PROUD WINNER: A moment of victory as stunned winner Kenneth Salick is picked up and brought back on stage at Skinner Park, San Fernando, early yesterday morning. -Photos: Dave Persad
Kenneth Salick took the 2009 Chutney Soca Monarch title with his hit song "Radica", after commanding 11,625 text votes from a total of 60,000 votes received between 8 p.m. on Saturday night to 2 a.m. yesterday.
The stunned 46-year-old handyman, a father of seven, of Manzanilla, said the crown would give him the chance to put to music 108 songs he had written over the years.
"I have been waiting for a break like this for a long, long time," he said in a telephone conversation yesterday.
He beat out nine other finalists in the night-long Carnival celebration at Skinner Park, San Fernando, on Saturday night, to claim a prize of $200,000.
Leader of the music band Karma, Ravi Bissambhar, took the $100,000 second prize with "Dularie". He scored 8,822 votes, while Lalchan "Hunter" Babwah's breakaway hit "Jep Sting Naina" was third with 4,380 votes. He will receive $60,000.
The winner was selected for the first time this year by text votes.
Southex Promotions chief executive officer George Singh said votes from phones were capped to ensure the voting was fair. He said only the first 10 text votes from any one phone were applied to the contestants' score.
Singh said, "More than 60,000 votes were received by bmobile for Saturday night's competition, which was decided for the first time by text voting."
The results, after being audited and verified by bmobile, were announced at approximately 2.45 a.m. yesterday before a packed house. Singh said the pubic was given the opportunity to pick a winner this year.
"Every year, for the past 13 years, there have been protests over the judges' decision, so we decided to try something new," he said.
The show, titled "Festival of the Stars", started at 8 p.m. with a 45-minute spectacular opening act featuring the Gayatones orchestra, Susan Mohip dancers and the N-9 dancers.
Ten leading bands provided music to a capacity crowd. The soca chutney competition started with wild card winner Asha Kamachee, wearing a black sari decorated with silver sequins. She was accompanied by a troupe of dancers and sang "Kaisay Saloni", which earned her fourth spot.
Five-times winner Rikki Jai " followed with "Jai Kay Paree" (salute to the girls). In a silver and white outfit with a white turban on his head, he filled the stage with colourful dancers in an outstanding display. Neeshan "Hitman" Prabhu took the stage alone, singing and dancing to "Take meh gul", then made way for Salick at number four position.
Salick wore white and with a sober expression went down on his knees to lament his fate at the hands of "Radica", singing "Why you leave me and go". Dancers highlighted the performance and made way for Soca Elvis in red paying tribute to the rainbow culture with his patriotic song "Luv up".
The competition continued after guest performances with Patch and Mastermind with "Rum and Roti", followed by Hunter, Denyse Plummer, Ravi Bissambhar and Synergy television chutney star Rajin Dhanraj with "Go Nah".
Night of the Stars also saw Alison Hinds and Drupatee singing "Roll up de Tassa".
The results were as follows:
1. Kenneth Salick
2. Ravi B
3. Hunter
4. Asha Kamachee
5. Rikki Jai
6. Patch and Mastermind
7. Neeshan 'Hitman' Prabhu
8. Rajin Dhanraj
9. Denyse Plummer
10. Soca Elvis
