While most Americans will be looking at the Superbowl this weekend played in New Jersey, thousands of soca fans residing in Trinidad & Tobago will be preparing for the Groovy Soca Monarch Semifinals and the International Power Soca Monarch Semifinals.
The list of artists competing in both Groovy Soca Monarch and Power Soca Monarch Semifinals is listed below.
Calypso and Soca provide the oxygen for carnival. Without calypso and soca there is no carnival. Trinidad & Tobago 2014 carnival season is in progress. It will climax on March 3 and 4 in a sea of color, glitter and women in scanty costumes dancing to the most popular calypso and soca tunes of 2014.
2014 CALYPSO TENTS IN FULL SWING
All calypso tents are opened. Performers in the Kalypso Revue Tent managed by Sugar Aloes include Sexy Suzie and Dr. Witty; artists in Kaiso House Tent include Singing Sandra who is already booked for the Mother’s Day Saturday Caribbean Concert at the Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts, Lani-K and Brown Boy; Kaiso Karavan Tent boasts of Scrunter, Kurt Allen and other popular artists.
Another major tent is the International Divas Calypso Cabaret featuring Many young and veteran female artists such as Lisa John and Sharon Alexis.
New York Calypso Tent manager Count Robin is singing at Kaiso Showkase in San Fernando.
There are more calypso tents across Trinidad & Tobago where more than 200 artists are performing almost each night. One of them will become the National Calypso Monarch of Trinidad & Tobago on March 2, 2014.
Meanwhile in frigid Toronto, New York, London and other cities, promoters are quietly organizing calypso-soca concerts and calypso tents that will be held during spring, summer and autumn. Many soca and calypso stars of Trinidad & Tobago carnival will be performing in those cities.
The first major concert in New York will be EVERYBODY’S Magazine Mother’s Day Saturday Caribbean Concert — artists already booked include Shadow, The Mighty Sparrow, Singing Sandra, Calypso Rose and King Short Shirt. More artists will be included. Tickets are already on sale and selling briskly. Tickets are at Brooklyn Center Box Office and online at www.everybodysmag.com.
Many artists and their agents are frequently calling EVERYBODY’S Magazine to be included in its New York Calypso & Soca Tent, August 26-September 1 at Tropical Paradise Ballroom. “The biggest challenge we have is choosing the 30 to35 calypsonians for the tent from Trinidad & Tobago, other calypso islands including the USVI,” says Associate Tent Manager Michelle Young.
LIST OF ARTISTS IN SOCA MONARCH SEMIFINALS AND 2014 CALYPSO TENTS IN TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
GROOVY SOCA SEMIFINALISTS
1 – 5 Star Akil (To Meh Heart)
2 – Chucky (Blazing)
3 – Tallpree (Jab Nation)
4 – Olatunji (Wining Good)
5 – Austin “SuperBlue” Lyons (Spanking)
6 – Fya Empress (Ah Ketch It)
7 – Cassi (Man in Yuh House)
8 – Benjai (Lick it In)
9 – Kurt Allen Sweet (Sizzling Summers)
10 – Erphaan Alves (Contagious)
11 – Lyrikal (Conquer Meh)
12 – Nadia Batson (Bad Influence)
13 – Mr Famous (Play More Local)
14 – Skinny Fabulous (Behaving the Worst)
15 – Syo (In de Air)
16 – J Angel (Nah Leaving)
17 – RKG (Multi Pumpin)
18 – Patrice Roberts (Doh Rough Meh)
19 – Jo Jo (Shake Dat)
20 – KRich (Go Down)
21 – Shal Marshall (Feel to Wuk)
22 – Preedy (Wining Champion)*
23 – Mr Renzo (Take Control)
24 – Amrika Matroo (My Business)
25 – Tasha (Keep Them Waving)
26 – Baron (Irie Party)
27 – Jahmoun (Party Non-Stop)
28 – Saucy (Chuku Chuku)
29 – Kerwin Du Bois (Too Real)
30 -M1 (Big People Ting)
31 – Biggie Irie (Need a Rhythm)
32 – Destra (First Time)
33 – Johnny King (Doh Over Expose)
