Calypso or Soca
Sunday, February 3rd, 2008One would think or I had come to believe that the Art Form (calypso) had grown and improved since the early years in Dominica. In truth it has many things have changed from the styles of calypsonians to their presentations to even who sings calypso. However sometimes it seems like the more things change the more they remain the same, yes I’m take about reunion 2008 calypso finals being out of the country and only listen its difficult to have an opinion on the presentations but its easy to have one the songs and which ones can be called calypso and the ones which are closer to soca.
If crowd participation and favorites only makes for 10% of vote for a performer at the calypso finals why then are the finals judged in the same manner as soca monarch? I know and everyone who knows calypso including the judges know who sang calypso at the ‘08 finals and who sang something else. Not that there was anything wrong with their song except they weren’t calypso and belonged in a soca or road match competition. It seems judges make up there minds before finals night based on the most popular song/artists public opinion seems to play a bigger role than we realize in who gets the crown regardless of whether they actually sing calypso or not. Maybe it’s time for one more change like placing outsiders (i.e. Mighty Sparrow) in the judges chairs; people who’s minds have not been poisoned by the popularity of a song or performer but would rather listen to the presentation before them and say without bias that what is been presented is in fact pure social or political commentary which we all know calypso stands for. We’d like the popularity contest style of judging to be reserved for the soca monarch and road march king competition because these should be based on public opinion air play and by extension popularity. Calypso cannot be judged the same way.