Soca star Kes to headline Gotham Health Masquerade Gala at the Met

NEW YORK, United States. Trinidad and Tobago soca star Kes will bring the sound of Carnival to The Metropolitan Museum of Art on November 12, when NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health holds its 2026 Masquerade Gala.

Kes, whose full name is Kees Dieffenthaller and whose band is known as KestheBand, will give an exclusive live performance as the centrepiece of the evening, which begins at 6.30pm.

He was named Male Soca Artist of the Year at the Caribbean Music Awards. His band blends soca, calypso, reggae, R&B and pop, and hits including "Hello", "Wotless" and "Savannah Grass" are staples of Carnival celebrations worldwide.

"When Kes takes the stage at the Met, all of New York is going to feel it," said Michelle Lewis, chief executive of Gotham Health. "This is a night people will be talking about for years, and it is for a cause that will matter for generations."

Every Child Thrives

The gala, titled "Every Child Thrives", will bring together leaders in healthcare, philanthropy, business, government and culture. Every ticket, table and sponsorship will benefit Gotham Health's Childhood Development Initiative.

The initiative aims to expand access to developmental screening, early diagnosis, specialist paediatric care and family support services for children across the five boroughs.

"Every child deserves the opportunity to thrive," Lewis said.

Organisers said the choice of Kes's hit "Hello" is fitting, describing the gala as a way of saying hello to new possibilities for families of children with developmental delays and disabilities.

As a Federally Qualified Health Center, Gotham Health serves New Yorkers regardless of their ability to pay. Officials said the money raised will help expand paediatric developmental and behavioural health services, recruit and train specialist clinicians, and provide integrated support for families.