Selvon Noel–Mistah Shak–will not take anything for granted when he squares off tonight with the ten other finalists and reigning Calypso Monarch Pink Panther for the $1 million first prize in the Calypso Monarch competition at the Queen's Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain.He already has one big success under his belt for the season, having won Best Political Commentary at the Kaisorama competition on Thursday night.
His calypso Bois was a crowd favourite at the Calypso Fiesta semi-finals at Skinner Park, San Fernando, last weekend–and a surprise to many people who didn't know anything about him until then.Before hundreds of patrons in the Dimanche Gras show tonight, Noel will sing Bois and Crime Around the Clock.
"I always tell people I take part in competitions, but I am not of competitions. Whether I walk away with the crown or not on Sunday, in the eyes of the people they have already crowned me their king because I have expressed in my song the things they wanted to say."Any one of the competitors could be my biggest competition. I am not taking anyone for granted. Nor am I taking it for granted that I am going in there with a popular song so I could rock back."
He said winning the title has not crossed his mind, and he was focusing on delivering to the best of his ability.
'Not me and politics'
Bois, which Noel wrote, is critical of the People's Partnership Government. The political commentary song, heard by thousands at last Saturday's Calypso Fiesta, generated mixed views on social media and radio stations.Hailing from Siparia, the constituency of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Noel said Bois was crafted 18 months ago, but last year he left it untouched, since he felt the timing was not right to release the song.
Early this year, Noel reworked some of the verses and took it to Kaiso House for auditions. It instantly became a hit. Every night when he performed at Kaiso House he received between three and five encores.Asked if Bois was too critical of the Government, Noel said, "It is not about attacking the Government. It's about dealing with the reality of the situation...and the reality of the situation happens to be that this Government leaves a lot to be desired."
Noel said when he penned Bois he did not expect to get so much feedback, the majority of which has been positive. Many, however, hold the view that Bois lacks balance, as the Opposition should have been knocked as well."These political things that we have had to face has had a lot of social repercussions. The reality of the situation is, this Government is in power. I think people are forgetting that. People are misconstruing the interpretation of balance."
However, he said the things the PP have been doing can no way be compared to the missteps the PNM had made. People were ignoring the message and instead attacking the messenger, he felt. When the PNM was in power he lambasted them too, he said, until they were voted out of office in 2010, and any political party that is involved in wrongdoing would feel the wrath of his pen.Noel made it absolutely clear that he was not a supporter of the PNM.
"I do not deal with party affiliation, but issues. When the time comes for me to exercise my franchise to vote I am not a die-hard anything. I am a diehard Trinbagonian. If this Government is replaced by another party I would remain as vigilant on them, as I have done in the past."
Asked what he would say if he were approached by any political party to sing on their platform for the 2015 general elections, Noel replied, "Never...ever. That is not an option for me. There is no need for me to think twice on that issue, because at the end of the day I am entitled to my political opinion and right."