Carib Soca Monarch competition back for Mashramani 2012
THE Carib Soca Monarch Competition will, again, be a feature of the 2012 Mashramani celebrations after being pulled from the programme last year. It will, once more, allow the country’s Soca artistes to vie for the king or queen title when the contest kicks off on February 18 at the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground in Linden.
From a total of 33 entrants, as opposed to 15 in 2010, the organisers have selected 18 contestants they believe are suited for this year’s rivalry and will be able to take the throne from the reigning King Orlando ‘Bones Man’ Johashen, 27, from Tempe Village, West Coast Berbice.
Briefing the media on Monday, at the Ansa Mcall office, Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara, Public Relations Officer, Darshanie Yusuff said the Soca Monarch adds to the celebration of Mashramani.
“Soca Monarch brings, to the celebration of the country, a lot of fun, flavour and excitement and these guys are promising that they are going to put this on,” she stated.
Yusuff said, although the sponsor could not have staged the event last year, things are expected to be more advanced as opposed to previous years.
She said the large number of entries is a total satisfaction for the company and noted that it only shows that this competition is one that potential winners look to as a stepping stone to the future.
“Due to many reasons, we could not have been on board and put it on last year but this year is going to prove to be exceptional for Soca Monarch because of these guys. There were 33 entries and this is the largest that we have ever had in Soca Monarch, showing that people missed it last year and wanted it back this year and this is total satisfaction for us,” Yusuff posited.
Meanwhile, Carib Band Manager, Nigel Worrel said that, this year, they have brought to the table a prize that would give the contestants a reason to give their all.
“We have upped the first prize from $1M to $1.5M; the second is $500,000 and the third $250, 000, with the highest placed newcomer remaining at $10,000,” he announced.
Worrel said six of the 18 semi-finalists will be eliminated and the other 12 will compete for the throne, joined by the reigning 2010 Carib Soca Monarch.
The competitors promise to give the crowd a time that will be remembered and rehearsals for the rivalry begin today.
The participants include Abigale James, Adrian Dutchin, Atiola Peters, Beverley Smith, Christopher McKoy, George Abrams, Ivelaw Campbell ‘Granny Ivelaw’, Jonathan King, ‘Lil Red’ Jumo Primo, Melissa Roberts ‘Vanilla’, Pierre DaSilva, Roger Bowen, Roger Hassell & Colin Boyce, Roger Hinds ‘Young Bill Rogers’, Rudolph Kendall, and Wilbur Levan ‘B52’ .