WE were not surprised at all when Saint Lucians took to social media to denounced the judges’ decision regarding the winners of the Calypso Monarch competition last Saturday night at the Sab playing field, Vigie.
In fact, we would have been disappointed if Saint Lucians had remained quiet, knowing how passionate they are about calypso, a passion which always leads to spirited discussions about the outcome of a competition like the Calypso Monarch Competition.
What most Saint Lucians perhaps do not understand, despite their passion about the artform, is what lies beneath the decisions of the judges, on judging night.
There is general agreement that calypso, a captivating genre that originated in Trinidad and Tobago during the early 19th century, is more than just music—it’s a cultural expression, a rhythmic storyteller, and a mirror reflecting social and political realities.
We believe that most calypso lovers in this country understand that. What they do not understand, however, or have no knowledge of (perhaps), is the breakdown of this cultural expression, this mirror reflecting social and political realities into a criteria judges have to follow.
Let’s try to put the above in perspective. Lyrics, Music and Performance are the big three in judging a calypso and everyone knows that especially calypso lovers. But do they know that there are subsections within the main three sections which makes all the difference with the scores?
Take the lyrics section for example, which has subsections that someone judging a calypso must be trained in to understand. Sadly, too many armchair critics are not trained in such matters hence the flood of comments on social media denouncing the judges’ decision.
Do the armchair critics know that the lyrics of a calypso must have a distinct, unambiguously identifiable theme, must convey a complete, coherent story around the theme and that the verses must flow logically back into the chorus to re-enforce the theme and meaning of the song?
To all who found disagreement with the judges the night of the Calypso Monarch finals 2024, are you aware that even the Lyrics, which carries high points, must be judged based on the use of satire, subtlety, double entendre, irony, play on words, marriage of the words and a host of other things, such as how smoothly the lyrics flow with the musical arrangement, melody and more?
Even the arrangement of the calypso comes under scrutiny by the judges. They also have to consider whether the arrangement and melody are original pieces and whether the calypso has strong, melodious appeal. Then there is the rendition of the song. What can we say on that that have not been fully witnessed on the big stage the night of a competition.
Many of us are aware of calypsonians who seem certain of scoring big in a competition but stumble when it comes to their rendition. Either he/she does not use her/his voice effectively to interpret his/her song. Is he/she in the proper key when singing the song? Is he/she even singing calypso, making us wonder whether the song is a calypso or is in the style of calypso?
Then there is presentation, which we will not go into as most, if not all calypso lovers know, this has to do with use of the stage, demonstration, meaning props and whether it is used to effectively bring out the message in the song and more.
Unfortunately, armchair critics—those not trained in these nuances—often flood social media with comments denouncing judges’ decisions. Until calypso lovers grasp the multifaceted aspects considered for scoring, disagreements will persist. Whether it’s the intricate lyrics, the soulful melody, or the captivating stage presence, each element contributes to the magic of calypso and the scoring sheet.
So, next time you, the passionate calypso lover, discuss the Calypso Monarch Competition with an intention to denounce the judges’ decision, remember to take into consideration the above nuances. If that is not done then disagreements, as noted above, about the judges’ decision, unnecessary most times, will never stop in fair Helen.