JUST fresh off his win in the National Calypso Competition and placing third in the Chutney Competition, Bill Rogers, also known as “Young Bill Rogers“ is committed to ensuring that Calypso music continues all year round and not only at Mashramani Time.

The Pepperpot Magazine sat down with the now reigning Calypso champion to get his perspective on the future of Calypso music in Guyana.

“The Calypso art form will extend and live on forever. It expresses the kind of feelings that speak to the people politically and socially, and that is what the Calypso art form is all about and that is how I get into Calypso,” he explained, adding his belief that, over time, public interest in the genre decreased with the advent of other genres of music.

“The Calypso music in Guyana has been a little stagnated, simply because of the lack of proper marketing and also because most calypsonians focus on political issues. In earlier years, Calypso was the main attraction, particularly around Mashramani, but since the advent of other genres of music such as Soca, Chutney and other kinds of music that has killed the calypso art form,“ the Calypsonian told the Pepperpot Magazine.

According to Rogers, the perception is that Calypso is for the elderly and it has little to no traction for young people.

“I would not say calypso is dead, but it is on the low down and you know, as I said, we had calypsonians the caliber of the Mighty Sparrow, who started in Guyana in 1956, who recorded Jean and Dinah, which was recorded in Guyana at Gems studio in Robb street,” Rogers recalled.

Rogers is confident that Calypso has a future, but under the condition that efforts are put in place to revive the art form. He mentioned that he was currently working with two Guyanese in the diaspora to have calypsonians who do not have a platform to showcase their talent to do so.

He stated that there is need to get youths more involved in the genre and allow them to express themselves in Calypso by hosting workshops and shows for Calypsonians in schools.
That is the only way he believes the art form can create momentum.

Rogers believes that Calypso should be further integrated into schools, homes and especially in minibuses, which he noted mostly promote music that contains excessive vulgarity.
“If we get support from the private sector and government, then calypso music is on its way to being revived,” Rogers told Pepperpot Magazine.

Preservation of the Calypso Art Form
“The support base for younger calypsonians is big; young people like to support their own young people and when you are supportive of your young people, you will support whatever they do,“ the reigning calypso monarch explained.

He calls on the Government of the day to implement and formulate plans for after Mashramani to promote the art.

“When you love something, you don’t give it up and the drive for me is to one day see the calypso art better and get that message over to people, especially the young people. I am looked at by my mom, children who want me to sing Calypso, as a result, they will be inspired to do better things in the long run and learn from me,“ Rogers noted in his interview .

Bill Rogers began singing Calypso from a tender age, participating in school competitions and learnt a lot from his father, the legendary Bill Rogers (Sr) who sang a number of hit tunes, including ‘A thousand bush’ and many more.

According to him, he is leaving a legacy for his daughter and son who have participated in school competitions and got places in the competition . He noted that he is training other young people as well.