5 newcomers to battle oldstagers in Calypso semifinals

Five newcomers will join seventeen veterans on the stage for Fantastic Friday, as the On Tour Calypso Tent tops the number of calypsonians chosen for this year’s calypso semifinals.{{more}}

On Tour tent leader Grantley ‘Ipa’ Constance will be holding his own against his daughter Sherika, as she makes her way into the semifinal arena for the very first time.

The young Constance joins Soharo and Man Zangy as the two other newcomers from that tent who will face the judges on June 18 at the Victoria Park.

Apart from former monarchs Ipa and Vibrating Scakes, Patches, Zion I, Struggler and Ranking Bash make up the nine from On Tour.

The other two newcomers to the ‘Big Yard’ hail from the New York based Dynamites Calypso tent in Brother Don and Striker, who will accompany The Exposer on the trip down, seeking a place in the finals.

From the Graduates Calypso Tent, veterans Sulle, Tajo, Bump I, Jah Burke, Sunny Banks, Lexi, Black Messenger and Bo Salt have been selected, while 2010 New Song winner Brother Ebony and GC secured places from the Upstage Experience.

The semifinalists are expected to perform one song in the semifinals, and if they get past that round, they will have a chance to sing two calypsos at Dimanche Gras on July 4, when they come up against reigning monarch Joy C.