Twenty-six competitors have been selected for this year's International Soca Monarch Competition to be held on February 12 at the Queen's Park Oval. Chairman of Caribbean Prestige Foundation, (CPF) William Munroe said 12 artistes have been chosen to compete in the groovy soca category, with 13 artistes chosen to vie for the power soca monarch. Monroe noted that the 13th finalist of the groovy soca category will be the winner of the Synergy Soca Star Competition. The winner will be announced on February 4. Last year 24 finalists took the stage but it was a pregnant Fay Ann Lyons-Alvarez who won, capturing both the groovy and power soca monarch crowns. The soca powerhouse is an automatic finalist in this year's competition as she is the defending monarch. In a telephone interview yesterday, Munroe said out of the 26 competitors, five artistes were non-T&T nationals.
He said those competitors hail from Barbados, St Vincent, Grenada, Dominica and Antigua. "They are soca monarch winners in their respective islands and they are very very good. It is possible for any of them to win," he said. "It will be something to see. I want to put it on record that the whole of T&T should be present to see the presentations from all of the artistes." Munroe also noted it was a "real possibility" the competition, which he said costs "a lot of millions" to stage, could be held in another country in the coming years. "The name of the event is the International Soca Monarch. While I hope forever that it would be in T&T at all times because it is good for the country and good for tourism, the islands are always asking for it to be held in their country, so you never know."
?Fay Ann: I'll do my best
?Meanwhile, Lyons-Alvarez said she was getting ready for the competition and will be putting her best foot forward. Does she think that she will retain the crown? "I try not to be presumptuous. I always approach everything I do with a hint of caution. I always say, 'you can't win the race if you're not in the race.' I'm in the race and the possibility exists that I can win the race." What can fans expect from the reigning soca monarch queen? She said: "I'm just going to do me. I've always just been myself. I don't try to step outside of that. I guess because I've been doing it for so long, it comes like second nature to me. I'm going to give them the best quality entertainment that I could deliver. In terms of preparation, I always try to put my best foot forward."
Soca Monarch 2010 Finalists
?Power Category:
Fay Ann Lyons
Blaze and Jw
Farmer Nappy
Blaxx
Tallpree
Shal Marshall and Screws
Super Jigga TC
KMC and Ronnie Mc Intosh
Iwer George
Daddy Chess (Dominica)
Tian Winter (Antigua)
Skinny Fabulous (St Vincent)
Mr Killa (Grenada)
Groovy Category:
Fay Ann Lyons
Kerwin Du Bois
Shurwayne Winchester
Patrice Roberts
Chucky
Rikki Jai
Zoelah
KMC
Nnika Francis
Little Bits
Ainsley King
TC (Barbados)