The 2022 Calypso Monarch will drive away with a fully electric Nissan Leaf valued at BDS$92 000.
The 17 finalists who, along with reigning Calypso Monarch Classic will face the judges next Friday at the Courtesy Garage Pic-O-De-Crop Finals at Kensington Oval, got the opportunity today to get an close look and feel of the Nissan Leaf 2022 during the official launch of the competition at Courtesy’s Wildey, St Michael, showroom, on Wednesday.
The artistes also drew the positions in which they will be appearing before the judges.
Rudifus of All Stars Calypso Tent and De Church Bell will be the first contestant on stage and he will be followed by his tent mate Teri who will be delivering Who Are We.
All Stars Calypso Tent’s John Yarde will be the third person to be judged with I Will Remember You, and Colin Spencer, also from the same tent, will follow with If Yah Do These Things.
Sammy G, also of All Stars Calypso Tent, will follow in fifth position with her song Dear Diary. House of Soca’s Quon will appear sixth with Animal Kingdom, and Billboard with his Recovery Plan will be the seventh contestant.
De Big Show’s Mr Blood who will be singing Mr Skeptic will be the eighth contestant to be judged, and he will be followed by contestant I-WEB, also from the same tent, who will be delivering Dear Lord.
Ranann from House of Soca with his song If I Was to Win will be the 10th contestant on stage. Shining Stars Imara will appear at number 11 with We Come Here to Work, and All Stars Calypso Tent Jude Clarke will be delivering Struggling at number 12.
De Big Show’s TC with her song Kaiso Reporter will be judged at number 13, and Chrystal Cummins-Beckles, also from the same tent, singing Crazy, will be the 14th contestant to be judged. Reigning Calypso Monarch Classic will be the 15th contestant to face the judges. Donella from the All Star’s Calypso Tent will perform Dat is Calypso at number 16.
House of Soca Doyenne will sing Love Affair at number 17. And De Announcer from the All Stars Calypso Tent will be the final contestant to face the judges at number 18 with his song Mia Loves D’s.
The reserves are Faith from House of Culture whose song is Culture, and Super Gladiators Calypso Tent’s Caribbean Queen and her song Can’t Blame De Children.
Regional Product Manager Courtesy Garage Samuel Gaston said following the two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Courtesy was pleased to be partnering with the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) once again to sponsor the Pic-O-De-Crop finals. Gaston said Courtesy entered the partnership with the NCF since the 1990’s.
“And from then until now, we have tried to do our part to support the arts, to support the efforts that all of you put in. And being an automotive business, the best that we can do is give you the best product that we have to offer.
“This time, the Nissan Leaf is such a product. As we know the intention by Government authorities is that by 2030 that we are fully electric so the winner will have a foot up on everyone else,” Gaston said.
NCF’s Chief Executive Officer Carol Roberts-Reifer expressed gratitude to Courtesy Garage for sponsoring what is one of the biggest events on the Crop Over calendar.
She said that despite the economic challenges Barbados and other countries have been experiencing, Courtesy Garage willingly consented to provide the grand prize in the form of the Nissan Leaf.
She said NCF intends to do all that is possible to ensure that the event is exciting and is a safe and responsibly produced event in the time of COVID.
“I have no doubt that each and everyone of you that has made it to the finals, each and everyone of you is committed to putting down the best show possible. Together we can again make it the most exciting Friday on the Crop Over calendar,” Roberts-Riefer said.
The CEO asked those gathered to remember deceased broadcaster Dennis Johnson who made a significant contribution to the development of calypso artistes in Barbados.
