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CALYPSO FEVER — Several Former Monarchs In Sunday’s ‘Semis’

THINGS are heating up in the calypso arena on the way to the season’s major shows. The introduction of some new tunes has also served to inject new interest in the offerings this year following last year’s disappointing showing.

Eighteen calypsonians have been shortlisted for this Sunday’s semifinal round at the National Cultural Centre.

The semifinalists were selected following four consecutive rounds of quarterfinals that ended last Saturday at the National Cultural Centre.

Ambassadors Calypso Tent leads the list with six calypsonians, including former monarchs Educator, Pep and TC Brown. Take Over Tent/Soca Village picked up five spots, including former monarch, Invader.

Former monarchs Menell and Nintus are among the four calypsonians chosen from the South Calypso Tent, while De Soca-Lypso Revue Calypso Tent picked up three spots.

The list is as follows:

• Blaze (De Soca-Lypso Revue Calypso Tent)
• Crown (South Calypso Tent)
• DycerFontelio (South Calypso Tent)
• Educator (Ambassadors Calypso Tent)
• Invader (Take Over Tent/Soca Village)
• Juliana (De Soca-Lypso Revue Calypso Tent)
• Kendal John (Ambassadors Calypso Tent)
• Lil Nick (Take Over Tent/Soca Village)
• Menell (South Calypso Tent)
• Nilka (Take Over Tent/Soca Village)
• Nintus (South Calypso Tent)
• Pep (Ambassadors Calypso Tent)
• Ready (De Soca-Lypso Revue Calypso Tent)
• Sizzler (Ambassadors Calypso Tent)
• Solange (Ambassadors Calypso Tent)
• TC Brown (Ambassadors Calypso Tent)
• Ti Carro (Take Over Tent/Soca Village)
• TK Da Boss (Take Over Tent/Soca Village)

Twenty semifinalists were also shortlisted for the Party Soca Monarch. They are as follows:

• Ambi featuring Qpid
• Benje
• Brandon
• Bryo
• CJ
• D’Sean
• Esteban
• Exodus
• Ezra
• Islah Man
• Jay Budz featuring Ezra
• Mongstar
• Qpid
• Seebo
• Sedale
• Subance
• TK Da Boss
• Top Kat
• Vieux Gel
• Yardie featuring
Hotness

Also, the twenty semifinalists for the Groovy Soca Monarch are as follows:
• Ambi
• Benje
• Bounty Hype
• Brandon
• Ezra
• Great White
• Jay &Bronxx
• J Budz
• Kisha
• Lil Nick
• Mysterio
• Omega
• Qpid
• Ricky T
• Saralee
• Saveion
• Sedale
• Seebo&Versi-Style
• Sergie
• Yana Saphire

The Party and Groovy Soca preliminaries will be held this Friday.

The defending monarchs in the calypso, party and groovy soca monarch are Walleigh, Ricky T and Arthur, respectively.

img: Sunday’s Vavalry on William Peter Boulevard was definitely a colourful and exciting event. [PHOTO: Stan Bishop]
Sunday’s Vavalry on William Peter Boulevard was definitely a colourful and exciting event.
[PHOTO: Stan Bishop]
img: Seven-time Calypso Monarch, Pep, may well have traded in a seat in pursuit of his eighth crown. [PHOTO: Stan Bishop]
Seven-time Calypso Monarch, Pep, may well have traded in a seat in pursuit of his eighth crown. [PHOTO: Stan Bishop]
img: “Rivers of Blood” is one of the most popular calypsos this year. [PHOTO: Stan Bishop]
“Rivers of Blood” is one of the most popular calypsos this year. [PHOTO: Stan Bishop]
img: High-energy crowd-pleaser, Islah Man, is back following a lengthy hiatus from the soca stage. [PHOTO: Stan Bishop]
High-energy crowd-pleaser, Islah Man, is back following a lengthy hiatus from the soca stage. [PHOTO: Stan Bishop]

Stan Bishop began his career in journalism in March 2008 writing freelance for The VOICE newspaper for six weeks before being hired as a part-time journalist there when one of the company’s journalists was overseas on assignment.

Although he was initially told that the job would last only two weeks, he was able to demonstrate such high quality work that the company offered him a permanent job before that fortnight was over. Read full bio...

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