Last night the Soca Monarch Semi-Final round took place at the Arima Velodrome. From what was seen on-line via the delayed CNC3 video feed the stadium was pack with Soca lovers who went there to have a good time and enjoy sweet Soca music. I must admit that I was very anxious when I realised that we may not get a video feed of the show. I listened to Vibe 105 FM until the delayed video feed came on stream. However, I did not watch everything! The show continued after 12:00 pm and I had to get to work! However, I saw enough to form and opinion...
I have to admit that there were few good performances last night. However, I will be brief with my comments. Why do these singers believe that they need to shout to impact the audience? I am very disappointed with many of the singers who performed and 'shouted' over the microphone. Is it that the music is too loud and they need to shout to be heard? Maybe it is the general set up of the stage and the proximity of the band and sound system in relation to where the artists have to perform. What every is the reason they need to get their act together and start singing and stop shouting!
If an artist knows that they can't run around the stage, jump up and down and wine all song and can't breathe properly to sing properly then don't do it or limit the amount of running back and forth. The shouting is killing these performances! I asked someone to critique Lyrikal's performance last night and they said that he was good but that he was the best 'shouter' up to that point... Devon Matthews was atrocious! Enough said about the shouting. I have to say I enjoyed Destra's performance, Denise Belfon and Farmer Nappy to name a few that I saw and liked. Meanwhile, Skinny Fabulous (song: "Behaving The Worst") behaved the worst and may have been the best (as in show-stopper) last night for the Groovy competition!
Oh and I have to mention this, why do these singers (shouters) think that they must talk to the audience? They begin to sing (shout) and then you hear "Low". Right after that they begin to talk to the audience and judges. Why? Sing the song and let your ability, your vibe bring it home.
I am disappointed that most of the singers in the Groovy segment approached this category of music in the same manner as the Power Soca category. What happened to the Groove aspect? They introduced a Power aspect to their performances that basically diminished the value of their performances.
Then came the Power Soca segment and the shouting continued. I stopped after Chucky Gorden performed "Gyal To The Front". Sigh!