Bunji Garlin (born July 14, 1978) is a ragga soca artist from Trinidad and Tobago. His real name is Ian Alvarez. He is of Saint Lucian and Venezuelan descent. He married fellow soca artist Fay Ann Lyons on December 23, 2006, daughter of legendary soca singer Superblue. He is also a second cousin of singer Patrice Roberts, who performs alongside the popular Machel Montano.
Bunji has won Trinidad's Soca Monarch/International Soca Monarch) competition on several occasions: 2002 (tied with Iwer George) with "Down in the Ghetto", 2004 with "Warrior Cry", 2005 with "Blaze the Fire" Both songs were produced by then band member Shawn Noel (Da Ma$tamind) and 2008 with "Fiery" He placed second in the International Soca Monarch 2009 with "Clear De Road", while his pregnant wife Fay Ann Lyons placed first with "Meet Super Blue” She also won the Groovy Soca Monarch title that same night with "Heavy T Bumpa".
Born in Sangre Grande and raised in the Royal Chartered Borough of Arima, Trinidad, Ian Anthony Alvarez better known as Bunji Garlin, is a Trinidadian artist and international soca royalty. He is affectionately known as “de girls dem darlin” (although now married to Faye-Ann Lyons, a fellow performer) and also “fireman” for his famous chant of “Fire!” during his performances. Garlin says he got his stage name from the bungee cord, which is flexible and Garlin is a type of gun with powerful shots. In his own words: “…no matter what they send at me, I will always bounce back.”