Aloes, Shadow out Calypso Monarch
Former monarch gets toilet paper greeting...
Kevon Felmine (T&T Guardian)
Published: Monday, February 9, 2015Michael “Sugar Aloes” Osouna looks at the crowd waving toilet paper at him during his performance of his calypso "Bounce Back" at Calypso Festa in Skinner Park, San Fernando on Saturday.After 19 years in the National Calypso Monarch competition Devon Seales is hoping to make his mark at Sunday’s finals where he will come up against reigning monarch Roderick “Chucky” Gordon. Both Seales and Gordon will face stiff competition from two former monarchs—Karen Asche and Duane O’Connor— who delivered passionate performances on Saturday before a massive Skinner Park audience at the Calypso Fiesta show.
However, the other two monarchs in the competition Winston Bailey, the “Mighty Shadow” and Michael “Sugar Aloes” Osouna did not advance. There was no bouncing back to calypso lovers’ favour for Sugar Aloes as he was greeted with toilet paper from the get go. It was a humiliating appearance for the veteran calypsonian who saw only drapes of white plies while performing his calypso, Bounce Back.
Other finalists who sent the crowd into a frenzy were Selvon “Mistah Shak” Noel and Victoria “Queen Victoria” Cooper who delivered hard hitting political commentaries. The Original De Fosto Himself (Winston Scarborough), who was overwhelmed by the crowd’s positive response to him after three years of toilet paper reception, will also return to the big stage at the Queen’s Park Savannah.
It was a hair raising performance from 38-year-old Seales who dubbed himself as Mr Consistent as he had the audience echoing his chorus “Go Now Please” from his song, My Humble Plea. Seales tough talking political commentary brought life to the show, saying afterwards that the audience was in agreement with his song.
He said, “It is a wonderful feeling. This is my 19th year at the Skinner Park competition and normally I would be considered as Mr Consistent, but I think this is the first performance where I got the crowd so loud in singing along with me. I think it expresses the sentiment of the nation. They are in agreement with me.” Seales said it was important to make a good showing as there were other good contenders in the show and would “leave it up to God” in the finals.
Equally sizzling as Seales was Mistah Shak with Target, which sounded like a second installment of his 2014 calypso, Bois. Instead of beating Government minister with “calypso bois” like last year, he became the “Kaiso Hitman.”
Saying that the People’s Partnership was destined to lose this year’s general elections, he threatened the People’s National Movement, singing, “Anytime you fail, I shooting all the snakes in the balisier.” Even President Anthony Carmona and his wife Reema came in for some criticism. Karen Asche was also labelled as a favourite for the title with her social commentary Every Knee Shall Bow, which called on powerful people in society to humble themselves.
Finalists:- Joanne Rowley “Tigress" - What you Willing to Die for
Myron Bruce “The Incredible Myron B” -
Devon Seales - My humble Plea
Victoria Cooper “Queen Victoria” - Venting
Heather Mac Intosh - Ah Gone
Duane O’Connor - Citizen’s Pride
Winston Scarborough “The Original De Fosto Himself” - Games
Selvon Noel “Mistah Shak” - Target
Karen Asche - Every knee shall bow
Brian London - Wishful
Neville Brown “Bunny B” - Multi Crisis