Defending champion Iwer George performing at the 2007 Int'l Soca Monarch Finals
Sixty-two artists have been announced to compete at the 2008 Soca Monarch semi-finals. Only twenty (10 power/10 groovy) will move forward to 'Fantastic Friday' (Int'l Soca Monarch Finals) to be held on Carnival Friday February 1st.
3-time Soca Monarch winner Bunji Garlin has returned to once again face off against current title holder Iwer George. Also making a grand return is Soca Monarch's all-time title winner, Superblue, who will look to add to his record 5 wins.
In the Groovy Soca Monarch category, Biggie Irie will defend against some veteran talent as well as the likes of new-comers Kees Dieffenthaller and Zoelah to the competition.
The 2008 semi-finals takes place on Friday January 25th, and the finals will take place on Friday February 1st at the Queens Park Oval.
The power and groovy soca monarch semi-finalists are as follows:
GROOVY SOCA MONARCH SEMI-FINALISTS
1. Ainsley King
2. Brent Anthony
3. C'Donnia
4. Cassi
5. Devon Matthews
6. Eunice Peters
7. Farmer Nappy
8. Gary Cordner
9. Jamesy P (St. Vincent)
10. Kees Dieffenthaller
11. Keegan Taylor
12. Laura Pereira
13. Mr Dale (Barbados)
14. Michelle Sylvester
15. Mr Chucky
16. Nadia Batson
17. Patrice Roberts
18. Peter C Lewis
19. Peter Ram (Barbados)
20. Skhi
21. Shal Marchall
22. Shurwayne Winchester
23. Terry Seales
24. Teddison John (St. Lucia)
25. Tony Prescott
26. Tizzy (Antigua)
27. Third Bass
28. Tracey D
29. Zoelah (St. Vincent)
30. 3Suns
31. Marie Anne
32. Faye-Ann Lyons
POWER SOCA MONARCH SEMI-FINALISTS
1. Allan Piper
2. Blaxx
3. Bunji Garlin
4. Crazy
5. Dawg-E-Slaughter
6. Denise Belfon
7. Eustace and Phive Pound
8. Fireball
9. Kurt Allen
10. Keisha Stewart
10. Lil Rick
11. Lil Bits
12. Luni and Electrify
13. Nadia Batson
14. Nnika (Grenada)
15. Ms Alysha
16. Olatunji Yearwood
17. Patch
18. Pelf
19. Problem Child
20. Ricky T
21. Rootsman
22. Rita Jones
23. Shurwayne Winchester
24. Sanelle Dempster
25. Sean Caruth
26. Super Blue
27. Tizzy
28. Young Marcel
29. Blazer
30. Faye-Ann Lyons
1 comment:
I live in Trinidad and Tobago, Woodbrook to be exact and I’m so feed up of all the Politics in the SOCA music in Trinidad, that’s what made me get out of the Radio Business.
Especially when Soca Monarch and the feting comes around. Now 2008 results was not a surprise to me, everyone’s talking about the nonsense that goes on every year, where artist are not judged on Merit but by who they want to give it at the time and who pays the most money to get there music played on heavy rotation “Payola”.
Bunji and his wife could sing nonsense like this year 2008 because they radio spots are guaranteed and these artist are given an Itinerary of all the fetes they have to appear in advance from promoters, before they even record songs for the season around September/October.
Also when they do drop off there track its instantly put on constant rotation, just like what Machel is doing currently, passing a lot of money to the Radio D.js, so when you hear a new Machel/Bunji/KMC track appearing every week on constant Rotation you know why. Do you really believe its being played because of its lyrical content or because it’s good?
Machel, don’t get me wrong I don’t mind hearing his music because the guy is really good, But when I see young artist approaching me asking why there not hearing there music played which I might add is very very good production wise, even 100 times better than the big artists, I am almost tempted to tell them they have to pay the big bucks, but how could I, what would be my faith? At the station and my safety with these criminals, I would be black listed and I would have no means of making a living on the music scene in My country.
Imagine Bands are given an Itinerary months before carnival, like around sept/oct of fetes they have to appear in, no matter what they sing. The Paul Richards and the Tony Chow Lin on “Chinese Laundry 96.1” Lets hope will no longer control what is to be made a hit or not and what is to be played because who “doh like who etc”
Now with the Added Radio stations in Trinidad, hey we could only hope, that all this miraculously comes to and end, but thank God I’m out of all this mess anyway.
I have a Good job and doing well at my new job Leaving all that darkness behind was the best I had ever done, all that money at Carnival time that was being passed was tempting but I have a conscience I’m really sorry for the music scene in Trinidad and Tobago and the poor and upcoming artist that work so hard and save to record there music.
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