Four local talents were crowned at the end of the inaugural SVG Virtual Soca and Calypso Monarch competition held at Club Envy last weekend July 3 & 4.
Music performer Sicko ramped home with the Power Soca rendition JAM having outpaced the other 6 contenders.
Three years into “this level” of his performance career, he is no stranger to the competitive performance style though Friday’s win was the first such accolade for the self-styled versatile artiste.
He told Asbert News Network, “this simply gives a better recognition of my capabilities. I am really happy to be the first virtual soca king!” He also described the experience as “basically the same as the ordinary soca monarch – but the difference is that is no crowd to sing to but while performing I act as if they were there.”
D-fusion was adjudged the first ever virtual Ragga Soca Monarch having wowed judges and social media audiences alike with his song which was, “inspired by the current global ‘Lock Down’ due to COVID-19… and mixed and mastered by Kaviedes Hooper,” he told us.
The winning number was written and produced by the artiste who sees his groovy victory as a, “validation since I’m usually the musician playing in the band, supporting a lead artiste.
“This win validates my decision to step from behind my instruments and use my voice. It has given me the confidence to work even harder as a vocalist.”
He added further, “… the event itself has really highlighted my musical profile. All the congratulatory messages and calls, overnight mentions and new followers are proof of this. It was a really good platform for exposure, so a massive thanks to the organisers and sponsors for putting it on.”
Although he has worked as musician for 5 years and even represented his alma mater, St. Vincent Boys Grammar School, in the Junior Soca and Calypso monarch, “a few years ago,” interestingly this is his second year plying the art-form as the rebranded Dfusion.
Sheena Collis is the lone female to join the winner’s circle but as fate would have it hers is a shared monarchy. Collins contended in the Calypso leg of the competition and almost missed out on her date with destiny.
“I wasn’t going to enter because of the short space of time but after the extension I really pushed to get the song done,” she reported.
As for her near palpable confidence level going into the finals of the online musical rivalry, “the fact that at the get go they asked for humorous calypsos and I know we Vincentians like to turn over things. Plus I know it is a song that would be easily repeated,” she explained.
‘Quashegunny’ (pronounced Washegunny) – her first win – was an amusing presentation of the historical Garifuna name for capital city Kingstown even as she petitioned the powers that be to revert to the ancestral name. A last minute production coming out of the 4th Dimension studios particularly for the competition, this champion track is poised to overtake Collis’ most popular calypso to date.
Chewalee, another 4th Dimension recording artiste, is the other half of the newly formed calypso 2020 monarchy. Also known as the Rumist due to his breakout 2016 hit, his ‘Mas Debating’ performance was the end product of his confidence and enthusiasm. This, he said was “because I was competing against a solid group of calypsonians and it was something new.”
Co-written by Lester Ihora and Chewalee and produced at 4th Dimension studion, ‘Mas Debating’ is a 2019 production that was as yet unreleased.
The winner take all competition was executively produced by STV Online, Ignite marketing consultancy and host venue Club Envy with corporate support led by Hairoun Beer and telecom provider Digicel. In addition to music video deals and data packages sponsored by Digicel each category’s winner was awarded $5000 except for the calypso monarchy who would split that category’s check.
Consolation prizes were also award.