Machel set to defend Soca Monarch title for last time…
By Nigel Telesford
Four-time Power Soca Monarch Machel Montano will be defending his title on “Fantastic Friday”, February 13, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain.
The recent Soul Train award winner announced his intention at a news conference yesterday morning, at Boissiere House, Queen’s Park West, Port of Spain.
Stating this would be his last time competing in the annual contest, Montano added: “On Fantastic Friday, I, Machel Montano, will be defending my crown. I’m going to make that my last Soca Monarch ever. I’m not going to jump off the ship. I’m going to dedicate my life after that to helping them become what they need to become…. I will be defending my crown… and I will be doing it Like Ah Boss!” Before announcing he would, in fact, be defending his title, Montano spoke to the media for over 30 minutes, explaining his history with the international Soca Monarch competition, stressing he believed in “co-operation and not competition”.
The soca superstar encouraged young people to compete “in order to sharpen and showcase their skills”, but said he wanted to focus on making this year’s Machel Monday concert “the biggest and best one ever”.
Montano revealed Grammy-award-winning singer/songwriter Angela Hunte will be “one of the many special guests” at the upcoming Machel Monday show and pleaded with the media to work with him “to promote the positive attributes of Trinidad and Tobago to the world”. Montano said he had been so busy working on various projects, he did not realise the deadline for registration for the Groovy Soca Monarch had passed until the finalists were announced. The Road March King also stated he is “using Carnival as a platform” and has more music to release over the coming weeks.
“I am releasing a song every two days. I am using Carnival as the platform to put out music that I feel will impact the world. I not putting out music to win Road March, or to win Groovy—ah done miss that. Ah not putting out music for power —ah not doing that. “I am exercising my creativity in every living moment and expanding the limits of my mind—trying to put us at the forefront of the industry. Please, work with me.”
source: trinidadexpress.com
