Stephen Marcelle is the 2013 Young King Calypso Monarch. The competition was staged on Monday night by the National Action Cultural Committee (NACC), at Queen's Hall, St Ann's.
Singing in position ten among 19 contestants, Marcelle wowed the capacity-filled auditorium, singing Politics Does Spoil De Lime, composed by Christophe Grant.
At the end of his performance, amidst rapturous applause, the emcee had to remind the audience that encores are not permitted in competition.
Marcelle has been entering the Young King contest for eight years. In 2011, he placed fifth and, last year, placed second, behind Duane O'Connor, the eventual National Calypso Monarch.
Interestingly, the judges have not selected Marcelle for Saturday's national monarch semifinals at Skinner Park, San Fernando. However, three of his Generation Next calypso tent colleagues � Terri Lyons, Khadja Antoine, Marion Pamponette � got the judges' nod.
"You'll have to ask the TUCO judges why I wasn't selected for Skinner Park," said Marcelle yesterday. "The reality of finally being the Young King hasn't set in as yet. I am happy though that I got the win for my band Traffik Plus. It just feels very good. For me there can be no more Young King competitions and was you win you cannot reenter, and I am now focusing on my future in calypso, taking my game up a notch to make it to the (Queen's Park) Savannah for a national monarch crown."
Runners-up to Marcelle were Dillon Thomas, singing For A Crown, and Sergio Francisco, son of Calypso King of the World Mighty Sparrow, rendering When You Take A Life.
2013 Young King Calypso Monarch results
1st � Stephen Marcelle � Politics Does Spoil De Lime
2nd � Dillon Thomas � For A Crown
3rd � Sergio Francisco � When You Take A Life
4th � Hamidullah � Able Disable
5th � Helon Francis � Tainted Legacy
6th � Roderick "Chucky" Gordon � Bear With Me
7th place �Mister Nature � Key to Success
8th place � Jadee � Mind Yuh Own Business
9th place � Kenson Neptune (Ninja) � Ah Buying
10th place � Dr Will B � Mr Blackberry 180 Degree
10th place � Calypso Prince � Asylum Without A Gate