International Soca Monarch is an annual soca music competition/fete event, the finals of which are held on every Carnival Friday (aka Fantastic Friday) in Trinidad and Tobago. Contestants in the event vie for two separate crowns or titles, the International Soca Monarch (aka the Power Soca Monarch) for uptempo songs (135 bpm and above), and Groovy Soca Monarch^[1] for slower-paced songs (134 bpm and below). Between 2016 and 2018 a change^[2] in format meant that contestants vied for only one award but this one category changed was reversed in 2019. In 2016 an additional award was added, called the People's Choice, then subsequently removed, which involves text message voting by Digicel subscribers. Subscribers could have voted multiple times for their favorite artist during the competition and the artist who received the most votes was given an additional cash prize. The International Soca Monarch competition has become the mecca event for soca artists in Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) where the event has been hosted since its inception; and also the rest of the Caribbean region, as many artists who have competed on its stage have moved on to successful soca careers. Dubbed the "Super Bowl of soca music" it is a highly anticipated and well-attended event that has been graced with internationally acclaimed recording artists such as SuperBlue (Austin Lyons), Machel Montano, Fay Ann Lyons Superblue's daughter and Bunji Garlin's wife , Kevin Lyttle, Rupee (of Barbados) and Fay-Ann's husband Bunji Garlin (Ian Antonio Alvarez).

Soca musicians from around the region and the world are eligible to compete in the preliminary round of the competition and must attain the required number of points (in a preliminary judging) to advance into the semi-finals and subsequently the finals which is an action-packed event and has been televised and broadcast live (though not always ^[2]) to viewers in Trinidad and Tobago and (via internet streaming to) the Caribbean and other regions of the world. The competition began in 1993 as a local competition for soca called the Soca Monarch (aka Trinidad & Tobago Soca Monarch), and the event quickly grew in popularity as it always featured the more popular artists singing their favoured songs for each Carnival season. It was redubbed The International Soca Monarch in 1996 when for the first time acts from around the world became eligible to compete for a place in the finals and a chance at the envied title of International Soca Monarch.

At the inception of the competition, all soca artists (whether their song was uptempo or slower) competed for the same prize. In its current format, a distinction is recognised between faster-paced soca songs (135 bpm and above) and their slower counterparts (134 bpm and below) which can still become crowd favorites. Between 2005 and 2015 artists with these slower-paced songs had a chance to compete separately from the usually more hyped-up (and consequently more popular) Power soca songs/artists, and vie for a different title, the International Groovy Soca Monarch. Between 2016 and 2018 the Power and Groovy Soca categories were merged back into one category however in 2019 the growing distinction between both styles of Soca has officially been reinstated. Therein is official recognition of the evolution of Soca music into two distinctive subgenres.

Prizes

Prize money for the competition was raised to $1 million in 2009 for the Power Soca Monarch winner although reports by Caribbean Prestige Foundation indicated there would be a reduction in the prize money. Fay Ann Lyons, the 2009 winner reportedly received the full amount of the promised award (less 5% for administrative costs) when the prizes were distributed on March 20, 2009. Second and third-place winners received cash prizes valued according to their placing. In 2010 the first prize for the Power category was set at US$100,000 and the first prize for the Groovy Soca Monarch was increased to TT $200,000. The prize for 2018 was $300,000.^[3] Prize money for the International Soca Monarch has grown over the years and was announced as being $1 million TT dollars for the 2009 winner when the competition was launched in 2008. Fay-Ann Lyons-Alvarez, the 2009 winner reportedly received her prize money (subject to a small deduction) at the prize-giving ceremony in March, 2009. T&T Ministry of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs have reportedly suggested future prize money be reduced to $750,000 due to the downturn in the global economy. In 2004, the winner received $150,000, which was an increase from the previous year.

In 2006, $500,000 and a car constituted the winnings for double-winner Shurwayne Winchester. In 2008, the first prize was also $500,000. Since 2003, all finalists have been guaranteed a cash award for their appearance.

Prize sponsorship

Past title sponsors of the event such as TSTT, bmobile and the T&T National Lotteries Control Board (NLCB) have in the past contributed to the cash awards for winners. In 2017 and 2018, the title sponsor was billed as Lotto Plus^[4] and Play Whe^[5] (respectively), which are both run by the NLCB. In August, 2010, T&T's culture minister announced a prize increase to $2M for the following year.^[6] In 2014, a new category of "Carib Break Out Artiste" was added. It was awarded to Mr. Killa of Grenada.^[7] The prize for the International Groovy Soca Monarch peaked at $500,000 TT Dollars.

History

The first soca artist to win the Soca Monarch title is Superblue. He went on to win the competition a record of seven times. This record is as yet unbeaten, although several artists are closing in on that number. Since the competition has been split into two back-to-back contests, there have been only three performers to simultaneously capture both titles: Shurwayne Winchester was the first in 2006, Fay-Ann Lyons the second in 2009, and Machel Montano in 2012 and 2013. Fay-Ann is also the first female winner of the International Soca Monarch in the Power category and the first female to win both titles simultaneously. Having also won the People's Choice award that year, she is the first artist to make a clean sweep of all the prizes at the International Soca Monarch. When the local T&T competition first became an international event in 1996, all contestants were required to pass the preliminary stages to qualify for the finals. In 2009, this was changed with winners from other countries' soca monarch competitions being automatically "seeded" into the final round. Biggie Irie from Barbados became the first non-Trinbagonian to win the Groovy Soca Monarch title in 2007. In 2019 when the separate Groovy Soca and Power Soca categories were re-introduced, Mr. Killa from Grenada became the first non-Trinbagonian to win the prestigious ISM Power Soca Monarch title.

International Power Soca Monarch Winners

International Groovy Soca Monarch Winners

bmobile TSTT People's Choice
2006: Bunji Garlin
2007: Shurwayne Winchester
2008: Bunji Garlin
2009: Fay Ann Lyons-Alvarez
2010: JW & Blaze
2011: Neil 'Iwer' George
2012: Machel Montano
2013: Superblue

A new feature was added to the 2010 International Soca Monarch - text voting. Fans could text the relevant code to 7622 in the Caribbean and 78247 in US & Canada to vote for their favorite Artiste - text voting accounted for 35% of the artiste's final score. Text messaging platforms: TSTT - Trinidad and Tobago, Lime - Caribbean, All major carriers - USA & Canada.

Sources

• Gov't cuts $$ for Soca Monarch
• Newsday: Soca Monarch — a springboard to success
• Caribbean Beat
• Trinidad Guardian
• Newsday: 2006 — A cultural journey
• NALIS: Carnival results
• Soca Monarch winner still to receive $
• Double victory for Shurwayne
• Daily Express: Fantastic Friday
• SocaMonarch.net
• Newsday: Prize cut for Soca queen
• Fay-Ann's prizemoney slashed by $.25m
• Fay-Ann to receive full $1 million first prize

General References

• Fay Ann: Soca Monarch no longer just an event
• Power and Groovy categories return to Soca Monarch
• Soca Monarch competition now in hands of Fay Ann Lyons-Alvarez