International Soca Monarch is an annual soca music competition/fete event, the finals of which are held on every Carnival Friday (aka Fantastic Friday) in Trinidad and Tobago. Contestants in the event vie for two separate crowns or titles, the International Soca Monarch (aka the Power Soca Monarch) for uptempo songs (135 bpm and above), and Groovy Soca Monarch[1] for slower-paced songs (134 bpm and below). Between 2016 and 2018 a change[2] in format meant that contestants vied for only one award but this one category changed was reversed in 2019. In 2016 an additional award was added, called the People's Choice, then subsequently removed, which involves text message voting by Digicel subscribers. Subscribers could have voted multiple times for their favorite artist during the competition and the artist who received the most votes was given an additional cash prize. The International Soca Monarch competition has become the mecca event for soca artists in Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) where the event has been hosted since its inception; and also the rest of the Caribbean region, as many artists who have competed on its stage have moved on to successful soca careers. Dubbed the "Super Bowl of soca music" it is a highly anticipated and well-attended event that has been graced with internationally acclaimed recording artists such as SuperBlue (Austin Lyons), Machel Montano, Fay Ann LyonsSuperblue's daughter and Bunji Garlin's wife , Kevin Lyttle, Rupee (of Barbados) and Fay-Ann's husband Bunji Garlin (Ian Antonio Alvarez).
Soca musicians from around the region and the world are eligible to compete in the preliminary round of the competition and must attain the required number of points (in a preliminary judging) to advance into the semi-finals and subsequently the finals which is an action-packed event and has been televised and broadcast live (though not always [2]) to viewers in Trinidad and Tobago and (via internet streaming to) the Caribbean and other regions of the world. The competition began in 1993 as a local competition for soca called the Soca Monarch (aka Trinidad & Tobago Soca Monarch), and the event quickly grew in popularity as it always featured the more popular artists singing their favoured songs for each Carnival season. It was redubbed The International Soca Monarch in 1996 when for the first time acts from around the world became eligible to compete for a place in the finals and a chance at the envied title of International Soca Monarch.
At the inception of the competition, all soca artists (whether their song was uptempo or slower) competed for the same prize. In its current format, a distinction is recognised between faster-paced soca songs (135 bpm and above) and their slower counterparts (134 bpm and below) which can still become crowd favorites. Between 2005 and 2015 artists with these slower-paced songs had a chance to compete separately from the usually more hyped-up (and consequently more popular) Power soca songs/artists, and vie for a different title, the International Groovy Soca Monarch. Between 2016 and 2018 the Power and Groovy Soca categories were merged back into one category however in 2019 the growing distinction between both styles of Soca has officially been reinstated. Therein is official recognition of the evolution of Soca music into two distinctive subgenres.
Prizes
Prize money for the competition was raised to $1 million in 2009 for the Power Soca Monarch winner although reports by Caribbean Prestige Foundation indicated there would be a reduction in the prize money. Fay Ann Lyons, the 2009 winner reportedly received the full amount of the promised award (less 5% for administrative costs) when the prizes were distributed on March 20, 2009. Second and third-place winners received cash prizes valued according to their placing. In 2010 the first prize for the Power category was set at US$100,000 and the first prize for the Groovy Soca Monarch was increased to TT $200,000. The prize for 2018 was $300,000.[3] Prize money for the International Soca Monarch has grown over the years and was announced as being $1 million TT dollars for the 2009 winner when the competition was launched in 2008. Fay-Ann Lyons-Alvarez, the 2009 winner reportedly received her prize money (subject to a small deduction) at the prize-giving ceremony in March, 2009. T&T Ministry of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs have reportedly suggested future prize money be reduced to $750,000 due to the downturn in the global economy. In 2004, the winner received $150,000, which was an increase from the previous year.
In 2006, $500,000 and a car constituted the winnings for double-winner Shurwayne Winchester. In 2008, the first prize was also $500,000. Since 2003, all finalists have been guaranteed a cash award for their appearance.
