Ian Antonio Alvarez (born July 14, 1978), better known by his stage name Bunji Garlin, is a Trinidadian ragga soca artist. He is also affectionately known as the Viking of Soca. His spouse is Fay-Ann Lyons.

Early life

Bunji was born on July 14, 1978, in Arima, Trinidad. He is of Saint Lucian and Venezuelan descent.

Personal life

He married fellow soca artist Fay-Ann Lyons on December 23, 2006, daughter of successful soca singer Superblue. He is also a second cousin of singer Patrice Roberts, who performs alongside the popular Machel Montano.

Career

Bunji has won Trinidad's Soca Monarch/International Soca Monarch competition on several occasions: 2002 (tied with Iwer George) with "Down in the Ghetto", 2004 with "Warrior Cry", 2005 with "Blaze the Fire" Both songs were produced by then band member Shawn Noel (Da Ma$tamind) and 2008 with "Fiery" He placed second in the International Soca Monarch 2009 with "Clear De Road", while his pregnant wife Fay-Ann Lyons placed first with "Meet Super Blue". She also won the Groovy Soca Monarch title that same night with "Heavy T Bumpa". Bunji Garlin's "Brrt" is featured on the Grand Theft Auto IV soundtrack. In 2013, Garlin won the Soul Train Award for Best International Performance for the song "Differentology", which features Nigel Rojas on guitar. An album of the same name was released by RCA Records and VP Records in August 2014. In 2017 he released Turn Up, his highest chart placing to date, reaching no. 3 on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart. On Sunday, September 24, 2017 Garlin was bestowed with a national award of T&T, the Hummingbird Medal (Silver). A song by Garlin entitled "All or Nothing", also appeared upon the pilot of the Netflix tv series Impulse.

Discography

Albums

Singles

Collaborations