NCF says just one entry in controversial category in Junior Monarch

There will be no Junior Bashment Monarch this year.

Chief Executive Officer of the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) Carol Roberts-Reifer revealed on Friday that only one entrant made a bid to contest the new bashment competition which has been at the centre of robust debate in recent weeks.

“When all the conversation and the dust cleared, we had one entry in bashment which was Lil Stathis and the judges felt that given the fact that it was just one entry that he would be judged and he can easily be judged under the category of soca,” she disclosed while providing an update on Voice of Barbados.

Roberts-Reifer described the development as “interesting” and made clear the song was of a high standard.

“That song is wholesome, the lyrics are funny, great use of imagery, nothing suggestive, no eyebrow-raising undertones or anything of the like,” she said

The NCF’s introduction of the bashment soca category in the Scotiabank Junior Monarch Competition this year had triggered strong criticism that the genre was wrong for children given the lewd lyrical content typically coming from adult artistes.

But the Foundation CEO made it clear that while the lone bashment entry was clean, the same could not be said for some offerings in the categories of soca and calypso.

“There are a couple of songs where we had to sit down with entrants and work with them, not on the beat but on their lyrics and on their themes, to ensure that they are in keeping with the standards that we require, and in lots of ways that proves our point – that it is not about the beat, it is the lyrics,” she said.

Roberts-Reifer maintained that introducing the genre was intended to give children the opportunity to express themselves and develop their skills.

In the meantime, this year’s Scotiabank Junior Monarch Competition is moving full steam ahead with a total of 15 finalists as tabulated by PriceWaterHouse Coopers.

Roberts-Reifer said the contestants will begin their training programmes for the competition which is set for Saturday, July 16 at the Wildey Gymnasium.

“They are almost in camp now. They are meeting with their mentors, they are meeting with arrangers, getting their music together; they are working on their lyrics, helping them to get to a point where they can take to the stage and it’s all systems go.”

In the Soca category of the competition, Joshua Blackman, Joshua Oxley, Kiah Shurland, Malika Goodridge, Leeka, Revenn Moseley, Sephon Sealy, Lil Stathis, 10 Speed, and Trinity Clarke will be competing.        

Alyssa Harris, Danesha Davis, Dondria Forde, Ethan Edey, Kadarius Allen, Kari-Anne Holford-Sam, Yahandje Daniel and Rimiya Wilson will contest the Calypso category. sandydeane@barbadostoday.bb