00:00Gates the Skinners Park will open to patrons at 12 p.m. on February 7th
00:04with a showtime for the Calypso Fiesta semifinals carded for a 2 p.m. start.
00:0940 Calypsoians are expected to grace the stage.
00:12President of the Trinbago Unified Calypsoians Association, Ainsley King,
00:17is setting his expectations high as he provides a reminder to the artists.
00:21I want to express that we are looking forward to a great show.
00:30But for you, the contestants, I think that a lot of people forget at times.
00:37It's not about a good song. It's not about your popularity.
00:41It's how you utilize the few minutes you have for your performance,
00:47and that makes a whole difference.
00:52The competing Calypsoians have drawn their numbers for the order of their performances.
00:57Nikos Thomas Clark, opening with position number one, Sacrifice.
01:05In 2025, Kenneth and Lewis, known by his subruque young brother,
01:10took the National Calypso Manak competition stage by storm with his song We Rise.
01:15So too did Anthony Le Fleur, better known as Squeezy Rankin, with Justice.
01:19Their performances both ushered them into the finals.
01:22This year will be their second time around, with young brother performing in 17th position,
01:28singing The Messenger, and Squeezy Rankin coming on 6th singing Rat Race.
01:34But there is at least one newcomer to the competition, Mohamed Muakil,
01:37the lead singer of Freetown Collective, who will perform his song titled Calypso.
01:42He says older Calypso veterans, like Sparrow and Shadow, each had their own signature styles.
01:47But he feels this has been lacking, save an except for a few, and it inspired him to venture into the Calypso arena.
01:55For me, it is a thing of coming in as an artist, coming out of the mainstream,
01:59to shake it up a bit, like do different things inside of there.
02:02You know what I mean?
02:03I think Calypso needs to return to the people fully.
02:06Calypso should exist and live in the mainstream like any other music.
02:10Now you are performing in position number nine.
02:13How do you feel about that position?
02:14Honestly, whatever position I drew, I would have been happy.
02:17I mean, what is written is written, so I just go in and do what I have to do.
02:21Muakil's intention isn't to stick within tradition.
02:25When we inherit tradition, we have to sift through it and decide,
02:28what do we keep, what are we not keeping?
02:30Because sometimes there are aspects of our tradition that are toxic.
02:33There are things we don't need to keep, and there are things that we have to hold on to for their life.
02:37And we, every generation, have to decide what those things are.
02:40As for some of the more seasoned artists, they include Brian London, Chuck Gordon,
02:45Father and Son, Taziah O'Connor and Duane O'Connor,
02:48and from the ladies, the Calypso Princess, Carina Shea, Lady Adana, Heather McIntosh, and more.
02:55As for the closing act on the semifinals day...
02:57Forte, Terry Lyons, Forte, with blessings.
03:07All Forte Calypsoians will be vying for 12 spots in the finals to go up against the reigning champion,
03:13Helon Francis.
03:15As for the prize structure...
03:16First prize at the final will be $1,000,000 TT.
03:21Second prize, $500,000 TT.
03:27Third prize, $350,000 TT.
03:34Fourth prize, $250,000 TT.
03:39Fifth prize, $175,000 TT.
03:44Calypsoians placing sixth to twelfth will be rewarded $45,000 each.
03:50Alicia Boucher, TV6 News.
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