PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Nine-time Calypso Monarch, Dr Hollis “Mighty Chalkdust” Liverpool is not among the list of finalists named for the 2019 title following the semi-finals in Skinner Park in Arima last weekend.
However, the nine-finalists include five former winners, including the veteran Winston “Gypsy” Peters (1997), Karene Asche (2011), Duane O’Connor (2012), Kurt Allen (2010) and Devon Seale (2016).
\Peters, a former government minister, sang “When Elephants Fight,” a tune on the political situation here, while Asche used her song titled “Loco and Broko” to give a satirical commentary on the number of Venezuelans leaving the South American country where the opposition has been trying to remove President Nicolas Maduro from office.
Seale sang “Two Face,” in which he says “not all skin teeth is smile,” while Allen sang Wha Yuh Say and O’Connor, Respect.
The other finalists for the competition, now scheduled for Thursday night in a revamped “Night of Champions” show, include Alex Gift (Tobago Chalkie), Alana Sinette-Khan, Anthony “Allrounder” Hendrickson, Dawren “Pharoah” Greenidge, Erphaan Alves, Joanne “Tigress” Rowley, Maria Bhola, Stacy Sobers and Young King 2019 Renaldo London.
The Calypso Monarch competition is among a number of events marking the 2019 Carnival celebrations that end here on March 5 with the traditional street parade and jump-up.
