New Young King Teja gets early spot for Calypso Fiesta

FORMER calypso monarch Karene “The Calypso Princess” Asche will start off the battle Calypso Fiesta at Skinner Park, San Fernando on February 3.

There will be 40 semifinalists performing for a spot in the National Calypso Monarch final on Dimanche Gras night, February 11. Ten finalists will compete against the reigning monarch Ta'zyah O'Connor and Tobago Monarch, Dillon Thomas.

There will be one reserve, Victoria Cooper-Rahim.

Fresh off of being crowned Young King at this year’s National Action Cultural Committee’s (NACC) Young Kings competition, Mical Teja (Mical Williams) will perform his popular DNA in the fourth position.

Many are wondering if Teja will also gain that title along with the Road March.

The monarch will receive $500,000 along with a Suzuki Grand Vitara valued at $300,000, second place will receive $500,000, third place, $350,000, fourth place $250,000, fifth place, $175,000 and sixth-12th, $45,000. In total, the competition will give out $2.4 million in prizes.

Asche drew the first position at draw at The Savannah Grass, Kaiso House on January 25.

The competition features a number of past winners including Independent Senator Helon Francis, Roderick “Chuck” Gordon, Terri Lyons and Kurt “The Last Bardjohn of Calypso” Allen.

But this year’s competition also saw the introduction of a face more familiar to soca stages: Machel Montano.

Although it was earlier reported that Montano opted not to participate in this year’s Carnival, many were surprised by the artiste’s release of Soul of Calypso and then his entry and eventual selection into this year’s Calypso Monarch.

Montano will perform in the 27th position at the park.

Second-place winner in the Young King competition Caston Cupid will also compete at Calypso Fiesta and will perform in ninth position.

The reigning National Women’s Action Committee (NWAC) Calypso Queen Naomi Sinette will also compete in 36th position.

NCC chairman Winston “Gypsy” Peters will sing Ungrateful in the 26th position for a chance at the finals.

Here is the order of appearance:-

1.) Karene “The Calypso Princess” Asche – No Excuse

2.) Hammond “Slick” Bruce – Trinidad is not a real place

3.) Richard “Chromatics” Raj-Kumar – 2 Party

4.) Mical “Mical Teja” Williams – DNA

5.) Terri Lyons – Play Panman

6.) Roderick “Chuck Gordon” Gordon – Charlsie

7.) Myron “Calypso Nite” Bruce – Gun smoke in the dancehall

8.) Romel “Papamel” Lazama – Real talk

9.) Caston Cupid – Straight from the heart

10.) Phillip “Black Sage” Murray – Stone

11.) Garth St Clair – Is it we anthem or we and them

12.) Giselle “GG” Fraser Washington – We going fighting

13.) Ezekiel Yorke – No greater gift

14.) Stephen Marcelle – Country of survival

15.) Alana “Lady Watchman” Sinette-Khan – Shopping in Miami

16.) Mark Eastman – Generation

17.) Crystal “The Legal Diva” Charles – Standing my ground

18.) Kurt “The Last Bardjohn of Calypso” Allen – The First Investigation

19.) Eric James – Is d people

20.) Nakasa Thatcher-Roberts – Find ah station

21.) Rivaldo London – Here in T&T

22.) Nicole Thomas – The truth is

23.) Aaron Duncan – Character

24.) Aaron Sinette – Tick Tock

25.) Sean “Ifa (efa)” Singh – Jack and Jill

26.) Winston “Gypsy” Peters – Ungrateful

27.) Machel Montano – Soul of calypso

28.) Shamika Denoon – Ah we saltfish

29.) Stacey “Stacey Sobers” Sobers-Abraham – Respect the tribe

30.) Victoria “Queen Victoria” Cooper-Rahim – The enemy

31.) Keith “Def Prince” Wason – Identity crisis

32.) Wendy Garrick – Keep yuh head up

33.) Heaven “Snakey” Charles – Wake up calypso

34.) Brian London – Hell

35.) Michelle Henry – When the fighting start

36.) Naomi Sinette – Dem Advisers

37.) Kerine “Tiny” Williams-Figaro – Through these eyes

38.) Alex “Tobago Chalkie” Gift – The Feud

39.) Helon Francis – Representing we

40.) Selvon “Mistah Shak” Noel – De return

The reserve is Arnold Jordon – The Message.