Representative of the Leo Club of Dominica, Junior Toussaint, has called on the public to take the Junior Calypso Monarch competition more seriously.
Thirteen competitors will take to the stage on Thursday afternoon at the Harlem Plaza to take home the crown. Presently, Lemar “Irish Kid” Irish of the St. John’s Academy in Portsmouth is the reigning Junior Monarch.
“I think our biggest hindrance is that the Junior Calypso Monarch is not being taken seriously. I’ll say that to say we’ve started preparations since last year, but you have the songwriters, when you go to them to get the song, they’ll tell you ‘Boy, I doing something for X, Y, and Z for the big competition; your child have to wait’. You go to the production studios, you get the same thing,” he revealed during a press conference on Wednesday.
He explained that although preparations for the event start well within the previous year, last minute decisions are always made because of a lack of support for the young calypsonians.
“It behoves me every year that we try to start that early, and a week, two weeks before the show, we still asking for songs because of one of those reasons or another,” Toussaint stated. “I think we should just continue to support the young persons. As long as we are giving the attention it deserves, I think all the songs can be one air within ample time.”
Despite this Toussaint expressed that he is pleased that there is an “even mix of boys and girls” in the competition this year, saying more girls are getting involved in Calypso.
“I know for how many years, fellas have been dominating the calypso arena. This year in the Junior Calypso Monarch, we have seven boys and six girls, which means that they are very evenly matched,” he stated.
He reminded the public to be kind in their judgment of the young artistes—regardless of their preferences—and to keep in mind that there can only be one winner.
“Enjoy the calypso… We can all come and support our individual preferences, but at the end of the day, we are there to support the calypso art form on a whole. And, whoever wins, at the end of the day, there can only be one winner. I just hope that at the end of it all, we appreciate that the ultimate winner here is calypso,” he stated.
The show begins at 5:00 pm.
Triple K, along with the Swinging Stars band, will also perform at the event.
Well said Junior. Let’s go out and support all the kids. Good luck Irish Kid. Real potential for the future
Nonsense!! It should first start with you! Junior Toussaint you and your team never really promoted the Junior Monarch this year. No launching ceremony nothing! Start promoting your event properly then you can complain! I am very disappointed that this year the media were not informed as it relate to the schools and students who will be participating in the competition. Trying to promote the event a few hours before the scheduled date is not accepted! That was very poor promotion on your part!
You’re so right. I actually thought there wasn’t any junior monarch this year. Only yesterday I heard DBS playing their songs and realized that the show was taking place today 28.1.16