THE quarter-finalists for this year’s Carib Soca Monarch competition, numbering 22, have been selected, according to ANSA Mc AL’s Brand Coordinator Nigel Worrell, who, in a recent interview, noted that some 33 entries were received for this year’s competition, but after screening, the number was whittled down to 22. He said that among the 22 contestants are 12 ‘new faces’ vying for the crown and coveted title of Carib Soca Monarch 2013.

This staging of the Carib Soca Monarch competition will see the return of the quarter–final leg of the competition, which was last held way back in 2007; and this addition will no doubt augur well for the future of the competition and the further development of both the artiste and the local music industry, according to Worrell, since it allows  greater  participation and wider reach in the competition.

The quarter-final staging is scheduled for February 2 at the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground in Linden, where five (5) contestants will be eliminated, and those remaining will advance to the semi-final staging, to be held on February 9, 2013 at the Area ‘H’ Ground in Rose Hall Town, Corentyne.

A further five would also be eliminated then, while
the remaining twelve (12) will be joined by the reigning monarch, Jumo Primo, for the grand finale, to be held at the National Park on February 16, 2013.

Submitted entries were judged on the components of lyrics, melody, rendition, diction and musical arrangement/party appeal.

SEASONED COMPETITORS

In this year’s competition, Adrian Dutchin will be performing ‘Jook’; and Anthony ‘Chiney Man’ Abrams will be doing his song titled ‘Pose’. Atiola ‘Attie’ Peters will perform ‘Nail de Wood’, while Compton ‘Mysterious’ Boyce will perform ‘We don’t Know’.
Dwayne ‘King Shepherd’ Semple will present ‘More Wuk Up’ this year, making way for Jonathan ‘Lil Red’ King with ‘Never Stop’. Roger ‘Roger B’ Bowen will perform ‘Looking fuh Bumper’, which will be followed by the Kross Kolor team of Melissa ‘Vanilla’ Roberts and Wilbur ‘Lil Man’ Levans with ‘Tear de Roof’. Orlando ‘Bonesman’ Jonashen will then perform ‘Done Them’.

NEW FACES

Several new faces have entered this year’s competition with precious little or no experience, and it is not known whether they are talented enough or equipped to face the ‘soca fire’ that is bound to be unleashed by those around, even if for a while….We may never know the answer to this question until after the grand finale at the National Park.

Nevertheless, in the newcomers’ arena, Colbert ‘Magga Man’ Dublin will present ‘Shaking It’, as Ernesta Nelson brings to the stage ‘Twirl’. Ivelaw Maxwell is competing with ‘Soca Victim’, and Jamal ‘G Money’ Gittens with ‘Big Belly vs Bumpa’.
James ‘Boss Stephens’ Gordon presents ‘Soca Mascara’, Jermaine ‘Venom’ Mc Bean will perform ‘Storm de Road’, and Kirk Brown will perform ‘Dat is all I Want’. Kwesi ‘Ace’ Edmondson will attempt to thrill the audiences with ‘Same Thing’, making room after for Shondel ‘Sugar’ London with ‘Hard Wuk’. Rawleston ‘Murphy’ Warde will perform ‘Invasion’, and Guyana top model turned singer, Yolanda Kerr, will try her hand in this field with ‘Is we Festival’.

Onassis ‘Ryan T’ Croker will compete with ‘United’, and Quacy ‘Avalanche’ Coates will round off the party with ‘Work It’