NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL 2024:
Where Comfort Meets Colourful Self-Expression
IN PAID PARTNERSHIP WITH RELENTLESS ENERGY
TRENCH teamed up with Relentless Energy and Deviation at this year’s Notting Hill Carnival to capture the raw passion and undeniable power unleashed when communities are given the freedom to express themselves unapologetically and live without limits. This activity forms part of the Relentless Freeform Music platform, an ongoing commitment to support subcultural scenes and champion creative freedom.
Words: Laura 'Hyperfrank' Brosnan
Photography: Anthony Wild & Hyperfrank
Amid the increasing challenges facing Notting Hill Carnival, it is crucial that we recognise the significance of this two-day cultural event and honour the history and contributions of Caribbean people and culture, to the UK and beyond. While there was no question that positive energy and great music was delivered in full force, we wanted to make space to hear from some of the bold, bright and beautiful people in and around the Deviation x Killerwatt x Relentless stage. As we took a quick food break and queued for some Relentless to recharge our energy, we spoke with Carnival attendees about everything from their favourite soundsystems to their best shoe for NHC-comfort and why Carnival is more important now than ever.
Name: Nicole
What are your Carnival essentials? My essentials have got to be bright colours, my Trinidad flag, and wet wipes for food; they are also for hygiene, because you can’t trust the toilets here.
How did you decide on your outfit today? I’ve got a gold necklace. It never comes off my neck. The pendant is a map of Trinidad. When my mum left Trinidad, her family gave it to her, and when I moved out, my mum gave it to me. So it is literally everything to me and it never comes off, so I’ve styled everything around that. I’ve got a black T-shirt on and I’ve got a red, frilly mini-skirt with my Trinny flag over the top, so everything ties in: red, white and black. And then my boyfriend, even though I’m 5 ft 3, I have size 8 to 9 feet, and we share trainers [laughs]. He took the trainers I really, really wanted (see: Mim further down). So, I just had to take the white Nike Air Forces. They’re comfortable. I was a little worried because Sunday is all paint and powder, but I’ve survived.
Have you experienced Trinidad Carnival? I did when I was 5 years old. In 1999, my parents took part in it, and I was watching on the sidelines. But I need to go back and experience it again.
What is the importance of Carnival to you? Carnival is just a period where it’s all about equality. Everyone is doing the same thing: they’re eating food, they’re getting dressed up, they’re having a good time. It doesn’t matter if you’re a lawyer, if you’re a doctor or if you’re unemployed—it just does not matter. It’s about celebration, about celebrating what unites people, not differences, but what brings people together. It’s a celebration of all cultures, races and religions. The Caribbean is such a multicultural place; you’ve got African, Indian, Chinese, Lebanese... You’ve got all sorts out there! So it’s about bringing people together. And, for me, I just love it! I love bringing my friends to it and being like, “This is part of me. This is who I am. It’s in my blood.”
What is your favourite Carnival anthem? I’ve got two: “It's Carnival” by Destra and Machel Montano is, like, a classic, but “Famalay” by Skinny Fabulous, Machel Montano and Bunji Garlin—that song, the lyrics about family coming together, every birthday, every wedding, every event that we have as a family, that song comes on, so when I hear it, that is it! When I hear these soca songs, it makes me think of my culture, my roots and my heritage. It’s part of me. As soon as I hear that intro, “I’m like, let’s go! Let’s get a flag, and let’s go!”
Name: Renee
Location: Watford
What’s your favourite moment of Carnival Sunday? Being out with my friends, playing at GT Flex’s soundsystem and passing through iconic stages like Deviation and Rampage.
What’s it like DJing at NHC? Carnival has been the highlight of my entire year since I can remember, so it’s an honour to be sharing a soundsystem with some real legends in the game.
What’s the energy behind your outfit? Adidas for comfort, Grenada flag and a string vest. What more do you need?
Name: Mim
What is your favourite thing about Carnival? It’s changed over time. Before, when I was younger, it would always be, like, dancehall music: Vybz Kartel, Mavado, etc. It would always be those type of tunes. Then, as I’ve got an older and I’m in a relationship with somebody who’s from Trinidad, soca music is now also representing it for me. Before, I didn’t used to like it as much, but now I’m like, “Yo! The vibes, the pan, the uplifting—it’s sick.’
