THREE former National Calypso monarchs were among the 11 contestants who advanced from Saturday’s Calypso Fiesta to the finals of the competition.
Former monarchs Roderick “Chuck” Gordon, Helon Francis and Karen Asche will head to the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain, on Carnival Sunday (February 19), for Dimanche Gras, hoping to dethrone the reigning 2020 champion, Terri Lyons.
Lyons was the fifth woman to win the title since the competition started in 1939.
The finalists were announced late Saturday at the newly refurbished Skinner Park in San Fernando where a total of 40 people earlier competed in the Calypso Fiesta, the semi-final round of the competition.
The performers were backed by the Razor Sharp Band, led by saxophonist Oral Rodriguez. The show was hosted by the Trinbago Unified Calypsonians' Organisation (TUCO).
Gordon won the title back-to-back in 2014 and 2015. He wowed the judges and audience with his song, Maths Eh Mathsing, which he dedicated to the poor people of the country.
“It feels like they beating we, one by one, two by two with a two by four. The more we add to the table, the more they keep. Ninety-nine per cent suffering, and it not adding up. The one per cent controlling 100 per cent of the lives of the poor,” Gordon sang.
Bemoaning the hardships poor people face, the two-time monarch repeated the “maths eh mathsing” as it related to salary, food prices and transportation.
The 2011 monarch, Asche, sang Oasis, a song about the devastating effects of the covid19 pandemic which caused a cultural drought that, she said, left her thirsty for a stress reliever. She likened the reintroduction of Carnival to that of finding an oasis in the desert.
She became the fourth woman in the competition’s history to achieve such a feat. Calypso Rose, the late Singing Sandra and Denyse Plummer held the title before her.
Francis, the 2018 monarch, performed Mighty with his usual soothing voice and powerful message. He charged there are a lot of mighty people from all spheres of life who are from this tiny twin island.
He said despite the struggles, people must remember diamonds are created by pressure.
Another finalist was composer and entertainer Maria Bhola-Paul who had the audience roaring with appreciation with her rendition of People Man. The member of the Divas Calypso Cabaret International Tent gave a comical take on infidelity, saying the information “already leak yet they playing hide and seek.”
She made several suggestions to the “outside woman” on how they would handle the situation together.
“Doh get no harass about how we run we home if anything is not to your liking, you free to get a man of your own. We have rules and regulations when you want people man. You got to make a contribution when you borrowing people man,” she sang, as patrons cheered on.
Kerine “Tiny” Williams-Figaro sang To You With Love which earned her a spot in the finals. She charged that many calypsonians died without receiving recognition for their contributions to the art form.
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