By Jasmaine Payne

WITH the Calypso Monarch Competition behind them, the 11 finalists who competed for the crown can now move on to their next venture. Yet, a flashback on the night before the competition zeroes in on just how serious and dedicated these artists are about their craft. The lineup included a mix of seasoned singers, with the exception of a few newcomers. Each artist sat patiently awaiting their turn to rehearse their winning tune.
The atmosphere on that evening was light, unlike what one would expect of artists who had long been competing for the esteemed title. Rather than stiff competiveness, each performer saw the other as a respected artist who was just as worthy of the crown as any other; familiar faces that had converged yet another year in hopes of achieving the same goal.
Perhaps it is the overall purpose of Calypso that kept them so calm, with the hope that no matter who won, each person would get to deliver an important message through song. That’s one theory, at least, based on the comments of some of those close to the competition.

SWEET CALYPSO
Guyanese musician, CHARMAINE BLACKMAN, whose label, Signal Productions, represented two of the finalists there, said that while genres like Soca and Reggae represent their own topics, it is Calypso that actually delves into the good and the ills of society.
“The Guyanese public has always looked forward to calypso, which is why it should be played more often on the radio,” she said. She acknowledged the presence of stalwarts such as LADY TEMPEST and MIGHTY DUKE, and expressed her excitement for what she expected to be a great competition the following evening.
As for the competitors, newcomer T’SHANNA CORT, this year’s Junior Calypso Monarch, was excited just to be rubbing shoulders with the more experienced folks.
“It is wonderful knowing that I am being given the opportunity to do what I love, and with persons with experience more than I have,” she said.
The following night, though Cort would not have placed, her performance of her song, “I Have Hope”, would still remain in the minds of the crowd.
LADY TEMPEST didn’t have much to say, except that in her 14 years in the business, (three of which saw her take the coveted title), her aim has always been to do her best to win the competition. It was a comment that was met with playful scoffs from her fellow competitors within earshot.
ABIGAIL JAMES (daughter of veteran Calypsonian, ‘The Mighty Intruder’) expressed her joy at being part of the effort to keep the dying art of Calypso alive, while Kenroy ‘THE MIGHTY BELIEVER’ Fraser felt that his song, ‘De Coalition’, was the best song he has ever written. Turned out that that was no idle boast, as the song would indeed go on to secure him second place in the competition the following night.
Manuel ‘KING PERAI’ Ferreira said he was not nervous at all, just like he had not been last year when he took the title.

‘COME DIFF’RENT’
Asked what he thought gave him the edge to secure the title back then, ‘Perai’ said he believed it was because he came different, having donned traditional Amerindian gear to go with his song about the treatment of the native people.
Perhaps he should have come different again this year, because his song, ‘Fight Down’, which carried the same theme as most as the others, was not enough for him to win again this year; or even place among the top five.
In the end, it was Lester ‘De Professor’ Charles who emerged triumphant on ‘the big night’, making it his fifth win of the Calypso Monarch title.
The night before, while giving all assurances that he had worked extremely hard to pen the best song possible for the occasion, he, too, acknowledged the talent and effort of his fellow competitors, admitting that in his years of participation, the songs of all the artists he has seen perform over the years have been getting better and better.
So, it is safe to say that the mutual respect that these close-knit calypsonians gave each other, even up until the moment before they went head-to-head, is a trait worth emulating.