Chutney Soca Monarch semis online this weekend

THE semi-finals of the Chutney Soca Monarch (CSM) takes place on January 30 and 31 and can be viewed on YouTube and other social media platforms. Streaming is free to the public.

All events would have been pre-recorded and packaged into two-hour segments. The public will be able to vote for their favourite artistes via a text-to-vote promotion being powered by bmobile.

Thirty-six artistes will be featured in the semi-final with eight contestants coming from New York, Guyana, and Toronto. The events are being recorded and packaged in each territory, with SAPA being the venue in Trinidad. Eighteen will be selected for the final on February 13, said a media release.

With Carnival celebrations cancelled, producers were forced to find an alternative for staging the 26th year of the event. Four locations were used for the 2021 event.

Producers feel that this format can actually reach a wider market, as the online viewers over the last ten years have become the larger audience, the release said.

With reduced levels of sponsorship this year, producers will also be reaching out to viewers wishing to donate through PayPal donations which can be made directly to gsingh@southex.co.tt

Following are the names of the 36 semi-finalists:

Canada: Joel Davis – Connector, Navin Yankaran and Keith Bishop.

New York: Damian Sookram and Prince JP.

Guyana: Vanita Willie, Vicadi Singh and Tony Cuttz.

TT : Saleem Beharry, Daddy Chinee, – Ricardo Melville, Rasika Dindial, Riz & Theatrics, Surendra Ramoutar, Derrick Seales, Nigel Gobin, Russel Mohammed, Rajesh Sylvester, Prince Navin Prabhoo, Krishna Ramdass, Sangeeta Harrypersad, Amit Sagram, Anthony Batson, Neeshad Sultan, Dr Tunes – Kess Ramroop, Mr Nice Vibes, Jairam Dindial, Veejai Ramkissoon, Reshma Ramlal, Shiva Lakhan, Nisha Ramsook, Adesh Samaroo, Edward Ramdass, Cherish Ragoonanan, Dubraj Persad, Kenneth Supersad and Avinash Sookraj.