A new calyspo competition is set to hit the calypso scene with the winning calypsonian taking home $5,000 in cash.
Dubbed “People’s Controversial Calypso Monarch competition,” the show intends to showcase less experienced calypsonians who the public think should have made it to the final of the national show or a calypsonian who, based on public reaction, has been controversial in his or her calypso.
The show is expected to be held at the Harlem Plaza in New Town on February 16.
“What we do is that from elimination we select artistes that people realize should have made it or has created some form of controversy,” one of the organizers of the event, Jeff “Charu” Winston, explained to Dominica News Online.
He said the show will give calypsonians national recognition, who because of lack of experience and support never really made it past eliminations or other stages of the the national show. “For example look at Chris B … Chris B had a good song, maybe he did not present it in the quarter finals the way it was expected by the judges,” he remarked. “But at the end of the day when he was performing, the crowd was in it and participating …but he got carried away by the lack of experience.”
He said the show will give people like Chris B a chance to show some of the talents that he has. “With our initiative Chris B will have an opportunity to be the people’s king,” Winston explained.
He said the show will be judged through 60 percent of crowd response such as phone texts and BlackBerry messages and 40 percent through judges based on certain criteria before them. “But the people have the greater impact of choosing the people’s king,” he stated.
Winston said the public should know who will be taking part in the event after the semi-finals which will be balanced with four competitors from the finals. “So what we doing is balancing it…so even though they had the support of people and people love their music….we are still taking who we think the judges also have chosen to be the top of their criteria and we mix them with what we think the people want and we going to have a competition,” he remarked.
He also said the event is going to be an annual one.
Lent begins on Wednesday February 20th.
DADDY MILLA MUST TAKE DAT!!!!
Great idea. It adds to the variety of entertainment in Dominica and hosting the event after Carnival is a good idea since we will then have a firm idea of what or who is controvesial. Controversy may follow after the juding of the road march song, for example.
Each texter should only be allowed one vote, otherwise it will be unfair and can turn out to be in a sense, a one man’s king. Can u immagine, one person sending one hundred and more texts to one person.
This initiative can grow into a huge bonanza for the calypso and will help build confidence. I have always said that the Eli,inaction system can e a killer of dreams – not that it is not necessary. If I had the money I would volunteer another Thousand bucks. That said it would be a great idea to open up a donation basket on line so eople could chip in to provide more prizes to the participants. Have prizes for most promising rookie, most impressionable etc.
What these calypsonians do year after year is not only taxing but can be costly as well.
When I heard that DBE and Kairi are placing red tags on calypsos that criticize the government it cals for sadness and lamentation- such arrogance and ignorance, cause calypso is a multimillion dollar industry – the shows, musicians, vendors, studios,advertising, costume designers, merchants, equipment re tal and visitors who mainly come fr the calypso show , very importantly no carnival without calypso. So for DBS as a government entity to be fighting calypso is punter productive , ignorance , and stupidity. As for Kairi – to whom much common sense has not been granted not much common sense is expected and according to Bob’s Alyson nothing from nothing leaves nothing.
Carnival will be over how many calpyso competition will you all have in dominica?
Who cares ??? Bring the kaiso !!!
the Sapphire girl had a nice song just never heard it on air.. hope allu choose her to be in that show
dominicans showing nuff love for calypso…thats cool. when is the government going to invest some money in bouyon music….it was a good start with the cadence competition, however bouyon is whats bubbling now. waiting to see see the day when they will have some kind of big bouyon competition that will pass the calypso show…
Bouyon and music should not be in the same sentence unless the context is ….Bouyon is not music..Don’t ever compare cadence music to that crazy takatak thing called bouyon…. There is a reason that cadence was worldwide accepted and only in Dominica and among Dominicans that crap can get an audience..just my 2 cents
Great idea Jeff. Will be there wif my boys specially is the Harlem Plaza (D real Kaiso House). Dat,s de Power of kaiso my ppl.
After carnival. makes no sense
isn’t that going to take place during the lent season! so every thing changing this year. pa pa!
good move
mighty lugas yay
calypso is trash music. a genre that locals have used over n over agn to bring each other down. i HATE calypso.
“thinkinman” i doubt very much that you do any thing close to what your name suggest.However, just in case you do i strongly believe that your thoughts eminate not from your brain but from your posterior.
have a nice day.
And all that because the gentle man dares to have an opinion…wow…
your ignorant and dont know your history,very sad for you.
The man has a point….l’espirit mal papaye…who sings such gabbage anyway?
i understand why you would have an opinion like this but there are also some positives to it. But when I grew up they use to say the persons that make calypso on other people always end up living a miserable life at the end.
Great thinking Anna….
Somebody want a money wii
yes go for it i’ll be there for sure. the first one to take a sit. just wish that show could be before carnival. like now. very good idea.
the word is “seat” not sit.
OVERKILL for the calypso competition.
There should be no judges. Defeats the purpose.
Dam great idea! I’m definitely gonna be there!