5. Lyrikal – Cloud 9
As a resident of Brooklyn, Trinidad-born Lyrikal has been something of an outsider in the soca world. But this year he made himself an insider with two big tunes that played throughout the season. His biggest contribution to the Trinidad Carnival season was “Cloud 9,” a track that’s only become more prominent in the months following the big event, soundtracking peak moments at fetes from BK to Bridgetown. —Jesse Serwer