In its second outing as an international competition, having originally started in 2015, the Yello International Bashment Soca Competition is to undergo major changes including a rebranding.
It’s goodbye to Phemenonal Friday at Kensington Oval and hello to the International Bashment Soca Competition and Beach Party, organisers and sponsor have said.
Not only will the competition be heading to the beach this year but there will be first, second and third place placements, they said.
A total of $120,000 in prizes is to be distributed, with the winner receiving $60,000, second place $15, 000 and third place $5,000, among other prizes. Each entrant is also to receive a performance fee for their participation.
The spokesman for the event, Shayne DJ Ras Edwards, announced the changes Wednesday night at Reggae Lounge as the contest was officially launched.
The competition, to be held on Saturday, July 6 at the Pirates Cove, will no longer also include the Sweet Soca and Party Monarch semifinals. It will be one competition followed by a beach party, Edwards said, which will include performances by International Soca Monarch Mr Killa and other regional artistes.
Entrants are also be allowed to submit songs that were written or produced after January 1, 2018 but must be at least 50 per cent bashment soca, according to the spokesman.
He said: “You can have 50 per cent bashment and 50 per cent any other genre of your choice so you are not limited to soca and you are not limited to anything. . . you are welcomed to get creative this year.”
Yello’s marketing manager, Pamela Roach, said that following the success of the rebranding competition, the company was pleased with the response locally and internationally with entries from Belize, Scotland, Canada and the USA.
Roach told reporters: “The International Bashment Soca competition gives the young talented artistes and performers across the region a platform and an opportunity to hone their skills and develop their talent. We are pleased with the development of the competition over the years and the exposure that some of the artistes may have enjoyed both locally and regionally.”
Registration for the competition is to open on Monday, April 1 and close on Friday, May 30. Also, early bird tickets are to be made available from Friday, March 29.