34 – Ricardo Drue (Socaholic)
35 – Blaxx (Feting Away)
36 – Santeney (In de Mood)
37 – Devon Matthews (Greedy)
38 – Farmer Nappy (Big People Party)
39 – Ainsley King (Wau Jalguy)
40 – Ravi B (Bread)
41 – Lil Bitts (Roll It)
POWER SOCA MONARCH SEMIFINALISTS
1 – Sekon (Bag Ah Vibes)
2 – Lyrikal (Lockdown)
3 – Miss Alysha (On D Truck)
4 – Timel (De Soca in Meh Spirit)
5 – Snakey (The Dhoti Song)
6 – J Angel (Do Wah Yuh Want)
7 – Ann-J (We Love Carnival)
8 – Benjai (Come Out to Play)
9 – Hashim (Sittin)
10 – Jadee (Rollin)
11 – Swappi (Run to the Front)
12 – Mr Killa (Rolly Polly)
13 – Blaxx (Brok It Up)
14 – Sherrard Churche (Tizik)
15 – CC (Party Behind Meh)
16 – Skinny Fabulous (The General)
17 – Shurwayne Winchester (Raise it Up)
18 – Candy Hoyte (Paradise)
19 – Shradah (Bad Dis Carnival)
20 – Mr Famous (Hay Lay Lay)
21 – Iwer (Mama Oye)
22 – Destra (Mash Up)
23 – Kurt Allen (Mountain)
24 – Nadia Batson (Rated R)
25 – Patrice Roberts (Feting Di Most)
26 – Anselm Douglas (Broughtupcy)
27 – Devon Moses (We Want More)
28 – KI (We Mad)
29 – Ronnie McIntosh (We Bringing It)
30 – SO King (Pace)
31 – Crazy (Original Madman)
32 – Devon Matthews (Level It)
33 – Chucky (Gyal to the Front)
34 – Erphaan Alves (Hearing Ah Talk)
35 – Prophet Benjamin (The Seamstress)
36 – Boyzie (Mas Everywhere)
MAJOR CALYPSO TENTS 2014 IN TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
KALYPSO REVUE: SWWTU Hall, Wrightson Road, Port-of-Spain
National Calypso Monarch Pink Panther
Chalkdust
Sugar Aloes
Skatie
Baron
Bally
Swallow
Brian London
Devon Seale
Ninja
Kizzie Ruiz
Alana Sinnette
Michelle Henry
Tameika Darius
Nicole Greaves
Sexy Suzie
M’ba
de Mighty Trini
Teniel Cooper
Maze
Falco
Dr Witty
Marlon Edwards
Starr George
Yellows
Exposer
Rex East
Sprangalang
CG
KAISO HOUSE: Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain
Singing Sandra
Karene Asche
Duane O’Connor
Mr Chucky
Mr Famous
Bro Resistance
Bro Valentino
Explainer
Bro Mudada
Twiggy
Allan Welch
Brother Musa
Calypso Kerr
Dee Diamond
Bro Lasana
Rootsman
Lady Aeisha
Soft Touch
Snakey
Lani-K
Brown Boy
Marvellous Marva
Bunny B
Nirkesha Logan
Black Sage
Sister Ava
Mista Shak
Sharlan Bailey
Shradah Mc Intyre
Poser
Spicey
Kassman
INTERNATIONAL DIVAS CALYPSO CABARET: De Nu Pub (The Mas Camp), Woodbrook
Karen Eccles Thomas
Stacey Sobers
Lyncia Morris (Black Diamond)
Crystal Charles
Kerice Pascall
Calika Grayson (Calika)
Tenaj Smith
Lisa John (Diva)
Sharon Alexis
Vornique Benjamin
Sancha Scipio
Delina Diamond
Estherlita Lomans
Angela Ramoutar
Kalita Mayers (Kalita)
Heather Guerra (Simply Heather)
KAISO KARAVAN: Eric Williams Auditorium, La Joya Complex, EMR, St Joseph
Scrunter
Kurt Allen
Johnny King
De Fosto
Karega Mandela
Stinger
Eunice Peters
Kenny J
Lady Paula
Young Creole
Francine
Myron B
Asha Kamachee
Cardinal
Surpriser
Sheldon Nugget
Erphaan Alves
Dirty Curty
Eric James
Singing Sonia
Black Czar
Marinda Joseph
Skhi
Wolde Dawid
Jah Burke
Bro Alpha
Kid Callaloo
Anthony Johnson
Godfrey Pierre
KAISO SHOWCASE: Palms Club, San Fernando
Ras Kommanda
Lady Adanna
Protector
Abbie Blackman
El Drago
Joanne Foster
Mr Mack
Count Robin
Lady Gypsy
Tallish
Queen Victoria
Wanderer
Wackerman
Joseph Adams
Nikko
Kaiso Knobby
Rondell Donawa
Cyclops
Uprising
Black Byrd
Akiel La Borde
Andre Jeffers
Liz Paponette
Young Rose
Trever B
KLASSIC RUSO CALYPSO TENT: City Hall Auditorium, Knox Street, Port-of-Spain
All Rounder
Crazy
Contender
Versatile
Manchild
Bro Ebony
Lady Wonder
Hamidullah
Black Prince
Dr Will B
Shirlaine Hendrickson
Marva Mc Kenzie
Nefta Kojo
Typher
QP
Stanley Adams
Kaiso Mac
Gary Hercules
Mechanic
Revealer
Stockings
Dr Rhythm
Sideways
Helon Francis
Shylocks
Benny J
Diesel
Makeda Darius
Rasheed Latif
Smurf D Jockey
King Soul