BASSETERRE St. Kitts - IT’S hard to believe that with the big improvement and the new faces of last year’s Soca Monarch Competition, none of our local artistes was able to take part in the annual International Soca Monarch (ISM) competition held in Trinidad.
However, based on the performances seen by some of the artistes during the 2013 – 2014 Soca Monarch Competition, it is difficult to comprehend that with the level of energy emitted during the battles; none of our performers made it abroad.
A fact to note is that the last person from the Federation to have represented us on the ISM stage was ‘King Konris’ about three years ago, who eventually did not earn a spot in the finals.
An official from the Carnival Committee told SKNVibes Entertainment that the decisions to represent St. Kitts and Nevis are made by the artistes themselves.
Likewise in other Caribbean countries, the Soca Artistes enter solo into the competition, some of whom are help financially by the respective ministries who deals with the performing arts.
Contact made with some of the local artistes was to no avail.
Meanwhile, according to the ISM website, the International Soca Monarch Competition was established in 1993, with its main aim to create an environment where soca music could be exhibited on an international stage while simultaneously being enjoyed by fans of the genre.
Since then, the competition has evolved from being a simple contest to an institution of the Trinidad carnival season earning the Friday on which it is traditionally held, the sobriquet of Fantastic Friday, synonymous with mind blowing performances, and the best of the season’s artistes.
Some of the artistes who have won past competitions are Blaze and JW in 2010 with ‘Palance’, and back to back wins from Trinidad’s very own Machel Montana with ‘Advantage’ and ‘Pump your Flags’ in 2011 and 2012 respectively.
The Groovy segment of the Soca Monarch Competition emerged in 2005, just as the groovy soca hybrid began to gain its popularity. Since then, it has become as significant to Fantastic Friday as the International Soca Monarch is to Carnival.
Some of those past winners who emerged from those competitions were; Biggie Irie with ‘Nah goin’ home’ back in 2007; Shurwayne Winchester with ‘Please stay’ in 2008; Fayann Lyons Alvarez with ‘Heavy T Bumper’ in 2009; Shurwayne Winchester again in 2010 with ‘Murdah’; Kes Dieffenthaller with ‘Wotless’ in 2011 and then Machel Montana with ‘Mr. Fete’ in 2012.
