PRESENTATION COLLEGE STUDENT REIGNS: 14-year-old wins Junior Calypso Monarch crown

THE winner of the Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation (TUCO) FCB Junior Calypso Monarch is 14-year-old Marcus McDonald of Presentation College, San Fernando.

His song, Don't Spoil Them, topped the other 15 competitors on Monday to win the prize at the Queen's Park Savannah in Port of Spain.

Performing in 11th place, McDonald called on parents not to spoil their children by neglecting or overindulging them. He urged them to set good examples for their children

“You ent sharing, you ent caring, you don’t have the time to spare, you follow the ways of the world.

“You ent guiding, you ent loving, you ent giving or forgiving, how you want the kids’ life unfold?

“If you want the best for your children, don’t spoil them.”

McDonald said he'd spent the last two years working on the song with the help of his grandfather, Victor McDonald, and his mother Kerry Ann. His grandfather, also known as Mr Mac, performs in the Kaiso Showcase in San Fernando.

McDonald said his inspiration for the song came from an event he witnessed at a Father’s Day event.

“There was a boy who wanted a soft drink from a vending machine from his father, and the father said no, they had to go, because he had a meeting to go to, and the boy threw a terrible tantrum. He was kicking and screaming on the floor and the father decided to buy it for him anyway, and the child went back to normal. And that really struck me as something that would bring the children of society to a bad place.”

He said he was not spoiled as a child, as he felt what he received came through his work or with the assistance of his family.

“My advice for the youth is: always work for what you need, always work for what you want, never stop believing that anything is possible. You need to be that one person that could exceed boundaries and be something great. Don’t ever be mediocre, always try to be that guy.”

This is not the first time McDonald has been on stage, as he won the NGC Sanfest 2018 competition at age ten. He was the Chaguanas Calypso Monarch in 2020, and came second in the Junior Calypso/Soca Monarch/Extempo/Chutney-Soca competition in 2021.

He said during the competition, he saw his main rivals as being A’Janae King Fraser from St Francois Girls’ College, who came second, and Kai Anthony Salazar from St Benedict’s College, who placed sixth.

McDonald said he could see himself gracing a Dimanche Gras stage in the future, as performing was something he loved.

His father Rickson McDonald said his son was also a footballer and a guitarist. He said the help received from the school was indelible.

Second-placed A'Janae King Fraser's song, A Visionary, was a tribute to Black Stalin. She called on the powers that be to put his work on the curriculum in schools, and said she hoped calypso would be used as a tool in school.

“He was teaching and guiding us, giving us the co-ordinates to become a united Caribbean people. We need the generations to understand what his legacy is. He was never deterred, spread his word through calypso. He highlighted the plight of the Caribbean, using his pen and voice as a tool, that was his life's undertaking.”

Third place went to Josiah Jordan from Morvant/Laventille Secondary School, with The Mask We Don't See. In his pre-song performance, he emphasised the health protocols which were put into place for the covid19 pandemic, but noted that there were many people who were "wearing invisible masks," like priests who are child molesters, con men, cult leaders like Jim Jones, and human traffickers like Jeffrey Epstein.

“Some people always disguise before covid hit we, the covid mask is very clear but the one you have to fear is the mask you may never see.”

Fourth was Koquice Davidson from Bishop's High School (Tobago), who called on people to rally around children to stop them from being abused and killed, citing the deaths of Sean Luke, Akiel Chambers, and others.

“Children want justice too, for all we go through in this life. Rally around the children, lets save and protect them, our future generation, lewwe work hand in hand to restore trust in this land.”

Zachary Ransome of Montrose Government Primary placed fifth with Do Yuh Thing, calling on older calypsonians to continue singing until they were no longer able to, so that younger calypsonians could learn from them.

In sixth place was Kai Anthony Salazar of St Benedict’s College, whose Future Plan was that he wanted to be a good father and a good man, someone who didn’t put money over family, who was ambitious, and a positive influence on those around him.

Seventh place went to Cedros Secondary’s Jimecya Burnett, whose humorous Lester for Carnival told the story of the village criminal Lester, who was happiest, and only out of trouble, when he was playing pan for Carnival. There was a happy ending for Lester, who ended up playing pan year-round after getting a job at Pan Trinbago.

