Ragga Soca finalists tune up for big show down

ON SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2026, the night of the Bid Bad Ragga Soca Monarch, don’t think you are seeing doubles if you see some artistes appearing on stage twice; it’s simply that they made the selection list in both categories, Ragga and Soca.

On Tuesday, June 16, 2026, the Carnival Development Corporation (CDC) released the finalists for the Ragga Soca competition scheduled for Saturday, July 4, at Carnival City Independence Park, Kingstown. The show, part of a two-in-one event, is scheduled to start at 8:00 p.m.

The finalists were drafted after the Sunday, July 14 Soca and Ragga Monarch Semi-finals Cooler Beach Party, at Bacchanal Bay- the decommission E.T Joshua Tarmac.

Reigning Soca Monarch Delroy ‘Fireman’ Hooper will appear first on stage in the Ragga Soca competition with his “Vincymas” before he returns later to defend his title in the Soca category.

Others who will take to the stage twice that night will be Claydon ‘Dymez’ Roache & Elrico ‘Da Pixel’ Hunte; Giovanni ‘GEO’ Anthony Collins; LeeJace ‘King Jace’ Bullock ;and Shorn Andrew Nimblet.

In a selection of 12 finalists for the Ragga competition, the youngest performer, and the lone female, will be a student of the Sandy Bay Secondary School, Princess Alexia ‘Lexi’ DeShong, singing ‘Dynamic’.

The other competitors are Colville ‘Shady layne’ Layne with ‘The Invitation’; Kester ‘Flanka’ Chapman ‘Land of Mas; the duo of Keith Currency & Jamarie ‘L Pank’ Stapleton singing ‘Alcohol; Tyrique ‘Dfusion’ Thomas, ‘Here to stay’ along with former monarchs Hance John doing ‘Bacchanality; and Javid ‘JayR the Artiste’ Rouse with ‘Home’.

Following the release of the finalists, the CDC said they introduced a new category, “The wildcard drop”, where the public has two chances to vote for one person they would love to see in the Ragga Soca final, and one in the Soca Monarch category The competition closes on Sunday, June 21, at 8:00 p.m.