My Fantasy Friday – results and all

CLAUDE A JOB

AT THIS 11TH hour, it’s now obvious that there won’t be a senior Soca Monarch competition for the second consecutive year.

Several commentators including stalwarts in the local entertainment industry like Randy Glasgow and Neil “Iwer” George have eloquently and adequately expressed the reasons why this competition should not be allowed to fade into oblivion.

I fully endorse these sentiments and there isn’t much I could add, save to say I cannot understand why the Ministry of Culture cannot facilitate the organisation of a similar competition to the one held on Carnival Friday (which is privately owned and operated) via the National Carnival Commission (NCC) and/or Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Association (TUCO)

Unless there are legal issues to be resolved with the private entity that owns the International Soca Monarch, I see no reason why the NCC/TUCO cannot run its own version of the competition. There may be other hurdles to surmount of which I am unaware, but in my humble opinion organising such a competition should not be a tall order for entities which have been responsible for running the Calypso Monarch and similar competitions from inception.

I have the greatest admiration and respect for William Munroe and those who replaced him at the Caribbean Prestige Foundation. However, if they currently do not have the resources to effectively run the competition as they see fit, then they should graciously step aside and allow the NCC/TUCO to organise some version of the competition, which is considered by many as the mecca for soca artistes.

I am sure I speak for most soca lovers when I say it is my fervent desire for the Soca Monarch to return next year. Indeed, it is somewhat ridiculous to see the competition is still going strong in those countries that adopted it, and even locally among our junior artistes, while our senior soca artistes have no similar outlet.

This year, in the absence of what would have been Fantastic Friday, I held an imaginary competition which I dubbed Fantasy Friday. Before I give you the results, here are a few points to note:

* In the beginning, due to limited funds, the competition was open to local artistes only. Any foreign participation would have been under the Road March guidelines.

* There were 15 finalists (and five reserves), and there was no groovy or power categories. Just one Soca Monarch regardless of the speed of the song.

* Some notables did not participate including Kes, Destra, Bunji and Fay-Ann who were engaged as consultants for the competition, and Voice who opted to concentrate on his “Vibes with Voicey” concert carded for the day before the competition.

Without further ado or going into details, here are the results:

1. Nadia Batson – Market, and Mical Tejah – DNA

3. Patrice – Anxiety

4. Olatunji Yearwood – Inventor

5. Nailah Blackman and Lyrikal – Best Self

6. Farmer Nappy – How Ah Living

7. Wadicks – Beat Rum Bad

8. Trinidad Killa – Riot

9. GBM Nutron – In the Center (Farmer Nappy sang his part off-stage)

10. Shal Marshal and Kerwin Dubois – Document We

11. Iwer George – Happy People

12. Preedy – Search Party

13. Terron – Fete, Woman and Alcohol

14. Nessa Preppy – To My Ex

15. Jaiga – Good Medicine

Reserves:

Lil’ Bits – Take All His Money.

Blackie – Gladman

Sackie – Drink Me Rum

Sekon Sta – HYMC

Jadel – Doh Ease Me

That’s my Fantasy Friday results. What’s yours?