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Junior Monarch Semis showdown Sunday

Out of the mouths of babes… hear the sweetest calypso and soca at The National Cultural Foundation’s (NCF) 2023 Scotiabank Junior Monarch Competition Semi-Finals on Sunday, July 2 at 6 p.m., at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre

Witness 26 up-an-coming artistes – 14 in the calypso category and 12 in soca – vie for their place in the final eight (per division) with songs that highlight societal issues and reflect the cultural zeitgeist. 

Attendants of the recent Scotiabank Junior Monarch Tents got a taste of what’s to come as contestants fine-tuned their performances for the night. Gesturing, inflecting and expressing like their older counterparts as they shared their offerings; some tackling hot button topics in their stanzas and choruses. 

Like bullying. Haylei Hailstorm Wise, with Both Sides, and Khalija Khaleesi Kellman, with De Bully gave multifaceted perspectives of the “tyrant” and how it affects the abused, the abuser, and provided suggestions for prevention.  

Sakarah Sakarah Thomas cheekily tackled hyper-connectivity with Alexa (“It’s like yuh phone smarter than you/You asking it what to do”), and Eden Potent Murrell’s Can’t Lash We lays bare the cultural contrast, between Barbados and the United States, as he addressed corporal punishment.

Eden’s sister, Destiny Destiny Murrell, lamented the factors that cause children to inherit the adult problems in their adolescence with My Environment, while Kenaz The Mighty Bit Bit Walker warned of the repercussions from detrimental influences on Drugs and Disobedience.

Kadarius King K Allen expressed his anxieties surrounding violence on Dear God; Sabiah Sabiah Gaskin’s Your Creation turned the mirror back on adults who wonder “How de yout’s get so?” (“It is you who teach we to cuss/It is you who teach we to fuss,”); and Danesha Danika Davis conveyed the long-lasting effects of losing a loved one to cruelty with Dear John, a tribute to her father. 

Relissa Re Re Mitcham also eulogised a loved one with My Granny, a deeply emotional reflection that brought tears to her eyes and to some of those in the crowd.  

Reserve Joshua King Boy King shared his spiritual solution to the nation’s adversities with Give Thanks, and Alyssa Slay Harris revealled her aspiration to follow in the footsteps of powerful women like Prime Minister Mia Mottley and Rihanna on Just Like These Women.

Her namesake, Alyssa Queen A Cumberbatch, used The Black Reality to call for unity within the nation, and Kiara Mhizz Khibaba Drayton-Archer’s Unity is Strength echoed that cry, arguing that we should prioritise coming together for matters of importance 

The soca artistes had, too, their say over a mix of pace, bashment and groovy rhythms. 

encouraged us to live a healthy lifestyle and combat poor eating habits, which can lead to non-communicable diseases, on Get Active (“Get yuh friends and yuh family/Let we start exercising daily”).

Kymani The Showman Devonish (We Doan Care and Ranesha Ranesha Stewart (Good Vibes) both proclaimed their relief of, and welcome to, the unconstrained return of the sweetest summer festival after the height of the coronavirus pandemic. Vivid depictions of the sights and sounds of our cultural spectacle were also delivered by Revenn YSR Moseley (Sweet Lime), Rimiya Majestic Miya Wilson (We Crop Ova), Thierry TiJay Belgrave (Ah Feeling), and Joshua Joshua B Blackman (Dis Sweet Festival)

On Jam Down, Rashad King Shad Applewaithe boasted how his impairment is not a hindrance (“My vision might be blurry/But dat int no worry”), and Sephon Lil’ Stathis Sealy and Rohjani Rohjani Shurland-Agard anticipated the ending of the school year with Fold In Half and Vacation respectively. 

Joshua Joshox Oxley used his storytelling skills to outline a conundrum and his solution on Push de Truck, and Trinity Clarke’s I Love Soca shared her affection for the genre and its effects. 

Markers have been laid and areas of improvement identified. Now it is on to the Semi-Finals, to see who takes their next step to the crown.   

The 2023 Scotiabank Junior Monarch Competition Semi-Finals takes place on Sunday, July

Culture

BEADING WORKSHOP FINISHES TODAY


Bishop Tarambawamwe runs Master Wire and Beadcraft, a South African company specialising in providing high-quality bead and wire products to both the local and international market. From growing up in Zimbabwe playing with wire cars as a child, to taking inspiration from nature for his amazing designs, he now brings his expertise to Barbados. The workshop features an all female group who will benefit from hands on training while learning how to monetise their new skillset on the way to becoming entrepreneurs.

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Culture

International Songwriting Camp

Twenty-eight cultural practitioners have reaped significant benefits from the International Songwriting Camp produced by the National Cultural Foundation (NCF).


Following intense practical, developmental and professional exercises facilitated by local and global premiers, the NCF-registered practitioners now have an increased understanding of the craft of global song writing, knowledge of publishing and songwriting, placements, licensing, and synching among other areas.


The sessions were held between September 30 and October 5, at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre where participants and producers had access to portable studios to turn penned lyrics into musical renditions of different beats and genres.


On Wednesday, the participants went on a field trip and were required to write a song for a commercial.

And on Saturday night, a listening session was held at the Sage Bar and Stage featuring the songs written and produced during the camp.


