By Desilon Daniels
Kwasi ‘Ace’ Edmonson overthrew the reigning monarchy of Jumo Primo and earned himself the title of the tenth Carib Soca Monarch when the competition wrapped up early yesterday morning.
Hundreds gathered in the National Park on Saturday evening to witness the highly-anticipated competition that leads up to the annual Mashramani celebrations. Despite a delay of more than two hours, the scores gathered bore no grudges when hosts Kirk ‘Chow Pow’ Jardine and Leslyn Lashley finally appeared, laughing along with their warm personas as they set the mood for the evening.
An energetic opening number was performed by well-known local musicians Jackie Hanover and Calvin Burnett. Backed up by the Heat Wave Band and sensual high-jumping dancers, the musicians got the audience into the partying mood long before the first artist came out.
The first performer and first-timer to the competition Kemmyanna ‘Kemmy’ Garnett came on to deliver on her promise of a designated wine. However, her song “Designated Winer” did not seem to move the audience. Flanked by four dancers, Kemmy attempted to sashay sensually to her own song. However, the bottle of Carib Beer she had armed herself with for half of her performance hindered her delivery. Nevertheless, a few persons in the crowd waved their flags in support of the twenty-one year old songstress.
Kemmy was followed immediately by Jonathan ‘Lil Red’ King who was hailed by many persons as a strong contender for the title in the weeks leading up to the finals. Lil Red’s performance of his song “Who We Are” did not disappoint. He burst onto the stage through a large sheet of paper as confetti rained down, for the first time that night, onto the audience. As he and his red and gold-clad dancers urged the crowd to feel the energy, each person in the crowd seemed to take it as a personal message. Several persons stood on the barricades, waving their flags and screaming out the lyrics of the song.
As he built up to a crescendo, the youngest competitor this year took his performance to new heights – literally. A service truck with an attached cart was brought in for him and he entered it to soar above the audience as he continued his song.
Despite only having entered the competition twice before, Lil Red performed like a veteran. After the night’s performances were wrapped up, several persons were heard placing him in the top three.
In contrast, several more seasoned artists fell disappointingly short. Melissa ‘Vanilla’ Roberts’ “Yada Yada” did not engage the crowd as expected, with only a handful of persons waving flags while the small group of persons she brought as a part of her act jumped more than the actual crowd. Also disappointing was Shelon ‘Shelly G’ Garraway whose performance of “Give it to Me/Party Animal” was a jumbled confusion of firecrackers, flares, and fireworks that had several women in the crowd ducking in fear that their hair would be lit on fire. After the initial fear died down, Garraway was still unable to reel the audience in with her drawn-out attempts to interact with it.
However, not all of the more experienced musicians disappointed. Jumo ‘Rubber Waist’ Primo reminded everyone of why he had won the title for two consecutive years with his performance of his song “On the Road”. In an interview with Stabroek News before the show began, Primo declared that he would show a different side of himself this year.
As the hosts introduced him, the audience responded more enthusiastically than they had for some previous artistes’ entire performance. As Primo belted out, “Lift your rags in the air, your flags in the air” the crowd heard his clarion call as flags and rags appeared as though by magic.
The artiste came through with his promise of us seeing a different side of him when he traded in the band and soca music for handheld drums and folk song. In a strange but interesting mix, he had the crowd wining along with traditional songs such as “Brown Skin Gal” and “Lilly Gal”.
However, he quickly returned with his previous vigour, getting closer to the audience on a raised platform against the barricades. Thoroughly enjoying themselves, the dancing crowd mimicked his jumping and waving.
When he finally ended his powerful performance, several persons exclaimed that he’d definitely regained his title.
Predicted as Primo’s fiercest competition for the title, Kwasi ‘Ace’ Edmonson came out much later to prove what all the hype surrounding him had been about. Clad simply in white trunks and a black jersey, Ace projected that he was all business and had no time for the frivolity of a glittering outfit.
This time around, Edmonson came with a vengeance with his song “Still in the Game”, stating to the audience that he would take nothing but the top spot.
