Nassau, The Bahamas. BodineVictoria performs at BTC For the Culture on behalf of BTC Bahamas, 2020. Shot by Sherard Campbell. Styling by Kejuana Beneby of KBAD Studios, Nassau, The Bahamas. BodineVictoria performs at Culture & Couture on behalf of the Ministry of Youth, Sports & Culture, Department of Youth, 2022. Shot by Eric Rose. Styling by Kejuana Beneby of KBAD Studios, Nassau, The Bahamas. All portrait photos in costume shot by Farreno Ferguson (Coconut Goddess (gold with mulit-print) & Titta (White w/ Straw Hat) Other photos from artist’s personal collection and self-captured