MorwenEdhelwen1, given your interest in calypso music, and since you are Chinese, you may already be aware that there are now and have been before Trinidadians of Chinese ancestry who are Calypsonians. Also you may already be aware that the current President of Trinidad/Tobago is of Chinese ancestry.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Trinidadian_and_Tobagonian

Prominent Chinese Trinidadian and Tobagonians

Politics and government [excerpt]
Professor George Maxwell Richards, current President of Trinidad and Tobago.[1]


Arts and entertainment [excerpt]


Patrick Jones, calypsonian known by the sobriquet Cromwell, the Lord Protector and mas' pioneer.[1]

Edwin Ayoung, calypsonian known by the sobriquet Crazy.

Richard Chen, calypsonian known by the sobriquet Rex West.[1]

Tony Chow Lin On, deejay and calypsonian known by the sobriquet Chinese Laundry.

Ellis Chow Lin On, music producer and manager.[1]

Aubrey Christopher, who pioneered the local recording of calypsos.[1]

Stephen and Elsie Lee Heung, Carnival bandleaders.[1]

Source" [1]
Johnson, Kim (2006). Descendants of the Dragon: The Chinese in Trinidad 1806—2006. Kingston, Miami: Ian Randle Publishers. ISBN 976-637-289-6.

-snip-

Of course, this doesn't mean that you or anyone else couldn't still be exploitive, or that you would known the vernacular language/pronunciation and culture that is necessary to be a Calypsonian-especially if you wanted to appeal to folks from Trinidad and Tobago.

Other than that-I agree with what Jack Campin said, and what you yourself said about crediting your sources, and not being clueless about the culture.

Fwiw, my maternal grandfather was born & raised in Trinidad, and my maternal grandmother was born & raised in Barbados. But that doesn't mean that I automatically know those cultures. It also doesn't mean that I would necessarily be accepted as a singer of traditional songs (newly composed songs based on those traditions), or that I couldn't be exploitive if I chose to be so [which I don't]. However, because of my socialization, unless I lived in Trinidad for years, I would be known as an African American who sings (or tried to sing if I didn't do it well) Trinidadian songs-and even if I lived there for years, I probably would still be known that way because that's a true description of who I would be.

So if you do actualize your goal of being a Calypsonian, you'll probably be known as an Australian Chinese woman who sings Calypso.
And there's nothing inherently wrong with that. It's not what you do but how you do it and why you do it.

Best wishes,

Azizi