rishard.khan@guardian.co.tt
Fay Ann Lyons-Alvarez has confirmed she would be heading the International Soca Monarch as its new chairman.
When contacted, Lyons-Alvares told Guardian Media she wasn’t yet in a position to give any further information as they were “still trying to structure certain things to get done.”
The Soca artiste is expected to host a press conference at the Hyatt Regency this morning where she would release more information.
“I really and truly am taking this very serious and I want to make sure because at the end of the day, I’m not representing myself I’m representing my country, I’m representing my art form, I’m representing my fellow artistes. For me, this is like I’m taking care of my own career — I need to make sure and dot my ‘I’s and cross my ‘T’s and do the thing properly,” Lyons-Alvarez assured.
International Soca Monarch founder, William Munro told Guardian Media in an interview yesterday, “I do hope the lady (Fay Ann) understands the event that she’s managing and put her best foot forward.” Despite both Lyons-Alvarez and Munro having their disagreements over the years, he said: “You cannot study what happened in the past — I forgive her for that already.”
Munro, however, hoped that Government would spend more money to develop the country’s Carnival product. “When people talking about Trinidad and Tobago, the best Carnival — we have to spend money to maintain that. Pay the people properly that they could put their good works out,” he explained.
Lyons-Alvarez made history when she was the first woman to win the Power category in the International Soca Monarch Competition back in 2009. She was also the first person to win the Power, Groovy and People’s Choice awards on Fantastic Friday during the finals of the competition.
While she has done many performances locally, Lyons-Alvarez has racked up international performances to her career resume such as in Washington DC, at BET’s 106 & Park, Coachella, Glastonbury Festival, London’s Coronet, Berlin Carnival-Germany and, BET X Live.