The Queen of Calypso competition, which was revived last year after a 15-year hiatus, is now in limbo after being postponed from last Friday, June 7.
President of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Calypsonians Association, Earl “Caba” Bennett told iWitness News, on Wednesday, that his group is deliberating the staging of the show.
“We are looking for an appropriate date, given the packed carnival season but we should be meeting this week to conclude that. We are looking at various dates but because of the packed season, we are trying to see what is best, but we are definitely going to have the show,” Bennett said.
He said that the show was postponed because of the heavy schedule for the brass men. “So the ladies were practising with the combo side but the brass men were absent for the most part.”
Bennett explained that there are four tents in SVG and the brass men’s schedule was so packed that they did not have time to practice with the rest of the band.
However, one of the calypsonians who is scheduled to compete in the show, reached out to iWitness News this week, saying that she had learnt that the Calypsonians Association was considering having the show after carnival.
She said some female calypsonians feel as if they have no voice in the matter.
“No meeting was held after postponement was announced,” the artiste, who asked not to be named, told iWitness News.
“Having this show after carnival will be a dead show because what if some of us make finals, people are not going to be interested in seeing us again,” the calypsonian told iWitness News.
And, Bennett confirmed to iWitness News that his group is considering having the Queen of Calypso show after Vincy Mas, which ends on July 9.
“We want to have the show so a possibility exists that the Friday after, Friday the 12th of July, that’s a possibility. No decision has been made,” Bennett said.
He was told that there is a concern that if some of the females make it to the finals of the national competition, by the time the female show is held, would-be patrons would have heard the songstresses’ compositions and the impact might be lost.
“All those things would be taken into consideration. We are taking everything into consideration: what impact it would have if it happens after carnival, we are looking at the carnival schedule,” Bennet said.
He pointed out that the preliminaries for the national competition end Friday, June 14, and Black Rave is slated for June 15.
“We still have the issue of them not practising with the brass men so we definitely know that this week here is out. The next week, there’s the Tradewinds extravaganza on June 21. The 22nd is soca semi-finals. And the next Friday, carnival starts,” Bennett told iWitness News.
“We are treading carefully. All considerations are on the table. When we flesh it out, we are going to look at the pros and cons when we decide which date it is. But it is not an easy fix and that is why we have not right away said this is the date. Even if we have to consider having it in the week, we will do that.
“We share the concern of the female calypsonians and we want the best of the women in the art form and the general public and our sponsors as a whole.”
He said that once there is a concern, the Calypsonians Association will look into it.
“Once you have a date fixed and there is a postponement, it could have adverse effects on some persons. Of course, we will do everything in our power to make sure that we lift the profile of the show,” he told iWitness News.
Bennett said that 15 persons were scheduled to participate in the competition.
Joanna “Nubian Princess” Christopher is the reigning Queen of Calypso.