Passionate steelpan player makes music history with incredible 31-hour performance

A passionate steelpan player is proud to have done his bit to bring more attention to the instrument – by playing it for a record 31 hours!

Joshua Regrello (Trinidad and Tobago) made music history by setting the record for the longest marathon playing steelpan/steel drums on 27 December 2024.

It’s something he thinks he was born to do.

The 28-year-old told us: “I have been playing steelpan since I was five years old. My father founded a well-known Trinbagonian steelband, so I grew up surrounded by music.

“Their rehearsals often went late into the night, and I was always there, soaking it in. Steelpan was not just something I picked up, it was something I was born into. In many ways, it chose me.”

Now a full-time musician and content creator, Joshua wants to spread the word about the instrument he loves so deeply.

He said: “Steelpan is still very new, especially on the global stage. The steelpan is the only acoustic instrument invented in the 20th century, and it was born right here in Trinidad and Tobago. That makes it incredibly young compared to instruments like the piano, violin, or guitar, which have had centuries to develop and spread worldwide.

“The steelpan also carries a deep and complex history, rising out of resistance, struggle, and cultural pride. It fought for acceptance even within Caribbean society.

Joshua said there were a few things that inspired him to make his world record attempt.

He grew up in a house where the Guinness World Records book was a staple every Christmas, so the idea of one day breaking a record of his own has always been with him.

Then last year, he became the first steel pannist to perform on the Great Wall of China, and it made him realize that maybe he could achieve so much more than he’d thought.

“When I came back home to Trinidad, I told myself I wanted more moments like that, moments that pushed me beyond what I thought was possible,” he said.

Joshua was further inspired after learning about records that had been broken by other Caribbean artists.

He said: “It reminded me that extraordinary things were not just possible, but happening all around me.”

Joshua planned his record attempt in just three days after deciding to officially go for it.

He said his original plan was to go for 30 hours, and he initially thought he’d do that without any breaks, but quickly realized that wasn’t feasible.

“As we were approaching the 30th hour, my stage manager, Gabrielle Le Gendre-Chandler, pointed out that the stage timer was actually set to 31 hours,” Joshua explained.

“That detail changed everything. The adrenaline was already pumping, the crowd was alive, and with so much support around me, I decided to push through for that final hour. Ending on 31 felt right, not because I had to, but because at that moment I knew I could.”

It felt right, but that certainly didn’t mean it was easy.

Joshua faced many challenges throughout his attempt.

He said: “In the middle of the night, I hit a serious wall. As we say in Trinidad, ‘Ah couldn’t see much way’, everything felt like it was falling apart. Then someone handed me salt prunes, a local snack, and believe it or not, that tiny thing gave me just enough energy to keep going.

“Between the sleep deprivation, physical exhaustion, and the intense mental focus it took to keep playing, I was tested in ways I did not expect. But above all, I have to say this, with God, everything is possible. That was my foundation. Every time I felt like I could not go on, I leaned into faith. That spiritual strength carried me through the hardest moments.”

Joshua, who live-streamed his attempt on YouTube, had an amazing support network with him every step of the way.

His mother and girlfriend hand-fed him and gave him drinks so he could continue playing, and his 80-year-old grandmother was there for the entire 31 hours.

He was also joined on stage by various musicians and local artists who performed with him.

Finding out he had broken the record was the “greatest sense of relief”.

“After such intense effort, to hear that it was official, it was overwhelming, in the best way,” he said.

He doesn’t have plans to break any more records right now, but Joshua says he wants to keep pushing his boundaries musically, personally, and culturally.

He added: “Big up Trinidad and Tobago and the entire Caribbean. This record is not just mine. It is for all of us. It is a reminder that even your wildest dreams are worth chasing. You are stronger than you think. To anyone reading this around the world, if your dream feels crazy, it is probably exactly what you should be doing.

People can follow Joshua’s journey at @joshuaregrello on any social media platform.