Jeromy Rodriguez outperforms Aaron Duncan in Flavorite

Jeromy Rodriguez of St Mary’s Government Primary School stole the show yesterday at the finals of the Flavorite Supreme Ice Cream National School’s Soca Monarch competition and managed to wrest the crown from last year’s winner Aaron Duncan. The competition took place at the Queen’s Park Savannah. Rodriguez performed in tenth position and had the audience jumping and singing along with his song Colour Me Carnival.

The young entertainer encouraged members of the audience to support and promote local music in the hope of one day seeing soca on the international stage. Placing second was Stefan Camejo of Sacred Heart Boys’ RC with his song, 50th Anniversary Soca. Cheers erupted when 2012 monarch Duncan took the stage with his upbeat song We Representing.

Dressed in a red, black and white outfit and accompanied by his back-up dancers, the nine-year-old Newtown Boys’ RC student had audience members screaming “because it’s wettin” and chanting his name.

Despite a noteworthy response from the crowd, however, the popular young singer managed only third spot. This comes right after Duncan walked away on Thursday with the Eastern Credit Union School’s Calypso Competition title for the fourth consecutive time. In the secondary school’s category, 15-year-old Ferdinand Smith of Swaha Hindu College walked away with the crown, beating 12 competitors.

The Form Three student performed his song Back In The Dance—a tribute to soca icon Austin SuperBlue Lyons. Smith had students in the audience screaming as he imitated SuperBlue’s popular dance moves and microphone-flipping antics. Interviewed shortly after his performance, Smith said SuperBlue was his favourite local singer and he wanted to recognise SuperBlue’s massive 2013 comeback in the soca arena.

Junior Soca monarch competition

There was a three-way tie for second place including Shaquille Vincent of San Juan South Secondary School, Khiry Flemming of St Kevin’s College and Timel ‘Boy Boy’ Rivas of Hillview College. Rivas gave an energetic performance of his song Put Yuh Flags Up.  He was also the youngest semifinalist in the Play Whe International Power Soca Monarch 2013, though he failed to make it to the finals.

In fifth position was Anton Cumberbatch of El Dorado East Secondary School with his song Proud to Be a Trini. Guest performers included Swappi, Patrice Roberts, Farmer Nappy, Swappi and K Rich. The final performer for the afternoon was SuperBlue who had students, parents and teachers flocking to the front of the stage to get a better view as he performed his 2013 hit Fantastic Friday.

 Also present at the event was chairman of Caribbean Prestige Foundation (CPF) William Munro who was seen singing and clapping along with many of the songs sung by the young artistes.