Soca monarch first prize now $300,000

The soca monarch prize structure has dropped even further. From what was once a $1 million prize competition, the winner of this year’s soca monarch will now receive $300,000. Last year’s first prize winner received $500,000. This year’s second and third place winners would receive $200,000 and $150,000 respectively.

This was announced at Hyatt Regency Trinidad’s Point Fortin room, yesterday.

Peter Scoon, Caribbean Prestige Foundation for the Performing Arts chairman, appealed yesterday for further corporate sponsorship for the event going forward. Scoon was joined by Peter C Lewis and Guardian Media’s representative, Joel “Signal II Noise” Morris.

The semi-final round of the annual competition was scaled back because of the reduction in funding and sponsorship. The semi-final round is scheduled to take place on January 25. This year it is being called the Play Whe International Soca Monarch competition.

Scoon said, “The scale back will take place especially at the semi-final where we normally will have a full band backing the artiste. It will be on tracks strictly to save money. Normally, semi-finals would cost upwards of $500,000.”

But he said the show was about giving exposure to artistes, especially the younger ones.

The foundation, he said, also scaled back on marketing and promotion as well as the number of finalists.

“Because if you watch this industry, in a hundred fetes, there are ten people working. Soca monarch is one of the only outlets, for additional soca artistes in TT could showcase themselves. Soca monarch is one of the only avenues to promote TT’s music. Almost all of the producers and booking agents watch soca monarch and the winner and the top four or five begin to travel immediately.”

Like chutney soca monarch, the government contributed $1 million and the event’s main sponsor The National Lotteries Control Board (NLCB) contributed $1.6 million upwards.

Scoon appealed to corporate sponsors to come on board and assist the show. He said that the foundation hopes to continue to put on the show and said it would be operating at a loss this year.