Story and photos by Samantha Simon
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The 2024 Cavalier Rum Calypso Monarch competition brought excitement and stellar performances to Carnival City, with King Young Destroyer successfully defending his crown.
The competition was marked by the highly anticipated return of Queen Singing Althea after a six-year hiatus, adding an extra layer of excitement to an already electrifying atmosphere.
Her comeback was rewarded with a second-place finish and a prize of $25,000, proving she hasn’t lost her touch.
Ge’Eve secured third place, and a $20,000 prize, rounding out a podium that represented both established talents and rising stars in the calypso world.
The results stand in contrast to last year’s competition, where King Young Destroyer won his very first crown in the competition, followed by King Zacari and King Fiah as runners-ups, making for an all-male winner’s circle.
King Young Destroyer’s repeat victory, earned him the top prize of $30,000. His win adds another chapter to his lengthy career, which began in the junior calypso competitions.
His winning song, “De Convention,” was politically charged, similar to the song he sang for his 2023 win, and was his first time singing a song that he wrote himself.
Young Destroyer explained the inspiration behind the song, stating, “It’s basically inspired by the convention that took place in the UPP that started a lot of division in the Party, and started a lot of infighting in the Party.”
Willie Wawa set the tone for the evening with his thought-provoking mic-check-performance of “Controversy,” a song that pointedly addressed concerns about transparency in the judging criteria.
With lyrics like “Who change the criteria? Calypsonians want to know,” Wawa set a tone of scrutiny that would persist throughout the competition.
Addressing concerns about the future of calypso, Young Destroyer offered insight: “I don’t think it’s a dying art form…We as calypsonians, and sometimes some of the songs we’re singing are not too entertaining, so sometimes we have to try and focus on entertaining people rather than educating people, and trying to be paragons of virtue.”
The night was filled with memorable performances, including Stumpy’s powerful social commentary, made even more impressive by his recent health challenges.
Lady Melody’s growth was recognized with the Oscar Mason Most Improved Calypsonian Award, while Faithful brought humour to the stage, winning best humorous calypso.
While some concerns about the judging criteria were raised by calypsonians after last year’s competition, which saw a change to the judging criteria as well as the judges withholding details on the judging after the semi-finals, the overall event showcased the vibrant and enduring nature of calypso in Antigua and Barbuda.
Adding to the controversy, most competing calypsonians departed shortly after the winner’s announcement, fuelling speculation about their dissatisfaction with the competition’s outcome.
Social media reflected similar sentiments, with many users specifically congratulating only G’Eve and Queen Singing Althea, who placed third and second respectively.
