Chutney Soca Monarch Coming To Toronto

Joel and the Chutney Soca Monarch coming to Toronto

By Stephen Weir

Joel Davis at Harbourfront 

There will be a Soca Monarch contest held during Toronto’s Caribana weekend, and this year it comes with a healthy dose of T&T Chutney! Shortly after it was learned that there would not be a Toronto Caribbean Calypso Monarch contest this year because of a lack of contestants, a Trinidad based company announced it is working with Canadian publisher / promoter Amit Gossai, to bring the Chutney Soca Monarch (CSM) to Toronto.

Chutney Soca deal signed

“The Chutney Soca competition in Trinidad gets 5,000 to 10,000 spectators. This is our first year in Canada and I am hopeful that we will get 4,000 to 5,000 through the door,” Mr. Gossai told Carib 101.  “ We are in the process of nailing down a location – once the deal has been signed, I can’t say where it will be, but, I will tell you it will be held in Woodbridge, 3pm to 9pm on August 4th. “  

“ Southex Promotions, the owners of the Chutney Soca Monarch Competition have inked a deal for the first Chutney Soca Monarch (CSM) to come North. Southex CEO George Singh made the announcement during a press conference in May in San Fernando, Trinidad.

Singh said in a media briefing that after 24 years, CSM continues to be one of the most popular and successful evens in T&Ts Carnival. He said that the Canadian partnership is “another opportunity to market the Chutney Soca brand.”

Joel Davis - Connector

Meanwhile back in Canada Mr. Gossai says that the August 4th event will not only help the brand Chutney music it will help Canadian Chutney singers gain some traction in Trinidad. “To be honest we are doing this to promote local Chutney Soca artists to the Caribbean market.  Canadians have taken part in Trinidad Chutney Soca competitions in the past but none of them have been able to progress up the ladder because the judges didn’t know who they are and or even what their songs are.  It is not as though the T&T radio stations are playing their music!”

Mr. Gossai reports that he wants to bring a dozen performers to the stage for the Canadian Monarch competition.  He has already found 10 Canadian and international singers to commit to the contest.  "We are offering prize money to the top three artistes.  The winner also gets an automatic bye to the final round of 2020 T&T CSM!"

Weir Story in TOCaribNews

“We really want to link up with the organizers of the annual Toronto Caribbean Carnival. We understand that while there will be Calypso performances in the Festival, there isn’t going to be a Monarch competition.” Mr. Gossai said.  “ We’d love to part of Carnival.  We have already talked to Joel Davis (Connector) the last winner of the Canada’s Calypso Monarch to take part in our CSM.  We will have more announcements soon, so as they say  “Watch This Space!”