Chutney Soca Monarch semifinal draws packed crowd at Flava Village
2026-02-01 - 02:50
Andrea Perez-Sobers Senior Reporter andrea.perez-sobers@guardian.co.tt CEO of Southex, George Singh, described Friday night’s Chutney Soca Monarch semifinal as a clear success, as a large crowd packed Flava Village at the Queen’s Park Savannah for the first time in the event’s history. “The turnout was excellent at Flava. I think people actually came to see the Chutney Soca Monarch Semifinal because the front of the area where the stage is was filled to capacity,” Singh told Guardian Media yesterday afternoon. The semifinal featured 34 artistes and ran from just after 7.15 pm to shortly after midnight, with patrons staying until the end. Singh said there had been scepticism about staging the event in Port-of-Spain, but the response exceeded expectations. “A lot of people were sceptical about us coming into Port-of-Spain, but I felt confident that coming to Flava Village would be a success, and it was definitely a success. The show itself was a very good show.” The night was marked by cross-cultural collaboration between Chutney, Soca, and Calypso artistes, something Singh described as unique to the Chutney Soca Monarch stage. Among those appearing were Lady Gypsy, Freetown Collective, Oscar B with Stargram, and the Mau Bros. A standout moment came when 95-year-old Lord Nelson took to the stage in support of the Mau Bros, joined by Rawytee Ramroop in their collaboration Coming Home. Singh said there was a brief pause to the show after KI Persad fainted while leaving the stage following his performance. Fire officers responded, and Persad was taken to the hospital. Southex confirmed he was dehydrated and was recovering at home. Despite the setback, KI qualified for the final. Attention now turns to the Grand Final, where defending champion Soca King Machel Montano will face 14 other contenders for the Chutney Soca Monarch, Queen of Chutney Soca, and Traditional Chutney Monarch titles. Guardian Media Ltd is one of the sponsors of the Chutney Soca Monarch. Finalists Stargram & Oscar B Lady Lava Shiva Lakhan Mr D.G. Master Saleem Ari Adesh Samaroo Wackerman KI Persad Savita Singh Rasika Dindial Daddy Chinee Nurizza Mau Bros