Duane Tazyah O’Conner the 20-year-old son of former calypso monarch Duane O’Connor was crowned as the 2023 Calypso Monarch as carnival celebrations continue in Trinidad and Tobago ahead of its climax on Tuesday with the traditional street jump-up and parade of the bands.
Duane Tazyah O’Conner won the TT$800,000 (One TT dollar=US$0.16 cents) first prize inclusive of a brand new vehicle from a field of 12 contestants at the Dimanche Gras Show held at the Queen’s Park Savannah in the heart of the capital.
The 20-year-old former Junior Calypso Monarch, who placed second in this year’s Young Kings competition, is the son of former monarch Duane O’Connor who had won the competition in 2012 with The Hunt Is On and Long Live Calypso. He was among the 40 semi-finalists for this year’s competition but failed to advance to the finals.
The new monarch won with his rendition Sing Hallelujah in which he gave thanks for the positive things in Trinidad and Tobago, now emerging from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that resulted in a shutdown of the country.
The second place and the People’s Choice Award in the monarch competition, which formed part of the Mother of All Carnival” celebrations, went to Kerine ‘Tiny’ Williams-Figaro for her tune To You with Love, while former monarch Karene Asche placed third with her song Oasis.
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