The semi final of the 2014 calypso competition is on tonight at the Bartica Community Centre Ground. Nineteen calypsonians will compete at this stage but only ten will advance to the final to battle against reigning Monarch Lester ‘De Professor’ Charles. The final will be hosted in Georgetown on Friday, February 14, Valentine’s night, but we’re sure there will be no love lost among the contenders featured below:
Winfield James
Winfield’s first taste of the Calypso Monarch Competition was back in 1999. He won in 1999 and since then has never placed in the final. He believes he has a winning shot this year since he said he has a good song. His song is “Trouble In And Out Of Parliament”.
Jon Persaud – ‘The Mighty Blue Flame’
Singing “Sparrow Not Out” Blue Flame believes he will win because of the content of his song which pays tribute to the life of the calypso legend Slinger ‘The Mighty Sparrow’ Francisco and his near miss with death after falling in a coma in 2013. Blue Flame has been singing calypso music since the 80s. He has been competed in the local competition about five times, migrated and returned and performed in 2006. He was also a competitor in the 2006 Soca Monarch Competition.
Derrick Mangal – ‘Bright Colours’
Singing since 1988, Bright Colours has only skipped two years out of his 26 years in this competition, but he comes back with a fire each time. This year he said he rehearsed well. His calypso “Them Want Me To Change”, has been composed and arranged with winning in mind. He believes he has a shot at the title. “Because the standards of your work and love for calypso will show,” he said.
Vivien Boyd – ‘Tiny Duggan’
After competing between 1999 to 2002, Tiny Duggan took a break to assist in the Junior Calypso competition, helping junior monarchs along the way like Niossi Alsopp and Diana Chapman. But now she wants the full taste of the senior competition after 12 years with her song, “Strange Love”. “It’s going to be a tight competition,” she said. “This year is going to be stiff. I know I am going to be in the final. The song tackles domestic violence against women.”
Linden Thomas – ‘The Mighty Sniper’
Sniper has been singing for over a decade now and from what he recalls he often places in the final, only faltering “one or two”. His entry, “Why Dem Ban D Calypso” is sure to turn some heads but he is confident and supports his message. When asked what he thought of the other competitor’s songs he said, “I wouldn’t judge the other competitors. Everyone will step up their game to dethrone De Professor and everyone will tell themselves their song is better than mine.” All he hopes for is a good show at the semis.
Martin Byrne – ‘The Mighty Voter’
This is Mighty Voter’s fourteenth consecutive year in the competition. Every year he has made it through to the final and this year he puts his confidence in gaining the crown, “in the hands of God”. He went on to say that he will try his best to get the first prize with his song “Who Cut The Budget?”
Karen Bennett – ‘Queen Makeeba’
After being in the competition for five years and always shining in the finals, Queen Makeeba is back this year with “Vote Chiney Fuh Cup”. The competition according to her is a stiff one. From bringing third in last year’s calypso competition, she expressed that she would be grateful for whatever space God grants her.
Sheridan Lyken – ‘The Mighty Eagle’
The Mighty Eagle has competed several times over a decade “on and off” but has never been placed in the final of the calypso competition. He thinks he has a very good chance of winning this year since his entry “Dirty Man Song” is what he describes to be groovy, nice and with a catchy melody.
Pearl Lewis – ‘Precious Pearl’
This is the seventh consecutive year that Precious Pearl has entered the calypso competition and although, as she explained, she brings forth so many positive messages she has never made it to the final. “I am a very good writer, but not a very good singer,” she said, “But calypso is about the message and not the voice.” Her entry into the competition is “Touts” which focuses on young bullies in Guyanese society. She said she tends to write and sing about social issues rather than political issues and wishes the judges would give her a chance.
Garfield Campbell – ‘The Mighty Roots’
The Mighty Roots has been in the calypso competition since way back in 1990, but not on a consecutive basis. His song “Bus Ride” is about the ways youth deal with old folks in the world and about the general disrespect of the elderly. He considers this competition to be a fair one where everyone has an equal chance of winning but knows that he has the shot if he does his performance properly at the actual competition.
