'Groovy' Giants Do Battle
Posted on Tuesday, 14 February 2012 by admin
Although not offering as lucrative a first prize as the International Power Soca Monarch, the Groovy category is the more exciting competition this year. This was underscored even further at yesterday's draw at the Hyatt Regency for performance positions this Friday's finals of the two competitions taking place at the Hasely Crawford National Stadium. The big guns in the Groovy Soca category are performing one after the other beginning with reigning Chutney Soca Monarch, KI in position 10. He will be followed by Benjai (11), Machel Montano (12), defending monarch Kees Dieffenthaller (13) and Kerwin Du Bois (14). Opening the night's competition in the Groovy category will be former Power Soca Monarchs, JW and Blaze.
Before the draw for positions began, host Marc Anthony invited the defending monarchs in each category to either select what position they wished to perform in or be the first to draw. They also had the option to stop the draw at any point and select a number for the receptacle containing the numbers. Dieffenthaller was not present for the draw and his manager, Simon Baptiste opted to be the first to pull a number. Defending Power Soca Monarch Machel Montano initially said to let it ride, but when Iwer George pulled position seven, Montano stopped the draw and went to pull a number getting position nine. First timer in the finals, Swappi drew position 12 to close the night's competition. Chairman of the Caribbean Prestige Foundation, producer of the Soca Monarch competition William Munro, warned the artistes that the top four winners of each category must be present when the results are announced. This usually happens in the pre-dawn hours and by then many of the competitors would have left to fulfil other performance engagements.
"We can't find the first four when results given. You have to be present. If you are not there, that will be a big problem. Don't treat the event like if you go to a big party and sing then go. You can't do that. I have always looked out for the artistes," Munro said. He would not elaborate on exactly what the big problem would be or if there will be any penalty. The chief judge, Josephine Torrel-Taylor, also had some words for the artistes warning them that they should not focus only on presentation as there are other criteria to be met. Torrel-Taylor advised them that they should also pay attention to rendition, diction, clarity, musical arrangement and lyrics, which she said are all as important as presentation. Torrel-Taylor also cautioned the competitors about comments accusing the judges and CPF of fixing the results and other such activities reminding them that the results are a combination of the points awarded by the judges and the number of text votes each artiste receives on the night.
Order of appearance:
GROOVY:
01 – JW and Blaze
02 – Shal Marshall
03 – Destra
04 – Super Jigga TC
05 – Chucky
06 – Nadia Batson
07 – Erphaan Alves
08 – Blaxx
09 – Patrice Roberts
10 – KI
11 – Benjai
12 – Machel Montano
13 – Kees Dieffenthaller
14 – Kerwin Du Bois
POWER:
01 – Michael Mercer (Barbados)
02 – Delroy "Fireman" Hooper (St
Vincent)
03 – Erphan Alves
04 – Destra
05 – Nadia Batson
06 – Shurwayne Winchester
07 – Iwer George
08 – Blaxx
09 – Machel Montano
10 – Prophet Benjamin
11 – Hard Knox (Antigua)
12 – Swappi