Prize sponsorship
Past title sponsors of the event such as TSTT, bmobile and the T&T National Lotteries Control Board (NLCB) have in the past contributed to the cash awards for winners. In 2017 and 2018, the title sponsor was billed as Lotto Plus[4] and Play Whe[5] (respectively), which are both run by the NLCB. In August, 2010, T&T's culture minister announced a prize increase to $2M for the following year.[6] In 2014, a new category of "Carib Break Out Artiste" was added. It was awarded to Mr. Killa of Grenada.[7] The prize for the International Groovy Soca Monarch peaked at $500,000 TT Dollars.
History
The first soca artist to win the Soca Monarch title is Superblue. He went on to win the competition a record of seven times. This record is as yet unbeaten, although several artists are closing in on that number. Since the competition has been split into two back-to-back contests, there have been only three performers to simultaneously capture both titles: Shurwayne Winchester was the first in 2006, Fay-Ann Lyons the second in 2009, and Machel Montano in 2012 and 2013. Fay-Ann is also the first female winner of the International Soca Monarch in the Power category and the first female to win both titles simultaneously. Having also won the People's Choice award that year, she is the first artist to make a clean sweep of all the prizes at the International Soca Monarch. When the local T&T competition first became an international event in 1996, all contestants were required to pass the preliminary stages to qualify for the finals. In 2009, this was changed with winners from other countries' soca monarch competitions being automatically "seeded" into the final round. Biggie Irie from Barbados became the first non-Trinbagonian to win the Groovy Soca Monarch title in 2007. In 2019 when the separate Groovy Soca and Power Soca categories were re-introduced, Mr. Killa from Grenada became the first non-Trinbagonian to win the prestigious ISM Power Soca Monarch title.
bmobile TSTT People's Choice 2006: Bunji Garlin 2007: Shurwayne Winchester 2008: Bunji Garlin 2009: Fay Ann Lyons-Alvarez 2010: JW & Blaze 2011: Neil 'Iwer' George 2012: Machel Montano 2013: Superblue
A new feature was added to the 2010 International Soca Monarch - text voting. Fans could text the relevant code to 7622 in the Caribbean and 78247 in US & Canada to vote for their favorite Artiste - text voting accounted for 35% of the artiste's final score. Text messaging platforms: TSTT - Trinidad and Tobago, Lime - Caribbean, All major carriers - USA & Canada.
Soca music is a genre of music defined by Lord Shorty, its inventor, as the "Soul of Calypso", which has influences of African and East Indian rhythms. It was originally spelled "sokah" by its inventor but through an error in a local newspaper when reporting on the new music it was erroneously spelled "soca"; Lord Shorty confirmed the error but chose to leave it that way to avoid confusion. It is a genre of music that originated in Trinidad and Tobago in the early 1970s and developed into a range of styles during the 1980s and after. Soca was initially developed by Lord Shorty in an effort to revive traditional calypso, the popularity of which had been flagging amongst younger generations in Trinidad due to the rise in popularity of reggae from Jamaica and soul and funk from the United States. Soca is an offshoot of calypso/kaiso, with influences from East Indian rhythms and hooks.
Rikki Jai is an Indo-Trinidadian chutney and chutney-soca musician.
Austin Lyons, better known as Superblue, Super Blue and Blueboy, is a Trinidadian calypsonian, soca musician, and lyricist.
Ravi Bissambhar, also known as Ravi B, is a Trinidadian chutney musician.
Machel Jesus Montano is a Trinidadian soca recording artist and record producer. Known for his high energy, fast-paced, and often unpredictable on-stage performances, he is one of the genre's most popular artists.
Shurwayne Winchester is a Tobagonian soca musician from The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, who has twice won the Road March title.
Ian Antonio Alvarez, better known by his stage name Bunji Garlin, is a Trinidadian ragga soca artist. He is also affectionately known as the Viking of Soca. His spouse is Fay-Ann Lyons.
Patrice Roberts is a Trinidadian soca singer. She currently performs alongside popular fellow soca artist Machel Montano in his band, Machel Montano HD. She is also a second cousin of singer Bunji Garlin.
