–Adrian Dutchin talks up 2023 win and return of ‘Mash’ parade

DECLARING that Guyana is a ‘real nice place’, Adrian Dutchin copped this year’s crown at the Soca Monarch competition.

Dutchin, a veteran in Guyana’s music industry, was crowned in the wee hours of Mashramani morning after a hiatus from the competition for several years.

The ‘I am a Guyanese’ singer, during an exclusive interview with the Sunday Chronicle, shared that his win is not just for himself but for all Guyanese and the participants of the competition.
Dutchin was up against 14 other contestants and was the fourth performer of the night; he captured the crowd with an electrifying performance.

He said the concept of his entry to competition was inspired by the nostalgia he felt during his recent return to his homeland.

“The idea came from me being in Guyana last year for Guyana carnival; it had been a while I was back in Guyana, and I was just hearing the slang that ‘de place real nice’.”

“Guyana just looked totally different and upgraded, it’s not the Guyana that I [knew], so I had the theme in my head but I didn’t know what I would do with it for future use,” Dutchin added.
The song ‘Place Nice’ was a part of wider musical production, called ‘The Mash Project’ that featured several other Guyanese artistes.

“Everybody went and they did their individual stuff and then the song came about and it’s been beautiful ever since,” Dutchin said.

In response to several criticisms that he should not have been crowned the ‘King of Soca’, Dutchin said, “I personally want to shout out and big up everybody that was in the Soca monarch, we all know how Soca monarch works, there must be a winner, there is always back and forth, but it’s just Soca monarch.”

Speaking further about the performance aspect of the competition, Dutchin noted that he was keen on designing his own costume and producing a vibrant production, not only with music, but also his backup dancers, the theatrics of fireworks and confetti.

“I came up with the concept of the Black Panther mask, painted in the Guyana flag colours, I was paying tribute to our superhero, which is the Black Panther.”

He noted that this year was a special one for him given the fact that he migrated to the United States of America some years ago, and while he has consistently released music ‘repping the 592’ he has not been home to celebrate Mashramani in seven years.

“The reason why it was so great for me is because it’s been a while since I did a Soca monarch, it’s been six-seven years and to hit back the stage and to feel the vibe…I loved it, I loved seeing everybody coming out showing the world, showing their own Guyanese that Guyana is a ‘nice’ place…It’s beautiful, being back on the road, the feeling is truly unexplainable, for me that’s my Christmas, Guyana Carnival, Mashramani I love the whole ambience of it, I love the whole vibe.”

Guyana, he said, remains in his heart and soul and according to Dutchin, the continued support and outpour of love he has received from his fellow citizens have been overwhelming.

And while he plans to no longer participate in future Soca monarch competitions, he will continue to release content promoting and celebrating how ‘nice de place nice’.