Duane O’Connor and son in Calypso Fiesta

Former Calypso Monarch Duane O’Connor’s voice bloated with pride as he spoke of his son Duane Ta’ziah O’Connor also competing in the Calypso Fiesta at Skinner Park, San Fernando, on February 11..

The father and son will appear alongside other competitors like Hollis “Mighty Chalkdust” Liverpool, Kurt “The Last Bard John of Calypso” Allen, Michael “Sugar Aloes” Osouna and Olatunji Yearwood.

There will be 40 competitors in the semifinal with Alana “Lady Watchman” Sinnette-Khan being the reserve.

Duane said of his son being the competition with him, “Well it brings joy and such immaculate joy.”

They are also in the same tent: Kaiso House.

During his son’s first tent appearance he cried. Duane said, while he was used to seeing him performing, that night was different for him.

“Seeing him move from one step on one stage to another step, you see the level of elevation in him. I felt great as a father,” he said.

Duane praised the work his wife, Donessa Wickham-O’Connor has done with his son, crediting her for where he is at today.

The family of three always has prayer as their foundation.

He said if ever there is a problem in their house, the family would discuss and resolve the issues, ensuring that “there is hardly any bitterness in our family.”

The 20 year old also placed second in the National Action Cultural Committee’s (NACC) 37th annual Young Kings Competition held at the Queen’s Park Savannah on February 7.

Duane said it feels good as a father, knowing the instrumental role he played in his son’s life, for him to be where he is at in culture today.

While Ta’ziah has been singing all of his life, he began competing in the 2015 Junior Calypso Monarch.

In 2018, he won the Junior Calypso Monarch.

Duane said his son’s voice was “350 times better” than his.

They support each other, he said. When he is performing his son is in front of the stage and when Ta’ziah is performing, O’Connor is also in front of the stage, lending support.

When Ta’Ziah is singing he looks for his father in the audience, Duane said. He believes he is looking for that nod of approval.

They both believe in performing for their audience no matter where they are and that is something Duane instilled in Ta’ziah.

Ta’ziah has his own band called Steam and during the pandemic did two virtual shows.

“He is something else. He does not just do calypso. He loves to sing. He loves to perform. This is his thing,” he added.

Using a phrase his father often said to others about him, Duane now says it about Ta’ziah, “This in my son, in whom, I am well pleased.”

Duane believes, come Saturday, history will be made by father and son.