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| Ramon George, BVI Soca Monarch 2019 Photo Credit: BVI Soca Monarch Facebook Page |
Original article published on July 25, 2019:
It's time again for the BVI Soca Monarch competition! Eight (8) competitors are vying for the title of 2019 BVI Soca Monarch - each artiste with his distinct flavor and style. The reigning BVI Soca Monarch from 2017 is JJ and he is competing once again in 2019.
After Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, festival was scaled down. However, the British Virgin Islands continues to progress and recover, and part of this process includes showcasing our culture and taking time to celebrate our emancipation from slavery. This year marks the 65th celebration of Festival in the territory and 185 years of emancipation from slavery.
The BVI Soca Monarch competition is slated for Saturday, August 3, 2019 at the Primetime Festiville and several regional artistes will also be performing including Mr. Killa known for "Run Wid It", Rupee known for "Think Twice" and "Tempted to Touch", Freezy known for "Woy", and Explainer known for "Lorraine".
The competitors include known band members and other budding artistes who are full of energy, spunk and talent. The songs listed below were shared by the BVI Soca Monarch organizers for the public to vote for their favorite. I enjoyed listening to all the songs and confirm that I would not want to be a judge for this show because the artistes have come strong this year.
Keep It 100 by TeeJay
TeeJay is a member of VIBE, the reigning BVI Road March champions. He is the lead singer of the band's "Eye Contact" and "Don't Leave". "I 'm so much better with you by my side, feels like I can do whatever, but I don't want to feel like I lied" are a sample of the lyrics. The song has a groovy feel, like a soca love song. The song flows well with the rhythm and pace so it's left to the actual performance to see if TeeJay will be the winner.
All of That by JJ
JJ is a member of OMG (Our Music Group) and is the reigning BVI Soca Monarch. His song gives a Caribbean flavour as he sings about coming to do "All of That". This song is an example of 'feel good' music that keeps your fingers and feet tapping. Lyrics include "Don't care if you want to judge me, is my life - is I decide to get on like I have no training". This song does reflect that JJ has some soca training though.
Chappy Boy 65 by Chap Chap
Chap Chap is well known in the BVI and his father, Chappy is also a known band man who sang in Primetime, the band the festival village is named after. Chap Chap sings "Waving up the flags, slavery is no more, freedom come through the door, I jamming til my body sore". This song is high energy with a rhythm that is synonymous with BVI Festival music. He is a serious contender and if the performance energy is high, he stands a good chance to win.
Rampage by Ramon
Ramon's song invites you to really have fun and go on a rampage! I hope that with the infectious rhythm and lyrics which entice you to move, Ramon will take the stage on a rampage when he performs on August 3, 2019. "We on a rampage, on the road Parade Day, we going leave it ablaze..." are some of the lyrics.
We Ain't Going Home by Pascal
Pascal is another member of OMG and he is not new to the music scene in the BVI. "We jamming again and we ain't going home, we got our friends and we ain't going home" are some lyrics. This is another high energy song with lots of rhythm to get you off your feet. The rhythm varies in the song and brings excitement to the listener.
Dilaahlaah FM by Mr. Bluez
Mr. Bluez's song is unique in style and rhythm and it seems to have influences from other genres. "Ahyu I think done, bring my other shot of the rum" and "The fete is my home, I'm a party animal" are some of the lyrics.
Wuk Up Permit by Jim Bob
I would say Jim Bob's "Wuk Up Permit" has the most fun and unique lyrics. I guess with all the improvements that the government is making with work permit processing, the song is ideal for this competition. Jim Bob sings "She here on a wuk up permit, shake your hips like you working for tips, homeboy don't rub up on it, cause a money man done eat it!"
Sip Sip by Diffy
Diffy's song "Sip Sip" is surely different. "Sip sip on it" encourages you to groove while sipping on your favorite drink at the festival bar. Lyrics include "Behind the truck, having my fun ..... we chipping and we sipping...." This is going to be an interesting performance.
I wish all the competitors good luck because the competition is looking tight. It's hard to say who is my favorite and since I do not have the judging criteria, I refrain from making any predictions.
** Thank you to Virgin Islands News Online for featuring excerpts of this post in their article, "Big $$ up for Grabs @ Fierce Soca Monarch Competition".
