Christophers take calypso crowns again

by Javorne Williams-Campbell

The Junior Calypso Monarch crowns will once again travel to the town of Layou, after a brother and sister emerged winners for the second consecutive year.

Kristian ‘Lil Kris’ Christopher was crowned the Primary School Monarch with his rendition of ‘Celebrating 40 years’, completing a hat-trick in the junior calypso competition.

The nine-year-old grade four student, who could not contain his excitement, said “it feels great” to be crowned monarch for yet another year. Second was Ziel ‘Singing Ziel’ Cain of the New Prospect Primary with her song ‘Clean up the country’. Third went to Jontiel ‘De man Jon-T’ Burke of the Paradise Primary with his ‘Fishing line’.

In the Secondary School category, Kristian’s big sister Kristiana ‘Singing Kristy’ Christopher won her fifth title, singing her song ‘Fragmentation’. The 15-year-old student, who won the competition four times representing the Layou Government School, won for the first time in the Secondary Calypso category, having won the Soca category last year.

In an interview with SEARCHLIGHT after being crowned, Kristiana stated that singing was in her blood and Vincentians can look forward to more from her, as she sees herself entering the national competition again, having reached as far as the semi-finals this year.

In second position was Damian ‘Boney Man’ Noel of the St Martin’s Secondary, who seemed to be the crowd favourite, with his ‘D man with D Plan’. Dalean ‘Lady Dale’ Nero of the Sandy Bay Secondary had to settle for third, with her ‘Save Sandy Bay’.

Both of the winning songs in the Junior Calypso Monarch competition were written by the children’s father, Wallace Christopher.

M’riah ‘Young Saiah’ Robertson of the Thomas Saunders Secondary was victorious in the Soca competition, outperforming the other eight competitors with her song ‘Carnival’.

“I was shocked, because I was not expecting to win, but I feel real nice, I feel real good,’ exclaimed the 13-year-old shortly after being crowned.

Singing Kristy, last year’s champion, had to settle for second position with her “Super heroes’. Delisha ‘Soca D’ Brackin of the Sandy Bay Secondary was third with ‘Gimme Soca’.

There were 11 competitors in the Primary category of the Calypso competition and nine in the Secondary category. The soca segment had nine competitors.

Schools represented were: Sandy Bay Secondary, with three competitors each in the Soca and Secondary Calypso category, Belair Government, Greiggs Government, Bishop’s College, Girls’ High School, Paradise Primary, Questelles Government, Gomea Methodist, Kingstown Government, Owia Government, Biabou Methodist, CW Prescod and Kingstown Anglican.

The show saw guest performances from seven-time Junior Calypso Monarch ‘Man Kemmy’ Christopher, who is a cousin to this year’s winners in the competition.

Also performing at the show were this year’s Soca favourite Dynamite and Hance John.

The winner of the Junior Calypso Monarch Secondary category, Kristiana ‘Singing Kristy’ Christopher, will represent this country at the Caribbean Junior Calypso Monarch competition next month.

Chad Blackman, a representative of the competition, speaking at the Junior Calypso and Soca Monarch competition at the Victoria Park on Tuesday, said the competition is being organized to showcase the talent of the young calypsonians in the Caribbean.

The competition is expected to be held in Barbados on August 20.