Singer and songwriter Casheda Dottin said she was grateful for the opportunity to participate in the comprehensive camp which has left her with a wealth of knowledge and skills which will take her career to another level.

“I am grateful to the NCF for bringing about this initiative to help creators improve their craft. It was such a phenomenal experience because not only were we able to do songwriting workrooms where we were working with different people, but every day we were able to experience working with different producers,” Dottin said.

She added: “And it was also interesting to see how I was able to gel with other writers and singers to create music. It was far from easy and sometimes it was very intense but we were all still able to work together to produce some wonderful music.”


Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Marley Kirton said it was an amazing experience obtaining advice and gaining knowledge from experienced professionals in the field.

“But at the same time it was so powerful to get to collaborate with local artistes who are established, growing, or trying to discover their careers. This camp is a reminder of the potential and talent among the younger generation here on the island.  My biggest lesson is learning not to hide my talents and that you should share them with those around you,” Kirton said.


The NCF came in for high praise for hosting the first songwriters camp of its kind which supports the realistic execution to reach the global standard which lends to reciprocation to earning sustainable income and reaching international standards.


Grammy Award-winning producer and composer Che Pope commended the NCF for investing in its creators.

“I don’t know if you realise that this is luxury. Many countries don’t have a ministry of culture and an NCF. There are only so many countries that invest in and care about the talent and the arts in their country.

“The US [United States] does not have a ministry of culture, the US does not give grants like Canada and places like Barbados. I hope you guys understand the opportunity that’s at hand,” Pope advised.


Composer, songwriter and producer Henk Pool was also impressed that the Government is investing in its talented young people.

Pool said while he would have passed on knowledge to the participants, he also benefited from interacting with them.

“I think the openness, warmth and talent of people was amazing. I travel around the world facilitating song writers’ camps everywhere and I would love to see Barbados song writers travelling around the world because the talent is absolutely there. They just need the chance to network and that’s why I love the Barbados government for doing this,” Pool said.


United Kingdom songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Josh Wunderlich, signed to DWB Music, said this was his first time visiting Barbados and noted that working with the cultural practitioners during the camp helped him to gain a wealth of knowledge about the island’s culture.

“We have been sharing ideas and creating songs that are completely unique. No one has ever heard anything like the music created during the camp because this hasn’t been done before,” Wunderlich said.


Meanwhile, Business Development Officer, Music and Music for Film, at the NCF, Lisa Howell, said the successfully executed camp was well-received by the cultural practitioners who began reaping results from the first day.

Howell said the practitioners are now in a better position to write and produce internationally marketable songs.

“So I would say yes we met our goal for this round and hopefully we have the support to continue to facilitate programmes like this. Barbados rose to the occasion. I am really thankful that we had some of our local premier producers and songwriters facilitating. We had Dr Stedson ‘RPB’ Wiltshire who was so invested in showing up every day,” Howell said.

The business development officer added: “We had local producers like Dwain Antrobus, Peter Coppin, Darien Bailey and Simon Pipe who were also facilitators. So we not only brought in global experts in their field, but we also showed our own local premier practitioners in their respective fields and that made us feel good as the National Cultural Foundation.”  (PR)

Caption: from left to right – Singer/Songwriter Munirah Nailah, Gospel Artiste/Songwriter/Producer James Cumberbatch, Singer/Songwriter Dania, DWB Songwriter/Producer Pete Barringer, Songwriter/Producer/ Gospel Art

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Culture

BPS Crop Over Do-Flicky Costume Competition Winners Announced

Five winning teams have emerged from the recently held prize-giving ceremony of the inaugural ‘Barbados Postal Service (BPS) 2024 Crop Over Do-Flicky Costume Competition’.

The winners hail from the Post Offices of St. Joseph; St. George; Welches Road; St. Philip and the General Post Office in Cheapside.

The overall winner of the competition is the eight-member team of the General Post Office’s Accounts Section, who each received an Island Safari Tour. Second place went to the Welches Road Post Office, third was the St. Philip Post Office, fourth was the St. George Post Office and fifth place went to the St. Joseph Post Office.

Winning Teams (flanked by BPS management), of the inaugural ‘BPS Crop Over Do-Flicky Costume Competition’, from the GPO; Welches Road PO; St. Philip PO; St. George PO and the St. Joseph PO.

Postmaster General, Joann Busby, in her address to the winners, stated, “We look forward to many more events like this in the future, celebrating both our history and commitment to excellence.”

Concept Creator of the competition, BPS Marketing Officer Neiai Hall said, “This competition aims to showcase the creativity and cultural expression of our staff, through costume design and performance. The theme of the competition is rooted in our rich heritage and the vibrant spirit of Crop Over.

On left – ‘BPS Crop Over Do-Flicky Costume Competition’ 2nd Place Winning Costume, On right – ‘BPS Crop Over Do-FFlicky Costume Competition’ 3rd Place Winning Costume.

“We have encouraged participants to design costumes that not only display their creativity but also incorporate elements that represent the services offered by the BPS”.

The judging criteria consisted of Sustainability; Creativity; Depiction of a BPS Service; Originality; Portrayal; Video Creativity and Originality; Practicality and Inclusivity and Descriptive Write-Up. 

Plaques were presented to each of the winning teams and the St. Joseph Post Office also received the Postmaster General’s special award for Outstanding Advertising Video in the competition. (PR/GIS)

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