Party Monarch comeback a hit, but changes coming, says Archer

The return of the Party Monarch may have brought the energy back after a six-year absence, but the new minister overseeing his first Crop Over has said the competition is far from settled.

A full review is now on the cards to modernise the event and ensure it remains relevant and sustainable for years to come, according to Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office with responsibility for Youth and Culture, Senator Shane Archer.

As the Party Monarch Finals ended on Sunday, Senator Archer said the decision to revive the competition had paid off, with thousands of patrons turning out at the National Botanical Gardens and hundreds more tuning in online.

“I’m very satisfied with the attendance and the overall performances, especially after a six-year break. Bringing back the Party Monarch was absolutely the correct decision made by this government.”

The response confirmed that Barbadians still have a strong appetite for Party Monarch and the role it plays in the Crop Over festival, he declared.

“Thousands of patrons came up to support the event, and hundreds more tuned in online, demonstrating that there’s still a strong appetite for this important part of our Crop Over Festival and, by extension, our cultural landscape.

“More importantly, we have reignited the conversation around Party Monarch and restored a platform that many believe was lost. The calibre of performances show the incredible talent that exists within our creative sector, and the public response yesterday was overwhelmingly encouraging.”

But while the comeback earned high marks, Senator Archer made clear the competition is still a work in progress:

“This is only the beginning for the Party Monarch. We recognise that there’s still some restructuring to do if the Party Monarch is to be modernised and to be made sustainable for the long term.”

The government would review every aspect of the competition, consult stakeholders and make the necessary improvements to keep it commercially viable and in step with the direction of Barbadian culture, said the senator who took up day-to-day responsibility for the festival in the Mottley administration after the February 11 general election.

Senator Archer noted that the successful return has laid the groundwork for what comes next: “Overall, the return has been a success, and it provides a strong foundation on which we can continue to build.”

Sunday’s finals marked the first Party Monarch competition since 2019, with Mikey Mercer sweeping both the Sweet Soca Monarch and Power Soca Monarch titles with perfect scores, bringing the revived competition to a high-energy finish.

(SM)