The Power, Groovy and Calypso Monarch Competitions received a major boost this year, as winners are set to receive $40, 000 each.
The finalists of each competition are guaranteed a monetary prize, the Carnival Planning Management Committee (CPMC) said this week.
The announcement was made at a dipping ceremony.
“Across all three competitions, the same prize structure will apply. First place will receive forty thousand, thirty thousand for second, twenty thousand for third, fifteen thousand for fourth, ten thousand for fifth, and everyone else will receive five thousand dollars,” Claude Paul, Chairman of the Carnival Music Management Committee (CMMC) stated.
According to him, in the past, “there were different levels of prizes for different shows, and as a first step we wanted to standardize and provide reasonable prizes for the top five places. This, I think, is a tremendous boost to the art form.”
Chairperson of the CPMC Tamara Gibson commended the artistes for their efforts, noting that “we see an improvement every year. This year there’s a lot of good music in circulation. The artistes made sure that their music was out very early so we’re very pleased and we commend them for that.”
Gibson added that this time around, a number of artistes took time to improve their craft “and I think the whole of Saint Lucia can attest to that. We wish them well because good music is really what attributes to improving the festival.”
Monetary prizes for the Calypso, Power and Groovy Soca Monarch Competitions total $175,000 each, bringing the grand total to $525,000 for the three national musical competitions.
In a post shared on Facebook, the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) said government is committed to developing Lucian Carnival and supporting the talented artists and musicians who work hard to create the rhythms and songs that energize Saint Lucia’s biggest cultural festival.
“Lucian power, groovy soca and calypso music are essential for the continuing development of our carnival product.
“Our calypsonians, soca artists, and musicians create the evolving soundtrack for Lucian Carnival every year. Their music and performances draw audiences from around the region and internationally to our island to experience Lucian Carnival,” the OPM stated.
This year, Arthur Allain will be defending his Groovy Monarch title yet again, whilst Imran Nerdy will defending his crown in the Power Soca Monarch Competition.
Ti Blacks, the youngest of the three, will be seeking to retain his title at the Calypso Monarch Competition.
The monarchs are looking forward to putting on a spectacular show this year and have indicated this much via social media.