This article examines the intersections of music policy and citizenship in the Caribbean island of Barbados. The article focuses on the development of music policy from the late 1970s to the early 2000s. It is argued that it is possible to trace efforts made by Barbadian state managers to shape citizenship. However, these efforts at defining an ideal Barbadian citizen should not be understood exclusively in national terms. In fact, the article demonstrates that the ways in which national identities in Barbados are constituted through calypso and soca performances have their roots in global shifts in development policies. Therefore the article integrates a three-tiered focus. It considers national policy decisions, international policy decisions, and finally it examines the ways in which decisions taken at these levels shape and are shaped by what takes place within the calypso/soca music industry and within calypso/soca performance.