In six days, 11 finalists will vie for the prestigious Calypso Monarch crown at the Queen’s Park Savannah in Port-of-Spain.
They will take on reigning Calypso Monarch Machel Montano who is a master performer and entertainer in the calypso fraternity.
But a few of the 11 finalists are promising to give a showdown at the Big Yard on Sunday, as they try to wrestle the crown from Montano.
Yesterday, the Trinidad Unified Calypso Organisation issued the names of the finalists and one reserve for the competition after they squared off in the semifinal round at Skinner’s Park, San Fernando, on Saturday.
Guardian Media reached out to five of the finalists who shared their thoughts on the upcoming competition, promising to put on a performance of a lifetime and sing from their hearts.
Crowd favourite Akhenaton Lewis (Yung Bredda), who sang We Rise to advance to the finals said in a WhatsApp message that he was “elated to be part of the great 11. I knew it was a win from the crowd response. The voice of the people is the voice of God.”
Asked who he saw as his biggest competitor, Yung Bredda’s response was, “God is my only competition!”
This will be Yung Bredda’s first time in the Big Yard which he’s looking forward to.
Ann Marie Parks Kojo, popularly known as Twiggy, has promised to put her best foot forward when she hits the big stage.
The results, she said, brought her to tears. “I am a very emotional person. It was tears of joy for me this morning. I have 50 years of experience under my belt. I am not looking at the challengers. I am there. I am already a winner having made it to the finals.”
Twiggy, 68, a veteran in the calypso fraternity, edged out her son, who also competed as a semifinalist.
She is one of four female finalists and the oldest in the contest.
The other three are Terri Lyons, Karene Asche and Roslyn Reid Hayes.
Her 65 and Still Relevant rendition penned by Kurt Allen grabbed the patrons’ attention.
Allen, who also qualified as a finalist with his song Your Turn Now was at the receiving end of a toilet paper posse.
Twiggy defended Allen.
“Kaiso is political and picong. We are the voices for the people. We break governments and build them. So all he (Allen) was singing about is your turn now. And you know, San Fernando crowd...San Fernando is a politically invigorated crowd. So they came there. I am sure Kurt was expecting that. He was not surprised about that...because we knew that was going to happen before.”
In 2009, Twiggy was a Calypso Monarch finalist.
Roderick Gordon, who sings under the sobriquet Chuck Gordon, also tipped his hat to Allen for executing his performance seamlessly in the face of the toilet paper gang.
“Kurt is a master performer. And the few pro-PNM people in the audience would not deter Kurt.”
Having placed 28th in the preliminaries, Chuck said he had to give it his best shot at Skinner Park.His ditty Look Tuh Press won the hearts of the judges.
“Nobody is thinking of me as a favourite and that is fine. I am accustomed to that as well.”
Chuck won the monarchy in 2014 and 2015.
Anthony “Squeezy Rankin” La Fleur was overjoyed by the news of earning the spot as a finalist after delivering his crowd favourite kaiso, Justice.
It’s Squeezy Rankin’s first time singing calypso.
Squeezy Rankin’s recent win at the 2024 Freestyle Monarch, marked a pivotal moment in his career, paving the way for his foray into calypso.
As a newcomer to the savannah, Squeezy Rankin promised not to let his guard down, seeing the powerful line of contenders.
“I never sang calypso before. This is the first time I ever go in any competition on a major level like this. Personally, I know I am not one of the favourites right now. I come to prove everybody wrong.”
Squeezy Rankin, 47, said all he has to bring with him is his A-game. “I want to surprise Trinidad and Tobago and the world. That is all.”
Helon Francis is ready to be the monarch once again. In 2018, Francis walked away with the coveted crown. “I am coming back to do my duty. I see no one as a challenge. I challenge myself in a competition.”
Francis said he wrote his song To Whom It May Be based on the vibrations and feelings of the people.
“I tried to guide them and open their eyes at the same time.”
Finalists
1.Akhenaton Lewis- Yung Bredda
2. Ann Marie Parks Kojo-Twiggy
3.Anthony La Fleur- Squeezy Rankin
4. Duanne Ta’Zah O’Connor
5. Helon Francis
6.Karene Asche- The Calypso Princess
7.Kurt Allen- The Last Badjohn of Calypso
8. Roderick Gordon- Chuck Gordon
9.Roslyn Reid Hayes-Roslyn
10. Samraj Jaimungal- Rikki Jai
11.Terri Lyons
Reserve Morel Peters-King Luta