Pocket powerhouse N'Janela Duncan-Regis scored an unprecedented beaver-trick as she was crowned Couva Junior Calypso Monarch for the fourth straight year when the Couva Carnival Committee (CCC) staged its Grand Finals of its Junior and Senior Calypso Monarch Competitions 2016 at Couva Carnival Centre on Friday night.
The 12-year old student of Eshe's Learning Centre in Laventille, captivated the appreciative crowd with a commanding performance of "Parents Behave," an admonition to the nation's parents to set better examples for the children.
"I feel really great about winning four times in a row. I was confident about my performance. I knew the competition would be close but I wanted to make history. I am going for a fifth crown next year," said an ecstatic Duncan-Regis, on learning of her victory. The already accomplished singer wants to follow in the footsteps of her role model, Calypso Rose, and sit at the very top of the calypso ladder. She added the Couva crown to her National Chutney Monarch (Primary Schools) title this year.
The senior calypso monarch competition lost a bit of its lustre as defending champion, Helon Francis, who was also in line for the beaver-trick, decided to concentrate on his very first appearance at the National Calypso Monarch Competition on Dimanche Gras Sunday and "give the other up-and-coming contestants a chance". Former Couva Monarch, Victoria "Queen Victoria" Copper, also opted out of the competition as she herself is a finalist in the national competition.
Despite their absence, the standard of competition among the seniors was very high as regular finalist Georgia McIntyre captured her first Senior Couva Calypso Monarch crown with timely advice to the women of T&T with "Just One Mile". "I have been around for quite a while, placing second before but I am really thrilled to go to the very top at last," said McIntyre, immediately after the results were announced.
Placing second in the senior category was Tamico "Spicy" Moore who berated the judging in major calypso competitions and said she was proud of her accomplishments as the "Bush Champion" of calypso. Moore is enjoying a good year, having captured the senior crown in Carapichaima carnival.
Wilton 'Flex' Griffith, coordinator of the CCC calypso competition, doubled up as MC for the show, keeping it flowing with his inimitable brand of humour. "Although we were missing some top contenders, the crowd lapped up the offerings of all the calypsonians. We fully understand their position and wish them well on Sunday.
"They are really products of Couva carnival. Overall, the standard was very high, among both juniors and seniors," said Griffith.
COUVA SENIOR CALYPSO MONARCH
Monarch–Georgia McIntyre (Just One Mile)–351
2nd–Tamico "Spicy" Moore (Bush Champion)–341
3rd–Terry "D Masso" Marcelle (The Incurable Vernella)–
339
Sharlan Bailey (That Is Legacy)–339
5th–Kerrice Pascall (A Message From Ella Andall)–336
6th–Aneka Collins (A Chant For The Griot)–335
7th–Derrick Campbell (Looking For Solutions)–332
8th–Rosemary "Young Rose" Mitchell (Country Bookie)–
326
9th–Wendell Goodridge (Lock Dem Up)–324
10th–Carlton Louison (Fixin T&T)–322
11th–Lystra Nurse (Watchwords For Progress)–305
12th–Dick "D Juiceman" Lochan)–293.
COUVA junior CALYPSO MONARCH
Monarch–N'Janella Duncan-Regis (Parents Behave)–347
2nd–Caryn McCarthy (Let's Hold Hands)–345
3rd– Jeremiah James (Union Strong)–336
4th–Sharissa Camejo (Our Blessed Land)–335
5th–Jerrisha Duncan-Regis (Pick Us Up)–327
6th–Josiah James–( Forty Plus)–325
7th–Melina Smith (How Can You Take It)–316
8th–Emily Allen (Look Ah Bandit)–308
9th–Jason James (The Promise)–306.