His song speaks about his undying love for music, from childhood to now.
“Back in the day we used to live Charlotte Street/just learn to walk and speak/me woulda grab a bucket and two stick, a milk tin and gone in the yard and beat. Miss Paul used to suck up she teeth/we didn’t care cause the music sweet. You coulda hear me lil voice in Regent Street/but I’m still in the game.”
His huge number of supporters threw powder on everyone nearby and crooned the song with him while his dancers, several of them actors who had worked with him, danced enthusiastically around the stage.
Ace earned himself big points when he responded to earlier jibes by fellow competitor Orlando ‘Bones Man’ Johashen. During his performance of his song “Blow”, `Bones Man’ took the opportunity to hit out at several artistes including Jumo and Edmondson. To the great enjoyment of the crowd, he intruded into the personal lives of the contestants, stating that several of them were the receivers and givers of “blow”.
In response, a laughing Ace commended Bones Man’s attempts. However, he quickly followed it up with a blow of his own; “Bones Man, I’m liking his flow/he come out here and put on a show/ But what he ain’t know/I’m the man giving he blow.” The crowd went hysterical.
Edmonson had the biggest crowd response for the night and after his performance the crowd chanted his name, drowning out the voices of the hosts as they tried to introduce the next performer. In response, several of Jumo’s fans began chanting as well; however, they could not overpower the rallying fans of Ace.
The energy was never the same for the rest of the night and it became obvious that it would be a race between Jumo and Ace.
It was only until Trinidadian soca star, Kes the Band came on to perform that any semblance of real energy returned. In a show of true Guyanese hospitality, the crowd jumped and screamed for the Trinidadian as they would’ve for any local artist.
For half an hour, the regional band held the crowd captive. The ladies, in particular, enjoyed the performance, screaming and grabbing at Kes’s hands and clothing.
At one point during his performance, a Guyanese woman calmly got on to the stage and began to put on a show of her own for the crowd.
However, as Kes performed and entertained the crowd, the judges were busy deliberating on the ever-important decision of who would be crowned the Carib Soca Monarch 2014. The judging panel included Coordinator of the Mash Secretariat Lennox Canterbury, musician Sean Bhola, and radio personality Malcolm ‘Mr. Wickedee’ Ferreira.
The contestants were judged on their lyrics, lyrical performance, melody, originality, stage performance, stage presence and crowd response. Special attention was also paid to their diction, audibility, intonation and the originality of their musical structure.
As it neared 4 AM, the most important moment of the event, the revelation of the various winners, had finally arrived.
In the best newcomer category, there were only two competitors remaining who fit the bill. Timeka ‘Lady T’ Sinclair had put on an interesting performance of her song “Hit the Road”, climbing on to the roof of the National Park stage in an effort to wow the audience. However, it was not enough and Kemmy beat her out for the title with 320 points, earning herself $100,000 in the process.
To the displeasure of many persons, Lil Red was adjudged the fourth best performer with 364 points and won $100,000 while Bones Man copped the third place spot with 380 points and earned himself $250,000. Many persons had expected the younger artist to have placed at least third in the competition and expressed amazement at the results.
After these announcements, the crowd held its breath; everyone knew it was between Jumo and Ace so the announcement of the second place winner would automatically announce the first. With 390 points Jumo was determined the second best performer of the night, forcing him to relinquish his crown to Ace who had scored 413 points. With his second place spot, Primo received $500,000.
Amidst chants from supporters, Ace, the winner of $1.5M, spoke with the media and shared a few words before rushing off. Edmonson thanked all of his supporters in Guyana and abroad for backing him up and commended Jumo, Lil Red and Bones Man on their performances.
Before the competition, he said, he was aware of the contestants to beat and had been preparing himself to duke it out against them. “I’ve been watching them every day so I knew what I had to do.”
He is doubtful on whether he will return to the competition again; he hopes to allow emerging talents such as Lil Red and Kemmy the opportunity to take the title in the years to come.
