Merlin St Hilaire started singing in school choirs; served as choir leader at the Canefield Catholic Church for many years; acted in and used his musical talent to compose the theme songs for numerous plays produced by the New Dimension Theatre; was also for many years a guitarist for the Dominica Folk Singers.
First appearance in the National Calypso Competition in 1988 and placed second with the songs “Those were the Days” and “Song of Love.” Placed second in the 1988 Independence Calypso Competition; won the Dominica Calypso Competition Crown in 1989 by performing the songs “Feed my Brother” and “Young and Restless.”
Migrated to New York that year for studies but returned to Dominica the following year to successfully defended his title by singing “Yes, There’s Hope” and “Provocation”; Represented Dominica at the regional Caribbean Broadcasting Union Song Festival in Jamaica in 1991 and placed second; participated in and won the first ever New York / Dominica Calypso Competition in 1996 in New York.
Merlin St. Hilaire known to many by his calypso name “Wizard“ has written, composed and arranged music for Dominican performers and calypsonians; musical influences are David Rudder, Chalkdust, Sparrow, Michael Jackson and Bob Marley; currently lives and works in New York.