Lisa Wickham is a media producer-director-TV personality in Trinidad and Tobago. She began her television career at the age of six on the weekly Rikki Tikki Children's Show, a live programme on the only national TV station in Trinidad and Tobago at the time, Trinidad and Tobago Television (TTT). She literally grew up on national television, eventually hosting shows such as the daily morning prime-time news and talk show T&T This Morning, the daily mid-morning talk show Community Dateline and the iconic teen talent show Party Time. In 2005, the government of Trinidad and Tobago closed TTT and in 2006 re-opened the station under the name Caribbean New Media Group (CNMG). CNMG was then closed in 2018.
Fay-Ann Lyons-Alvarez is a Trinidadian soca recording artist and songwriter. She is also known by the stage names Lyon Empress, Mane the Matriarch, and the Silver Surfer, a nickname which she claimed during her performance at the 2008 International Soca Monarch. Personally she's married to Bunji Garlin.
Heavenly Drum is an album released by popular Soca artist Machel Montano from Trinidad and Tobago in 2009. It was first launched at J&R Music World in New York City on June 19, 2009. The album marks Machel Montano's third solo release after rebranding to Machel Montano HD in 2007.
Lil Bitts is a soca musician from Trinidad and Tobago. She is best known for her hits "Bump", "Crush" and "Hold Meh".
Mark Antonio Jiminez, better known by his stage name Ataklan is a Trinidadian singer-songwriter and performer primarily of the modern rapso tradition. Ataklan has been referred to as "Trinidad's answer to Beck" and a "fiercely independent songwriter and singer and arguably the most original artist to have emerged on the island since David Rudder". Since his emergence in 1993, Ataklan has released tracks including "Flambo", "Naked Walk", "Flood on the Main Road", "Shadow in de Dark", "Soca Girl" and "Caribbean Swagga", among numerous others.
Bouyon soca is a fusion-genre of bouyon music originating from Dominica and soca music originating from Trinidad & Tobago and the other English speaking Caribbean islands. Bouyon soca typically blends old bouyon music rhythms from the 90s' and soca music creating a unique style soca sound. The style of music was made more popular to the Caribbean region by the likes of the producer Dada and artists ASA from Dominica with collaborations from Trinidadian and St.Vincent artist such as Skinny Fabulous, Bunji Garlin, Iwer George and Machel Montano. Noticeable hits includes Famalay and Conch Shell. With noticeable Bouyon flavored rhythms and sounds with the essence of Soca tempo and lyrical attributes.
"Differentology" is a song by Trinidadian singer and songwriter Bunji Garlin. "Differentology" was released by Sheriff Music on November 7, 2012, as one of the first of Garlin's offerings for the 2013 Carnival season in Trinidad and Tobago. The song was written by Garlin, and produced by Keron Thompson. Garlin stated that the song came to him while in an impromptu session with the guitarist.
Full Blown Entertainment is a music production and songwriting company based in the Caribbean twin-island of Trinidad & Tobago. They are responsible for the songwriting or production of songs for a variety of artists, including Boyz II Men, Machel Montano, 2face Idibia, Kes The Band, and Kerwin Dubois.
Claudette Peters, OH is an Antiguan soca and soul singer-songwriter. Peters is best known as Antigua's "Soca Diva" and the Queen of Soca of Antigua and Barbuda was the lead vocalist for the Taxik Band. Claudette has multiple Jumpy and Groovy Party Monarch crowns in which she won from the annual Antigua Carnival's Party Monarch Competition to justify her claim to fame.
Nadia Batson is a Trinidadian singer, songwriter, producer and model. She was a runner-up in the Power Category at the 2007 International Soca Monarch with her song "My Land" with Kees Dieffenthaller.
Gamal Doyle, better known as Skinny Fabulous, is a Vincentian musician, singer and songwriter. He is a five-time Soca Monarch winner for his home country Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and created history in Trinidad and Tobago winning the 2019 Road March title with his hit "Famalay" which features Trinidadian soca artistes Ian "Bunji Garlin" Alvarez and Machel Montano.
Travis Hosein, known professionally as Travis World, is a Trinidadian DJ and dance music producer, who works in soca and related genres of music from the Caribbean. He has produced tracks featuring many prominent Caribbean artists, including Superblue, Machel Montano, Lyrikal, Nessa Preppy, Konshens and Skinny Fabulous.
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