Lindener Diana Chapman-Clarke’s call for the government to “Put your house in order” landed her the title of 2017 Adult Calypso Monarch Queen, dethroning fellow townsman, Lester “De Professor” Charles.
The Calypso champion, who left the competition $800,000 richer, called the win “unexpected”, but said she was happy with the results,
and would continue to record music in between her hectic schedule as a first year University of Guyana Communications student.
According to a Department of Culture release, Chapman-Clarke, 25, has been singing Calypso since she was 17 years old. In 2011, she won the Junior Monarch competition and that very year, copped second place in the senior leg of the competition.
“Put your House in Order” was written and composed by producer Bonny Alves and is an ode to the government to open their eyes and listen to the people.
According to Alves, the song was birthed not through his own personal experience, but from the experiences of others, from snippets of conversations he would have picked up. He said it came out of the growing concerns of Guyanese, who, though they acknowledge there are improvements in some areas, express dissatisfaction at the progression of affairs in the country.
“Whether their feelings are justified, coalition, open your eyes, talk to your people, make them feel satisfied,” the lyrics state.
The chorus goes, “Put your house in order and avoid impending danger, put ya ears on the ground and you will hear a crumbling sound. Don’t forget the people who stood with you when times were bad, cause one day you’ll realise, they are all that you have.”
Finishing in second place on Friday and carting off $600,000 was Precious Pearl Lewis with “Old Age is Like a Criminal,” while the third place position was copped by Junior Monarch T’Shanna Cort who sang “Where the Innocence Gone,” also copping $400,000 in the process. “The Believer” landed the fourth place slot with “Give David Some Time,” taking away $200,000 cash.