How did you decide on your outfit today? So the tee says, Love Music, Hate Racism. And, for me, that’s a key message that I think everybody should have in their heads all the time, especially right now when you’re seeing all of the Islamophobia, racism, EDL riots, all of these things that are happening against Black and Brown people. Notting Hill Carnival is a way for it to just be none of that. Everyone who comes here doesn’t have racism in their body. For them, it’s the sickest thing ever. I’ve had this T-shirt for years, but I’d never worn it at Carnival. I put it on, walked out the house and was like, “Yeah, this is the vibe we’re on today.” Not that I need reminding, but it’s just timely right now. It’s important that we’re putting a positive message out there. We are anti-racist. This is the vibe that everyone should be on.
How important is it to understand the roots of NHC? I’m South Asian. I’m from Pakistan. When people used to say the term Black to me when I was young, I never understood it from members of my family and stuff. But I’m a Londoner and actually understanding the different islands—how they geographically have different sounds, music, traditions—I never knew that before. Carnival is a mix of all of them things; it’s sick for that reason. Today, for NHC, my Pakistani identity has been left at home [laughs]. I’m fully Trinny today! This means a lot to me because my partner and my new family are from there. I’m understanding more about it and loving it.
What are your Carnival essentials? I would say have to say jollof rice and jerk chicken. I’d also say putting on a little bit of colour representing where you’re coming from. The most important one, though, is no bad energy. Leave that at home! Stay far away. You have to come and put yourself out there to have a good time.
Name: Shaqkeem
What has been your Carnival highlight so far? My favourite stage that I’ve gone to, so far, has been Rampage Sound. Then I found, for the first time today, a little secluded park. It was more like Creole music playing there. They also had food there—I really enjoyed it. I might hit up Deviation later.
How would you describe NHC in three words? Culture, vibes, happiness! And unity. Well, that’s four.
What inspired the T-shirt choice? The main reason why I wore Aaliyah is because she’s my aunt, but I never got to meet her growing up and I found out she was a worldwide superstar. It’s also just a nice tee. It had sleeves on it originally, but I cut them off to give it a better look and try something new.
What songs or sounds are you looking forward to hearing today? I’m looking forward to hearing some soca, dancehall, and maybe even a little house and Amapiano.
What’s the deeper meaning of NHC for you? For me, the deeper meaning is that my mum is mixed—Jamaican, Irish and Chinese—and my dad is Nigerian. They both immigrated here. When they immigrated here, times were a lot different and they had a lot of trials and tribulations. There were six of us all together, all boys, and we grew up in the same household. My mum and dad would bring us to Notting Hill Carnival and we’d see different cultures. When I look back at it, it was here that, as a kid, with all my brothers, we were having a good time and seeing that even though there was a lot of segregation at the time, there was still unity. Some people didn’t stand for the prejudice and they were still together and just wanted to enjoy it. When you’re a good person, you’re a good person—why can we not have a good time together? I like that. It’s continued for so many years. Even after Covid and lockdown, they still find a way to make it happen and it’s still going strong.
Name: Meshach
What brought you to Carnival today? I’m here for the vibes. Carnival is the type of place you can run into loads of different people, all out just having a good time. I’m a professional boxer, so I’ve got a few tickets to my next fight (September 7) in my bag. So, if I see anyone I know, I’m encouraging them to take tickets off of me.
What does this historic event mean to you? Notting Hill Carnival, for me, symbolises culture, diversity and togetherness. I feel like bringing different cultures together, that’s where the togetherness is. No one’s thinking about colour or what cultural background you’re from—they’re just enjoying themselves, enjoying the different music on each corner, talking to friends and meeting new people. At the core, it’s about celebrating heritage and the Caribbean islands—which is important to me, especially as my family are from Jamaica and St. Kitts.
What are your Carnival essentials? I would say sunglasses, so my Ray Bans. Also, it’s important to have a water bottle to stay hydrated. I always bring a bag, just in case the weather switches up or you’re feeling a different way later on. I’ve got a lot of things in this bag. A lot of things... I might end up out. I might become a dirty stop-out tonight [laughs]. So, you never know. It’s always good to be prepared.
