In keeping with the protocols of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, one of the most anticipated events of the Caribbean, the annual Chutney Soca Monarch (CMS) will be held virtually.
The event which features chutney artistes from the Caribbean and other parts of the world will not miss a beat and may even be spicier than the previous events held over the years.
George Singh, the event’s producer during the official launch earlier in the week explained that while many may not be able to gather physically to have the full chutney experience and enjoy the talents of the Indo-Caribbean community, the virtual event will bring that feeling of excitement right to the homes of many fans.
Additionally, he explained that a virtual event will also see chutney music being stream all across the world, which he hopes will give the artistes who are slated to perform and compete in the activity to make it on the big stage.

“Over the last 10 years of producing the CSM, producers have noticed a trend that has proven that the bigger audience looking at CSM has not been the ‘live’ audience, but the ‘online’ audience that can vary from 100,000 ‘live’ viewers to more than 1 million viewers over the first month that the event stays online,” Singh said. “The audience also comes from all parts of the world, with particular emphasis on USA, Canada, UK and the Caribbean regions like Guyana, Surinam, Barbados and other parts of the Caribbean.”
He further stated that a well-produced online and television event will give CSM the unique opportunity to become more creative and innovative within this year’s event, making it even more attractive to the online audience. “It will give us the opportunity to pre-package the ‘live’ events and also edit out unnecessary content, eliminating dead spots, making the event shorter, more attractive and more palatable to the online viewers.”

Indo-Caribbean artistes from Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Canada and the United States of America will be performing and competing on the virtual stage of this year’s event to determine who will be crowned king or queen of chutney soca in January 2021 as many countries prepare to enter into the festivities of carnival.
Singh disclosed that the event will be one of grand theatrics even with the ongoing pandemic to sustain the love of chutney soca music.
“In this time of ‘social distancing’, we are cognizant of the public health protocols in place, but we are also very aware of the responsibility that we have to continue the annual development of the Chutney Soca brand of music,” he said.

The semi-final and the final will be relayed live to the national audience on TV and streamed on social media to a local and international audience. The semi-final will be shown on January 30 and the final on February 13, with the results being announced live after the show.
Agents in New York, Toronto and Georgetown, Guyana will register artistes locally in their regions, allowing them to compete without travelling to Trinidad and Tobago.
Currently, he added registrations have been ongoing in the various regions and has been strong thus far.