Following over six hours of competition last Saturday at the Calypso Finals, Ti Carro beat out nine other artistes to the 2019 Calypso Monarch award. Contenders included last year’s winner T.C. Brown, Ambrose the Juiceman, Chocolate, Educator, Menell, Ready, Taker, Teddy Boy and Walleigh. Not even the night’s heavy rain could dampen the spirit of the event. The show attracted massive turnout to the Vigie playing field venue, all patrons armed with umbrellas.
T. C. Brown sang Both Arms and We The People. The first was a tribute to Botham Jean, the Saint Lucian who was killed in his Dallas apartment last year by an off-duty police officer. The crowd’s response was somewhat chilly. His second number was better received. It called on Saint Lucia’s leaders to lead by example, to uplift and inspire the nation.
Performing Act Your Age, eventual champion Ti Carro had the audience chanting and cheering from the first few notes. The song’s lyrics note that at age 40, Independent Saint Lucia often carries on as if this were still pre-Independence. The song touched on the shortcomings of our justice system, the state of healthcare, the comatose banana industry and limited washroom facilities in the capital. Queried Ti Carro’s song: “Saint Lucia, if after 40 years you can’t pass that stage, when will you act your age?” His second song, Remote Control, cited his “favourite prime minister” Allen Chastanet.
Another great performance came via Chocolate who sang Wall Of Fame, based on the prime minister’s comments about children having children. While Chocolate described some fathers as only “sperm donors”, she regretted that the prime minister may have given absentee fathers a pass by his remarks about single mothers. She reminded her audience that much of our society was built on the backs of single mothers. Her Wall of Fame included the names Alix Walcott, Fidelia Poleon and Lona Hinkson—mothers of Nobel laureate Derek Walcott, journalist Timothy Poleon and musician Ronald ‘Boo’ Hinkson, respectively.
In the end Menell came in 4th with 728 points, followed by T. C. Brown in 3rd with 736 points. In 2nd place was Walleigh tallying 765 points. Ti Carro was crowned Monarch with 791 points. “I cannot begin to soak it in yet,” Ti Carro said afterward. “I just hope that maybe when I’ve slept tonight and got up in the morning, this will still be real.”
As for the recently dethroned, Brown said: “It was good for me on stage. My crew and I did what we had to do. We were confident; we put on a real good show like the other calypsonians. I think the standard of calypso tonight was pretty high and I’m just happy that I was a part of it.”
He offered congratulations to the night’s big winner: “Well done to the reigning monarch. That’s what we do in kaiso; we bring messages, and may the best man win. Tonight Ti Carro is triumphant, he’s the man. We’ll all be coming for him next year!”
