“Calypso semi final 2018 . . . make some noise!”

“Calypso semi final 2018 . . . make some noise!”

18 acts, two rounds and plenty of Piton

[dropcap]W[/dropcap]ith the next generation of calypsonians beginning to rise on Saint Lucia’s music scene, it may be a surprise that performers such as Mighty Sizzler and T. Blacks didn’t make the final cut. That is not to discredit the young talent; it only shows how strong the competition is. Mighty Sizzler, who is only 14 years old, was on the big stage, performing for a spot in the top nine finalists. But, as he explains, performing with more experienced calypsonians is becoming more and more normal for him.

“This isn’t the first time that I made the semi-finals,” he says. “The first time was back in 2016 when I was 12 years old.” Mighty Sizzler made history in Saint Lucia that year, being the youngest person ever to compete in the Calypso-Monarch semi-finals. He says he feels “extremely proud”. Now, Sizzler says he feels more at ease up on stage because he has already been there once before. Not to mention, he was performing alongside one of his idols, someone who has helped propel his career to where it is now.

“Robbie was the one who pushed me until 2016,” he says, “when the former prime minister removed the age barrier.”

Sizzler was first introduced to calypso in 2012 when he auditioned for the school show. There were three different divisions to audition for and, after a second-place finish in power soca, he tried calypso the following year. He hasn’t looked back since.

Calypso is a platform for Sizzler, just like many fellow calypsonians. It is a creative way to express his thoughts and opinions. According to Sizzler, that’s an essential part of a young person’s life. “I think that it is important for young people to give their perspective and give their view,” he says, speaking about the need for a variety of outlooks in the genre. And he says he will be back again next year to continue competing and delivering his messages.

Although Sizzler didn’t make it this year, hundreds of other Saint Lucians still packed into the Cultural Centre for the Calypso-Monarch semi finals on Sunday July 1 to see, firsthand, which calypsonians have what it takes to compete for the 2018 finals later in the month.

Spanning over six hours, the concert featured 18 of Saint Lucia’s finest and most promising calypsonians. From the likes of The Blacks, TC Brown and Nintus, Sunday night was a festive and passionate evening to initiate the second month of Saint Lucia Carnival. After two rounds of performances, the audience exited the arena and left the judges with the difficult job of choosing which nine competitors will move on to the finals.

The following day, on Monday afternoon, the Events Company of St. Lucia Inc. and Calypso Management Committee released the names of the contenders who will be moving on to the final round: Invader, Lady Leen, Nintus, Oshun, Ready, TC Brown, The Blacks, Ti Caro and Walleigh.