Roger Hinds – ‘Young Bill Rogers’
After twenty-two years singing calypso, Young Bill Rogers served as Calypso Monarch in 2008 and again in 2012. He is ready to take the crown again with his song “I Ain’t Singing About That”, which in a form of comedy and contrast speaks of prevalent social issues. He believes that this year has very good competition as he sees a lot of rising artists and that his chances of winning are great as he is experienced and ready to take the stage in full swing.
Young Bill Rogers was also Chutney Monarch in 2012; the first African Guyanese to hold that title.
Daria Barrow – ‘Queen Dairy’
Last year was the premier competition for Queen Dairy and she is back this year with “De Hamma Man”. She was in the final last year and this year she thinks her chances of winning are great because, as she explained, her song is about issues of the public servants, single parents and other ills in society that are not being addressed openly. She believes her song is be one that people can relate to.
Aaron Blackman – ‘De Liberator’
This will be the first time De Liberator will be competing in the Guyanese competition. He has been a part of Barbados Crop Over Festival in 2007 and now that he is back he feels that he can use his talents to make a contribution to national development through his song “Protect Guyana”. “It’s all about the message. I am a poet and feel this song can go far and take the crown once it is vested,” he expressed.
Dawn Edwards – ‘Lady D’
Every year since 2009 Lady D has been competing in the calypso competition. In 2010 and 2013 she was in the final and this year she is ready to take the gold. She believes her chance of winning is great with the song “Deh Ban Dat”. But even if she does not win it is possible she will place in the 2014 final.
Lassell Duke – ‘The Mighty Duke’
A very experienced calypsonian, Mighty Duke has been in the competition since 1987. He has been placed in the final many times before. He won the National Song Festival in 1992 and represented Guyana at the Caribbean Broadcasting Union Song Festival in Trinidad and Tobago in the same said year. He believes his chances of winning with “Is Dem Boys Talking!” are good. “I think I have a good song. When I go into the competition I always go to win or else I wouldn’t go,” he noted.
John Marcus – ‘Ras Marcus’
A veteran in the calypso arena, he has been on the competition’s stage for the past 30-odd years and has no intention of holding his tongue when it comes to the genre of music. He won in 1990 and since then has been placed in the top ten finalists. His entry this year “Don’t Cry Amaila” is described as a little political and social commentary about the rocky political scope of the Amaila Falls Hydropower project. He said that his chance of winning depends on the judges. “Over the years I have produced the most popular songs and as long as I get to the final my song would make it.”
Kenroy Fraser – ‘Mighty Believer’
Fraser started singing as a Junior Calypso Monarch, winning that competition in 2005 before competing in the big leagues. He placed second in 2012, third in 2011 and had also placed third the year before. He said with confidence that he will win the crown this year. His entry is “Tell Dem Leh Dey Know”.
Shontelle Gittens
This 20-year-old songstress automatically qualifies in the semis since she is also the reigning Junior Calypso Monarch. This is her third year in the junior competition and her first win; she is suitably proud of herself. When asked what she feels her chances are of winning the senior crown with her song “Chinese Teking Over”, she said, “I put it in God’s hands because you don’t underestimate people, everyone is a competition.”
Malcolm Corrica – ‘Mighty Canary’
The Mighty Canary was unavailable for comment. His entry into the 2014 Calypso Competition is titled “Mister President.”
Lester Charles ‘De Professor’
De Professor is the reigning Calypso Monarch and thus he qualifies for the final without competition. He has been competing since 2005, taking a break in 2007 and 2008 and then competing consecutively from 2009. “We calypsonians do have a lot of good songs,” he said. “They are marketable and we are not taking anyone lightly. I expect a tough competition because we all are going in with a lot of preparation.”