“If you see Lester for Carnival, wouldn't know he's a criminal, behind a Tenor pan he's a magician, looking fine and dandy, would do this all year if he can, but after the season is grief, he will soon go back to police and thief.”

Kerlise Bentham from UTT placed eighth with We Must Unite, which called on people in TT to do right by each other and unite for the betterment of the country.

Alaeja Gould Ferguson of St Francois Girls’ College told black men I Believe In You, as she called on them to rise up, take a stand, and be the great people they were born to be. She said they should look to icons such as Black Stalin, Hasely Crawford, Nelson Mandela and CLR James.

In tenth place was Clorysa Gill from Signal Hill Secondary. In Advice To The Youth, she called on young people to rise up against the negative stigma with which they are perceived.

“As a chosen generation, we must lead the nation, let’s celebrate all youth today, who make it one day.”

N’Janela Duncan Regis from Athens School of Education Ltd personified the Mother of All Carnivals on Stage. Her My Spirit, My Shadow, which placed 11th, said people were celebrating after two years without Carnival.

“People thought my spirit died, they didn't realise I was a cosmic force. Let us celebrate we life, as my spirit, my shadow say, let our bodies sway, we come out to play.”

In 12th place was Breshawn Springer from Queen’s Royal College, who sang about what today’s children were carrying in their bookbags and what the bags could produce.

Tsaiann Burke from Holy Faith Convent (Couva) placed 13th. She said in  The Family that “the breakdown of the family unit is killing we. Revival is needed urgently, if we want to change society, we must begin within the family.”

The descent of cold rain did not prevent her from giving a full performance, accompanied by at least a dozen of her schoolmates, who remained onstage and carried out their routine.

Signal Hill Secondary’s Naomi Waldrop’s Hero vs Villain netted her 14th place. She offered youth alternatives to their criminal choices, and urged adults to give them positive opportunities.

“If you’ve been running from the police, you might excel at sports. Since you know every part of TT, become a tour guide and show tourists where to go. There are so many constructive ways to put your talents to use, if you don't make better choices, your life you will surely lose.”

In 15th place was UWI’s Kerston Millar, with Wake Up Trinbago, in which he urged people to put the country and its children first, and forget about politics, bad mind and evil.

The song which placed 16th was We Will Lead The Assembly. D’Ashe Saul from Parlatuvier Anglican Primary called on the THA Chief Secretary to let children run the assembly, as they would be punctual, do what they were told, and listen when they were spoken to.

Several performances were hampered by rain, which also caused long pauses between some performances.

The show was dedicated to the memory of calypsonian Mark Akini Nottingham, who died suddenly in January.

RESULTS:

1) Marcus McDonald, Presentation College, San Fernando,

2) A’Janae King Fraser, St Francois Girls’ College

3) Josiah Jordan, Morvant/L'tille Secondary

4) Koquice Davidson, Bishop's High School, Tobago

5) Zachary Ransome, Montrose Government Primary

6) Kai Anthony Salazar, St Benedict’s College

7) Jimecya Burnett, Cedros Secondary

8) Kerlise Bentham, The UTT

9) Alaeja Gould Ferguson, St Francois Girls’ College

10) Clorysa Gill, Signal Hill Secondary, Tobago

11) N’Janela Duncan Regis, Athens School of Education Ltd

12) Breshawn Springer, Queen’s Royal College

13) Tsaiann Burke, Holy Faith Convent, Couva

14) Naomi Waldrop, Signal Hill Secondary, Tobago

15) Kerston Millar, UWI.

Editor's Note: The following is an earlier, condensed version of the story.

THE winner of the Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation (TUCO) FCB Junior Calypso Monarch is 14-year-old Marcus McDonald of Presentation College, San Fernando.

His song, Don't Spoil Them, topped the other 15 competitors on Monday to win the prize at the Queen's Park Savannah in Port of Spain.

McDonald said he'd spent the last two years working on the song with the help of his grandfather and mother.

Second place went to A'Janae King Fraser, of St Francois Girls' College, with her tribute to Black Stalin, A Visionary.

Third place went to Josiah Jordan from Morvant/Laventille Secondary School, with The Mask We Don't See.